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
Come, show me that queen of clairvoyance who hath knowledge of what has happened to my child.”
هین مرا بنمای آن شاه نظر ** کش بود از حال طفل من خبر
He brought her to ‘Uzzá, saying, “This idol is greatly prized for information concerning the Unseen.
برد او را پیش عزی کین صنم ** هست در اخبار غیبی مغتنم
Through her we have found thousands that were lost, when we hastened towards her in devotion.”
ما هزاران گم شده زو یافتیم ** چون به خدمت سوی او بشتافتیم
The old man prostrated himself before her (‘Uzzá) and said at once, “O Sovereign of the Arabs, O sea of munificence!”950
پیر کرد او را سجود و گفت زود ** ای خداوند عرب ای بحر جود
(Then) he said, “O ‘Uzzá, thou hast done many favours (to us), so that we have been delivered from snares.
گفت ای عزی تو بس اکرامها ** کرده‌ای تا رسته‌ایم از دامها
On account of thy favour the duty (of worshipping thee) has become obligatory to the Arabs, so that the Arabs have submitted to thee.
بر عرب حقست از اکرام تو ** فرض گشته تا عرب شد رام تو
In hope of thee this Halíma of (the tribe) Sa‘d has come into the shadow of thy willow-bough,
این حلیمه‌ی سعدی از اومید تو ** آمد اندر ظل شاخ بید تو
For an infant child of hers is lost: the name of that child is Mohammed.”
که ازو فرزند طفلی گم شدست ** نام آن کودک محمد آمدست
When he said “Mohammed,” all those idols immediately fell headlong and prostrate,955
چون محمد گفت آن جمله بتان ** سرنگون گشت و ساجد آن زمان
Saying, “Begone, O old man! What is this search after that Mohammed by whom we are deposed?
که برو ای پیر این چه جست و جوست ** آن محمد را که عزل ما ازوست
By him we are overthrown and reduced to a collection of (broken) stones; by him we are made unsaleable and valueless.
ما نگون و سنگسار آییم ازو ** ما کساد و بی‌عیار آییم ازو
Those phantoms which the followers of vain opinion used to see from us at times during the Fatra
آن خیالاتی که دیدندی ز ما ** وقت فترت گاه گاه اهل هوا
Will disappear now that his royal court has arrived: the water is come and has torn up (annulled) the ablution with sand.
گم شود چون بارگاه او رسید ** آب آمد مر تیمم را درید
Get thee far off, O old man! Do not kindle mischief! Hark, do not burn us with (the fire of) Ahmad's (Mohammed's) jealousy!960
دور شو ای پیر فتنه کم فروز ** هین ز رشک احمدی ما را مسوز
Get thee far off, for God's sake, O old man, lest thou (too) be burnt by the fire of Fore-ordainment.
دور شو بهر خدا ای پیر تو ** تا نسوزی ز آتش تقدیر تو
What squeezing of the dragon's tail is this? Dost thou know at all what the announcement (of Mohammed's advent) is (in its effects)?
این چه دم اژدها افشردنست ** هیچ دانی چه خبر آوردنست
At this news the heart of sea and mine will surge; at this news the seven heavens will tremble.”
زین خبر جوشد دل دریا و کان ** زین خبر لرزان شود هفت آسمان
When the old man heard these words from the stones (idols), the ancient old man let his staff drop (from his hand);
چون شنید از سنگها پیر این سخن ** پس عصا انداخت آن پیر کهن
Then, from tremor and fear and dread caused by that proclamation (of the idols), the old man was striking his teeth together.965
پس ز لرزه و خوف و بیم آن ندا ** پیر دندانها به هم بر می‌زدی
Even as a naked man in winter, he was shuddering and saying, “O destruction!”
آنچنان که اندر زمستان مرد عور ** او همی لرزید و می‌گفت ای ثبور
When she (Halíma) saw the old man in such a state (of terror), in consequence of that marvel the woman lost (the power of) deliberation.
چون در آن حالت بدید او پیر را ** زان عجب گم کرد زن تدبیر را
She said, “O old man, though I am in affliction (on account of the loss of Mohammed), I am in manifold bewilderment (not knowing whether I should grieve or rejoice).
گفت پیر اگر چه من در محنتم ** حیرت اندر حیرت اندر حیرتم
At one moment the wind is making a speech to me, at another moment the stones are schooling me.
ساعتی بادم خطیبی می‌کند ** ساعتی سنگم ادیبی می‌کند
The wind addresses me with articulate words, the stones and mountains give me intelligence of (the real nature of) things.970
باد با حرفم سخنها می‌دهد ** سنگ و کوهم فهم اشیا می‌دهد
Once (before) they of the Invisible carried off my child—they of the Invisible, the green-winged ones of Heaven.
گاه طفلم را ربوده غیبیان ** غیبیان سبز پر آسمان
Of whom shall I complain? To whom shall I tell this plaint? I am become crazy and in a hundred minds.
از کی نالم با کی گویم این گله ** من شدم سودایی اکنون صد دله
His (God's) jealousy has closed my lips (so that I am unable) to unfold (the tale of) the mystery: I say (only) this much, that my child is lost.
غیرتش از شرح غیبم لب ببست ** این قدر گویم که طفلم گم شدست
If I should say anything else now, the people would bind me in chains as though I were mad.”
گر بگویم چیز دیگر من کنون ** خلق بندندم به زنجیر جنون
The old man said to her, “O Halíma, rejoice; bow down in thanksgiving and do not rend thy face.975
گفت پیرش کای حلیمه شاد باش ** سجده‌ی شکر آر و رو را کم خراش
Do not grieve: he will not become lost to thee; nay, but the (whole) world will become lost in him.
غم مخور یاوه نگردد او ز تو ** بلک عالم یاوه گردد اندرو
Before and behind (him) there are always hundreds of thousands of keepers and guardians (watching over him) in jealous emulation.
هر زمان از رشک غیرت پیش و پس ** صد هزاران پاسبانست و حرس
Didst not thou see how those idols with all their arts fell headlong at the name of thy child?
آن ندیدی کان بتان ذو فنون ** چون شدند از نام طفلت سرنگون
This is a marvellous epoch on the face of the earth: I have grown old, and I have not seen aught of this kind.”
این عجب قرنیست بر روی زمین ** پیر گشتم من ندیدم جنس این
Since (even) the stones (idols) bewailed this (prophetic) mission, think what (tribulation) it will set over (bring down upon) sinners!980
زین رسالت سنگها چون ناله داشت ** تا چه خواهد بر گنه کاران گماشت
The stone is guiltless in respect of being an object of worship, (but) you are not under compulsion in worshipping it.
سنگ بی‌جرمست در معبودیش ** تو نه‌ای مضطر که بنده بودیش
That one that was under compulsion has become so afraid: consider (then) what (terrible) things will be fastened upon the guilty!
او که مضطر این چنین ترسان شدست ** تا که بر مجرم چه‌ها خواهند بست
How ‘Abdu ’l-Muttalib, the grandfather of Mustafá (Mohammed), got news of Halíma's having lost Mohammed, on whom be peace, and searched for him round the city and made lamentation at the door of the Ka‘ba and besought God and found him (Mohammed), on whom be peace.
خبر یافتن جد مصطفی عبدالمطلب از گم کردن حلیمه محمد را علیه‌السلام و طالب شدن او گرد شهر و نالیدن او بر در کعبه و از حق درخواستن و یافتن او محمد را علیه‌السلام
When the grandfather of Mustafá got the news of Halíma and her outcry in public
چون خبر یابید جد مصطفی ** از حلیمه وز فغانش بر ملا
And of such loud screams and shrieks that the echo of them was reaching to (the distance of) a mile,
وز چنان بانگ بلند و نعره‌ها ** که بمیلی می‌رسید از وی صدا
‘Abdu ’l-Muttalib at once knew what was the matter: he beat his hands on his breast and wept.985
زود عبدالمطلب دانست چیست ** دست بر سینه همی‌زد می‌گریست