When Solomon uttered a single whistling note to the birds of Sabá he ensnared them all,
چون سلیمان سوی مرغان سبا ** یک صفیری کرد بست آن جمله را
Except, maybe, the bird that was without spirit or wings, or was dumb and deaf, like a fish, from the beginning.860
جز مگر مرغی که بد بی‌جان و پر ** یا چو ماهی گنگ بود از اصل کر
Nay, I have spoken wrongly, for if the deaf one lay his head before the inspiration of the Divine Majesty, it will give to him (the power of) hearing.
نی غلط گفتم که کر گر سر نهد ** پیش وحی کبریا سمعش دهد
When Bilqís set out (from Sabá) with heart and soul, she felt remorse too for the bygone time,
چونک بلقیس از دل و جان عزم کرد ** بر زمان رفته هم افسوس خورد
She took leave of her kingdom and riches in the same way as those lovers (of God) take leave of honour and disgrace (reputation).
ترک مال و ملک کرد او آن چنان ** که بترک نام و ننگ آن عاشقان
Those charming pages and handmaidens (of hers seemed) to her eye (loathly) as a rotten onion.
آن غلامان و کنیزان بناز ** پیش چشمش هم‌چو پوسیده پیاز
For love’s sake, orchards and palaces and river-water seemed to her eye (contemptible as) a dunghill.865
باغها و قصرها و آب رود ** پیش چشم از عشق گلحن می‌نمود
Love, in the hour of domination and anger, makes the pleasing ones to become hideous to the eye.
عشق در هنگام استیلا و خشم ** زشت گرداند لطیفان را به چشم
Love’s jealousy causes every emerald to appear as a leek: this is the (inner) meaning of Lá.
هر زمرد را نماید گندنا ** غیرت عشق این بود معنی لا
O (thou who givest) protection , (the meaning of) “There is no god but He” is that the moon should seem to thee a black kettle.
لااله الا هو اینست ای پناه ** که نماید مه ترا دیگ سیاه
No wealth, no treasury, and no goods or gear were being grudged by her (Bilqis) except her throne.
هیچ مال و هیچ مخزن هیچ رخت ** می دریغش نامد الا جز که تخت
Then Solomon became aware of (this feeling in) her heart, for the way was open from his heart to hers.870
پس سلیمان از دلش آگاه شد ** کز دل او تا دل او راه شد
He that hears the voice of ants will also hear the cry from the inmost soul of them that are afar.
آن کسی که بانگ موران بشنود ** هم فغان سر دوران بشنود
He that declares the mystery of “an ant said” will also know the mystery of this ancient dome.
آنک گوید راز قالت نملة ** هم بداند راز این طاق کهن
From afar he (Solomon) discerned that to her (Bilqís) who was following the path of resignation ‘twas bitter to part with her throne.
دید از دورش که آن تسلیم کیش ** تلخش آمد فرقت آن تخت خویش
If I explain the reason why she had that love and complaisance to her throne, it (the discourse) will become (too) long.
گر بگویم آن سبب گردد دراز ** که چرا بودش به تخت آن عشق و ساز
Although this reed-pen is in fact an insensible thing and is not homogeneous with the writer, (yet) it is a familiar friend to him.875
گرچه این کلک قلم خود بی‌حسیست ** نیست جنس کاتب او را مونسیست
Likewise, every tool of a craftsman is, (though) lifeless, the familiar friend of the spirit of Man.
هم‌چنین هر آلت پیشه‌وری ** هست بی‌جان مونس جانوری
This reason I would have explained precisely, if there were not some moisture (dimness) in the eye of your understanding.
این سبب را من معین گفتمی ** گر نبودی چشم فهمت را نمی
There was no possibility of transporting the throne (from Sabá) because of its hugeness which exceeded (all) bounds.
از بزرگی تخت کز حد می‌فزود ** نقل کردن تخت را امکان نبود
It was filigree work, and there was danger in taking it to pieces, (since its parts were joined) like the limbs of the body with one another.
خرده کاری بود و تفریقش خطر ** هم‌چو اوصال بدن با همدگر
Therefore Solomon said, “Although in the end the diadem and throne will become chilling (repulsive) to her”—880
پس سلیمان گفت گر چه فی‌الاخیر ** سرد خواهد شد برو تاج و سریر
(For) when the spirit puts forth its head (manifests itself) from the Unity (to which it has attained), in comparison with its splendour the body hath no splendour (at all);
چون ز وحدت جان برون آرد سری ** جسم را با فر او نبود فری
When the pearl comes up from the depths of the seas, you will look with contempt on the foam and sticks and straws.
چون برآید گوهر از قعر بحار ** بنگری اندر کف و خاشاک خوار
(When) the flaming sun lifts up its head, who will make Scorpio’s tail his resting—place’?—
سر بر آرد آفتاب با شرر ** دم عقرب را کی سازد مستقر
“Yet, notwithstanding all this, in the actual case (the means of) transporting her throne (hither) must be sought,
لیک خود با این همه بر نقد حال ** جست باید تخت او را انتقال
In order that she may not feel hurt at the time of meeting (with me), and that her wish may be fulfilled, like (the wishes of) children.885
تا نگردد خسته هنگام لقا ** کودکانه حاجتش گردد روا
It (the throne) is lightly esteemed by me, but it is exceedingly dear to her: (let it be brought hither), that the devil too may be (present) at the table (banquet) of the houris.
هست بر ما سهل و او را بس عزیز ** تا بود بر خوان حوران دیو نیز
That throne of delight will become a lesson to her soul, like the (coarse) frock and (rustic) shoon in the presence of Ayáz
عبرت جانش شود آن تخت ناز ** هم‌چو دلق و چارقی پیش ایاز
So that the afflicted one (Bilqís) may know in what (plight) she was (formerly) and from what (low) places to what a (high) place she has arrived.”
تا بداند در چه بود آن مبتلا ** از کجاها در رسید او تا کجا
God is ever keeping the clay and semen and piece of flesh (embryo) before our eyes,
خاک را و نطفه را و مضغه را ** پیش چشم ما همی‌دارد خدا
(As though) to say, “O man of evil intention, whence did I bring thee, that thou hast (such) a disgust at it?890
کز کجا آوردمت ای بدنیت ** که از آن آید همی خفریقیت
Thou wert in love with that (state) in the period thereof: at that time thou wert denying this (present) grace (which I have bestowed on thee).”
تو بر آن عاشق بدی در دور آن ** منکر این فضل بودی آن زمان
Inasmuch as this (present) bounty is the (means of) rebutting the denial which thou didst make in the beginning (when thou wert) amidst the clay,
این کرم چون دفع آن انکار تست ** که میان خاک می‌کردی نخست
Thy having been brought to life is the argument against denial (of the Resurrection); (but thou art still denying it): this sick (soul) of thine is made worse by the medicine.
حجت انکار شد انشار تو ** از دوا بدتر شد این بیمار تو
Whence should clay have the (power of) imagining this thing? Whence should semen conceive opposition and denial?
خاک را تصویر این کار از کجا ** نطفه را خصمی و انکار از کجا
(Nevertheless) since at that moment thou wert devoid of heart and spirit, thou wert (implicitly) denying (the faculty of) reflection and (the possibility of) denial.895
چون در آن دم بی‌دل و بی‌سر بدی ** فکرت و انکار را منکر بدی
Since thy (former) denial arose from the state of lifelessness (irrationality), so by this (present) denial (the certainty of) thy resurrection is established.
از جمادی چونک انکارت برست ** هم ازین انکار حشرت شد درست
Hence the (appropriate) parable of thee is (a case) like (that of) the person who knocks at the door (of a house), and the master replies to him from within, saying, “The master is not (here).”
پس مثال تو چو آن حلقه‌زنیست ** کز درونش خواجه گوید خواجه نیست
From this “is not” the person knocking perceives that he is (there), and consequently does not take his hand off the door- ring at all.
حلقه‌زن زین نیست دریابد که هست ** پس ز حلقه بر ندارد هیچ دست
Therefore the very fact of thy denial is making it clear that He (God) brings about manifold resurrections from lifeless matter.
پس هم انکارت مبین می‌کند ** کز جماد او حشر صد فن می‌کند
How much (Divine) artifice passed (was expended), O thou denial (incarnate), till the water and clay (of thy original nature) produced denial from (the state signified by the words) Hal atá!900
چند صنعت رفت ای انکار تا ** آب و گل انکار زاد از هل اتی
The water and clay was really saying, “There is no denial” (was really making an affirmation): it was crying, ‘There is no affirmation” (was uttering a denial), unaware (of the fact that its denial was an implicit affirmation).
آب وگل می‌گفت خود انکار نیست ** بانگ می‌زد بی‌خبر که اخبار نیست
I would expound this (topic) in a hundred ways, but the (reader’s) mind would stumble at the subtle discourse.
من بگویم شرح این از صد طریق ** لیک خاطر لغزد از گفت دقیق
How Solomon, on whom be peace, devised a plan for bringing the throne of Bilqís from Sabá.
چاره کردن سلیمان علیه‌السلام در احضار تخت بلقیس از سبا
A certain ‘Ifrít (demon) said, “By (my) art I will bring her throne here before thy departure from this council.”
گفت عفریتی که تختش را به فن ** حاضر آرم تا تو زین مجلس شدن
Ásaf said, “By means of the greatest Name (of God) I will bring it here into thy presence in a single moment.”
گفت آصف من به اسم اعظمش ** حاضر آرم پیش تو در یک دمش
Though the ‘Ifrít was a master of magic, yet that (miracle) was displayed by the breath (spiritual power) of Ásaf.905
گرچه عفریت اوستاد سحر بود ** لیک آن از نفخ آصف رو نمود
The throne of Bilqís came into the presence instantly, but through Ásaf, not through the art of them that have the (malignant) nature of ‘Ifríts.
حاضر آمد تخت بلقیس آن زمان ** لیک ز آصف نه از فن عفریتیان
He (Solomon) said, “Praise to God for this and a hundred such (favours) which I have seen (received) from the Lord of created beings.”
گفت حمدالله برین و صد چنین ** که بدیدستم ز رب العالمین
Then Solomon turned his eyes towards the throne. “Yes,” he said, “thou art one that catches fools, O tree!”
پس نظر کرد آن سلیمان سوی تخت ** گفت آری گول‌گیری ای درخت