That obedient one moved his hand towards the Earth: the Earth withdrew herself and was afraid.
دست سوی خاک برد آن متمر ** خاک خود را در کشید و شد حذر
Then the Earth loosed her tongue and made supplication, saying, “For the sake of the reverence due to the unique Creator,1560
پس زبان بگشاد خاک و لابه کرد ** کز برای حرمت خلاق فرد
Take leave of me and go! Spare my life! Go, turn aside from me the reins of thy white steed!
ترک من گو و برو جانم ببخش ** رو بتاب از من عنان خنگ رخش
For God's sake, leave me and do not plunge me into the troubles of (moral) obligation and danger.
در کشاکشهای تکلیف و خطر ** بهر لله هل مرا اندر مبر
(I beseech thee) for the sake of the favour by which God chose thee out and revealed to thee the knowledge (written) in the Universal Tablet,
بهر آن لطفی که حقت بر گزید ** کرد بر تو علم لوح کل پدید
So that thou hast become the teacher of the Angels and art conversing with God continually;
تا ملایک را معلم آمدی ** دایما با حق مکلم آمدی
For thou wilt be the messenger sent to the prophets: thou art the life of the inspired spirit, not (the life) of the body.1565
که سفیر انبیا خواهی بدن ** تو حیات جان وحیی نی بدن
Thou (ever) hadst superiority over Seraphiel because he is the body's life, (while) thou art the spirit's.
بر سرافیلت فضیلت بود از آن ** کو حیات تن بود تو آن جان
The blast of his trumpet is (producing) the growth of bodies; thy breath is (producing) the growth of the single heart.
بانگ صورش نشات تن‌ها بود ** نفخ تو نشو دل یکتا بود
The life of the heart is the soul of the soul of the body: therefore thy gift is superior to his.
جان جان تن حیات دل بود ** پس ز دادش داد تو فاضل بود
Again, Michael gives the sustenance (proper) for the body, (but) thy labour gives the sustenance (proper) for the illumined heart.
باز میکائیل رزق تن دهد ** سعی تو رزق دل روشن دهد
He has filled his skirt with gifts (of sustenance dispensed) by measure, (but) thy gifts of sustenance are immeasurable.1570
او بداد کیل پر کردست ذیل ** داد رزق تو نمی‌گنجد به کیل
Moreover, thou art better than Azrael the tyrannous and enraged, even as (Divine) Mercy is prior to Wrath.
هم ز عزرائیل با قهر و عطب ** تو بهی چون سبق رحمت بر غضب
These four (Angels) are the bearers of the (Divine) Throne, and thou (art their) king: thou art the best of all of the four from being (spiritually) awake.
حامل عرش این چهارند و تو شاه ** بهترین هر چهاری ز انتباه
On the Day of the (Last) Congregation thou wilt see that its bearers are eight: at that time also thou wilt be the most excellent of its eight (bearers).”
روز محشر هشت بینی حاملانش ** هم تو باشی افضل هشت آن زمانش
Thus was she (the Earth) enumerating (his qualities) and weeping: she guessed what was the object of this (mission).
هم‌چنین برمی‌شمرد و می‌گریست ** بوی می‌برد او کزین مقصود چیست
Gabriel was a mine of reverence and respect: those adjurations barred the way against him.1575
معدن شرم و حیا بد جبرئیل ** بست آن سوگندها بر وی سبیل
Inasmuch as she entreated and adjured him, he returned and said, “O Lord of Thy servants,
بس که لابه کردش و سوگند داد ** بازگشت و گفت یا رب العباد
(I protest) that I have not been remiss in Thy affair, but Thou knowest what happened better (than I).
که نبودم من به کارت سرسری ** لیک زانچ رفت تو داناتری
She (the Earth) pronounced the Name from awe of which, O All-seeing One, the Seven Heavens would cease from their course.
گفت نامی که ز هولش ای بصیر ** هفت گردون باز ماند از مسیر
(A feeling of) shame came over me, I was abashed by Thy Name; else, ’tis easy to convey a handful of earth,
شرمم آمد گشتم از نامت خجل ** ورنه آسانست نقل مشت گل
For Thou hast bestowed such a strength upon the Angels that they can tear these celestial spheres to shreds.”1580
که تو زوری داده‌ای املاک را ** که بدرانند این افلاک را
The sending of Michael, on whom be peace, to take a handful of clay from the Earth for putting together the frame of the blessed body of the Father of Mankind, the Vicegerent of God, Adam, on whom be peace, the Adored of the Angels and their Teacher.
فرستادن میکائیل را علیه‌السلام به قبض حفنه‌ای خاک از زمین جهت ترکیب ترتیب جسم مبارک ابوالبشر خلیفة الحق مسجود الملک و معلمهم آدم علیه‌السلام
He (God) said to Michael, “Do thou go down and seize, like a lion, a handful of clay from her.”
گفت میکائیل را تو رو به زیر ** مشت خاکی در ربا از وی چو شیر
When Michael reached the Earth, he put forth his hand to seize (the clay) from her.
چونک میکائیل شد تا خاکدان ** دست کرد او تا که برباید از آن
The Earth trembled and began to flee (recoil): she became suppliant and shed tears.
خاک لرزید و درآمد در گریز ** گشت او لابه‌کنان و اشک‌ریز
Her breast burning (with grief), she made supplication and earnest entreaty: with bloody tears she adjured (him),
سینه سوزان لابه کرد و اجتهاد ** با سرشک پر ز خون سوگند داد
Saying, “(I beseech thee) by the gracious incomparable God who hath made thee the bearer of the majestic Throne.1585
که به یزدان لطیف بی‌ندید ** که بکردت حامل عرش مجید
Thou art the overseer for measuring (and dispensing) the world's means of sustenance: thou art the ladler to them that thirst for the (Divine) bounty”—
کیل ارزاق جهان را مشرفی ** تشنگان فضل را تو مغرفی
Because (the name) Míká’íl (Michael) is derived from kayl (measure), and he has become the measurer (kayyál) in dispensation of the means of subsistence.
زانک میکائیل از کیل اشتقاق ** دارد و کیال شد در ارتزاق
“Give me quarter, set me free! See how I am uttering words stained with blood.”
که امانم ده مرا آزاد کن ** بین که خون‌آلود می‌گویم سخن
The Angel is a mine of God's mercy: he (Michael) said, “How should I sprinkle this salt on that wound?”—
معدن رحم اله آمد ملک ** گفت چون ریزم بر آن ریش این نمک
Just as the Devil is a mine of (God's) wrath, for he has raised up a roar (of lamentation) from the sons of Adam.1590
هم‌چنانک معدن قهرست دیو ** که برآورد از نبی آدم غریو
The precedence of Mercy over Wrath exists (as a fact), O youth: clemency was (eternally) predominant in the nature of God.
سبق رحمت بر غضب هست ای فتا ** لطف غالب بود در وصف خدا
His (chosen) servants necessarily possess His disposition: their water-skins are filled from the water of His stream.
بندگان دارند لابد خوی او ** مشکهاشان پر ز آب جوی او
The Messenger of God and the Guide on the (mystic) journey said that men follow the usage of their kings.
آن رسول حق قلاوز سلوک ** گفت الناس علی دین الملوک
Michael went (back) to the Lord of the Judgement, with hand and sleeve empty of the object of his quest.
رفت میکائیل سوی رب دین ** خالی از مقصود دست و آستین
He said, “O Knower of the secret, O peerless King, the Earth bound me (tied my hands) by lamenting and weeping.1595
گفت ای دانای سر و شاه فرد ** خاک از زاری و گریه بسته کرد
Tears were (ever) precious with Thee: I could not feign not to have heard.
آب دیده پیش تو با قدر بود ** من نتانستم که آرم ناشنود
Moaning and wailing (ever) had great value with Thee: I could not leave their rights unheeded.
آه و زاری پیش تو بس قدر داشت ** من نتانستم حقوق آن گذاشت
With Thee the moist eye is much prized: how should I have become quarrelsome in resisting (her)?”
پیش تو بس قدر دارد چشم تر ** من چگونه گشتمی استیزه‌گر
There is a summons to the servant (of God) to lamentation five times a day— “come to (perform) the ritual prayer, and make lament.”
دعوت زاریست روزی پنج بار ** بنده را که در نماز آ و بزار
The muezzin's cry is “hasten to welfare,” and that welfare is this lamentation and petitioning.1600
نعره‌ی مذن که حیا عل فلاح ** وآن فلاح این زاری است و اقتراح
He whom Thou wishest to make sorrow-stricken—Thou dost bar against his heart the way to lamentation,
آن که خواهی کز غمش خسته کنی ** راه زاری بر دلش بسته کنی
In order that affliction may descend (upon him) without (there being) anything to repel it, when there is no intercessor (in the form) of humble entreaty;
تا فرو آید بلا بی‌دافعی ** چون نباشد از تضرع شافعی
And (on the other hand) Thou dost lead to humble entreaty the spirit of him whom Thou wishest to redeem from affliction.
وانک خواهی کز بلااش وا خری ** جان او را در تضرع آوری
Thou hast said in the Qur’án that (as regards) those peoples on which that heavy vengeance fell,
گفته‌ای اندر نبی که آن امتان ** که بریشان آمد آن قهر گران
’Twas because at that moment they would not make humble entreaty that the affliction might be averted from them;1605
چون تضرع می‌نکردند آن نفس ** تا بلا زیشان بگشتی باز پس
But since their hearts had been hardened, their sins appeared (to them) as obedient service (rendered to God).
لیک دلهاشان چون قاسی گشته بود ** آن گنههاشان عبادت می‌نمود
Until the sinner deems himself rebellious, how can tears run from his eye?
تا نداند خویش را مجرم عنید ** آب از چشمش کجا داند دوید
The Story of the people of Yúnus (Jonah), on whom be peace, is a demonstration and manifest proof that humble entreaty and lamentation avert affliction sent from Heaven. And God most High acts by free choice: therefore humble entreaty and reverence avail with Him. The philosophers, however, say that He acts by (the necessity of His) nature and as a cause, not by free choice: therefore humble entreaty (is useless, for it) cannot alter nature.
قصه‌ی قوم یونس علیه‌السلام بیان و برهان آنست کی تضرع و زاری دافع بلای آسمانیست و حق تعالی فاعل مختارست پس تضرع و تعظیم پیش او مفید باشد و فلاسفه گویند فاعل به طبع است و بعلت نه مختار پر تضرع طبع را نگرداند
When the affliction became visible to the people of Yúnus, a cloud full of fire departed (descended) from heaven.
قوم یونس را چو پیدا شد بلا ** ابر پر آتش جدا شد از سما