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
Oh, many are the fools that lay down their heads before wood and graven stone.
پیش چوب و پیش سنگ نقش کند ** ای بسا گولان که سرها می‌نهند
(Both) the worshipper and the object of worship are ignorant of the spirit; (but) he (the worshipper) has felt a movement and a slight effect of the spirit.910
ساجد و مسجود از جان بی‌خبر ** دیده از جان جنبشی واندک اثر
He has felt, at the moment when he became rapt (in devotion) and bewildered, that the stone spoke and made signs.
دیده در وقتی که شد حیران و دنگ ** که سخن گفت و اشارت کرد سنگ
When the wretched man bestowed his devotion in the wrong place and deemed the lion of stone to be a (real) lion,
نرد خدمت چون بنا موضع بباخت ** شیر سنگین را شقی شیری شناخت
The real Lion, from kindness, showed munificence and at once threw a bone to the dog,
از کرم شیر حقیقی کرد جود ** استخوانی سوی سگ انداخت زود
And said, “Although the dog is not in (due) order, yet as regards me the bone is a bounty of which all partake.”
گفت گرچه نیست آن سگ بر قوام ** لیک ما را استخوان لطفیست عام
Story of Halíma's asking help of the idols when she lost Mustafá (Mohammed)—on whom be peace—after he was weaned, and how the idols trembled and prostrated themselves and bore witness to the grandeur of Mohammed's estate—may God bless and save him!
قصه‌ی یاری خواستن حلیمه از بتان چون عقیب فطام مصطفی را علیه‌السلام گم کرد و لرزیدن و سجده‌ی بتان و گواهی دادن ایشان بر عظمت کار مصطفی صلی‌الله علیه و سلم
I will tell you the story of Halíma's mystic experience, that her tale may clear away your trouble.915
قصه‌ی راز حلیمه گویمت ** تا زداید داستان او غمت
When she parted Mustafá from (her) milk, she took him up on the palm of her hand as (tenderly as though he were) sweet basil and roses,
مصطفی را چون ز شیر او باز کرد ** بر کفش برداشت چون ریحان و ورد
Causing him to avoid every good or evil (hap), that she might commit that (spiritual) emperor to (the care of) his grandsire.
می‌گریزانیدش از هر نیک و بد ** تا سپارد آن شهنشه را به جد
Since she was bringing the (precious) trust in fear (for its safety), she went to the Ka‘ba and came into the Hatím.
چون همی آورد امانت را ز بیم ** شد به کعبه و آمد او اندر حطیم
From the air she heard a cry—“O Hatím, an exceedingly mighty Sun hath shone upon thee.
از هوا بشنید بانگی کای حطیم ** تافت بر تو آفتابی بس عظیم
O Hatím, to-day there will suddenly come upon thee a hundred thousand beams from the Sun of munificence.920
ای حطیم امروز آید بر تو زود ** صد هزاران نور از خورشید جود
O Hatím, to-day there will march into thee with pomp a glorious King, whose harbinger is Fortune.
ای حطیم امروز آرد در تو رخت ** محتشم شاهی که پیک اوست بخت
O Hatím, to-day without doubt thou wilt become anew the abode of exalted spirits.
ای حطیم امروز بی‌شک از نوی ** منزل جانهای بالایی شوی
The spirits of the holy will come to thee from every quarter in troops and multitudes, drunken with desire.”
جان پاکان طلب طلب و جوق جوق ** آیدت از هر نواحی مست شوق
Halíma was bewildered by that voice: neither in front nor behind was any one (to be seen).
گشت حیران آن حلیمه زان صدا ** نه کسی در پیش نه سوی قفا
(All) the six directions were empty of (any visible) form, and this cry was continuous—may the soul be a ransom for that cry!925
شش جهت خالی ز صورت وین ندا ** شد پیاپی آن ندا را جان فدا
She laid Mustafá on the earth, that she might search after the sweet sound.
مصطفی را بر زمین بنهاد او ** تا کند آن بانگ خوش را جست و جو
Then she cast her eye to and fro, saying, “Where is that king that tells of mysteries?
چشم می‌انداخت آن دم سو به سو ** که کجا است این شه اسرارگو
For such a loud sound is arriving from left and right. O Lord, where is he that causes it to arrive?”
کین چنین بانگ بلند از چپ و راست ** می‌رسد یا رب رساننده کجاست
When she did not see (any one), she became distraught and despairing: her body began to tremble like the willow-bough.
چون ندید او خیره و نومید شد ** جسم لرزان هم‌چو شاخ بید شد
She came back towards that righteous child: she did not see Mustafá in his (former) place.930
باز آمد سوی آن طفل رشید ** مصطفی را بر مکان خود ندید
Bewilderment on bewilderment fell upon her heart: from grief her abode became very dark.
حیرت اندر حیرت آمد بر دلش ** گشت بس تاریک از غم منزلش
She ran to the dwellings (hard by) and raised an outcry, saying, “Who has carried off my single pearl?”
سوی منزلها دوید و بانگ داشت ** که کی بر دردانه‌ام غارت گماشت
The Meccans said, “We have no knowledge: we knew not that a child was there.”
مکیان گفتند ما را علم نیست ** ما ندانستیم که آنجا کودکیست
She shed so many tears and made (so) much lamentation that those others began to weep because of her (grief).
ریخت چندان اشک و کرد او بس فغان ** که ازو گریان شدند آن دیگران
Beating her breast, she wept so well (mightily) that the stars were made to weep by her weeping.935
سینه کوبان آن چنان بگریست خوش ** که اختران گریان شدند از گریه‌اش
Story of the old Arab who directed Halíma to seek help from the idols.
حکایت آن پیر عرب کی دلالت کرد حلیمه را به استعانت به بتان
An old man with a staff approached her, saying, “Why, what hath befallen thee, O Halíma,
پیرمردی پیشش آمد با عصا ** کای حلیمه چه فتاد آخر ترا
That thou didst let such a fire (of grief) blaze (forth) from thy heart and consume these bowels (of the bystanders) with mourning?”
که چنین آتش ز دل افروختی ** این جگرها را ز ماتم سوختی
She replied, “I am Ahmad's (Mohammed's) trusted foster-mother, so I brought him (back) to hand him over to his grandsire.
گفت احمد را رضیعم معتمد ** پس بیاوردم که بسپارم به جد
When I arrived in the Hatím, voices were coming (down) and I was hearing (them) from the air.
چون رسیدم در حطیم آوازها ** می‌رسید و می‌شنیدم از هوا
When I heard from the air those melodious strains, because of that sound I laid down the infant there,940
من چو آن الحان شنیدم از هوا ** طفل را بنهادم آنجا زان صدا
To see whose voice is (the origin of) this cry, for it is a very beautiful cry and very delightful.
تا ببینم این ندا آواز کیست ** که ندایی بس لطیف و بس شهیست
I saw no sign of any one around me: the cry was not ceasing for one moment.
نه از کسی دیدم بگرد خود نشان ** نه ندا می منقطع شد یک زمان
When I returned (to my senses) from the bewilderments of my heart, I did not see the child there (where I had left him): alas for my heart!”
چونک واگشتم ز حیرتهای دل ** طفل را آنجا ندیدم وای دل
He (the old man) said, “O daughter, do not grieve, for I will show unto thee a queen,
گفتش ای فرزند تو انده مدار ** که نمایم مر ترا یک شهریار
Who, if she wish, will tell what has happened to the child: she knows the dwelling-place of the child and his setting-out (on the way).”945
که بگوید گر بخواهد حال طفل ** او بداند منزل و ترحال طفل
Then Halíma said, “Oh, my soul be a ransom for thee, O goodly and fair-spoken Shaykh!
پس حلیمه گفت ای جانم فدا ** مر ترا ای شیخ خوب خوش‌ندا