For ‘Ád (and those like them) the wind is a treacherous carrier: (they are) as a lamb in the hands of a glutton,4675
عاد را با دست حمال خذول ** هم‌چو بره در کف مردی اکول
Which he lays in his lap as though it were his own child and carries away to slaughter like a butcher.
هم‌چو فرزندش نهاده بر کنار ** می‌برد تا بکشدش قصاب‌وار
That wind was (the punishment) for ‘Ád because of their pride: they indeed deemed it a friend, (but) it was (really) a stranger (foe).
عاد را آن باد ز استکبار بود ** یار خود پنداشتند اغیار بود
When of a sudden it turned its coat, that evil comrade shattered them piecemeal.
چون بگردانید ناگه پوستین ** خردشان بشکست آن بس القرین
Shatter (destroy) the wind—for the wind (of self-will) is a great temptation— ere it shatter thee, like ‘Ád.
باد را بشکن که بس فتنه‌ست باد ** پیش از آن کت بشکند او هم‌چو عاد
Húd admonished them, saying, “O prideful folk, this wind will tear out of your hands the skirt (to which ye are clinging).4680
هود دادی پند که ای پر کبر خیل ** بر کند از دستتان این باد ذیل
The wind is God's army, and (only) in hypocrisy (deceit) has it embraced you for a few days.
لشکر حق است باد و از نفاق ** چند روزی با شما کرد اعتناق
Secretly it is loyal to its Creator: when the appointed term arrives, the wind will throw up its hands (and desert you).”
او به سر با خالق خود راستست ** چون اجل آید بر آرد باد دست
See how the wind passes through the mouth, coming and going at every moment in advance and retreat.
باد را اندر دهن بین ره‌گذر ** هر نفس آیان روان در کر و فر
The throat and teeth are in no danger from it; (but) when God commands, it attacks the teeth;
حلق و دندان‌ها ازو آمن بود ** حق چو فرماید به دندان در فتد
(And then) a (mere) atom of wind becomes (like) a mountain and heavy, and toothache keeps him (the sufferer) miserable and ill.4685
کوه گردد ذره‌ای باد و ثقیل ** درد دندان داردش زار و علیل
This is the same wind that used to pass by harmlessly: it was the life of the crops and it became the death of the crops.
این همان بادست که امن می‌گذشت ** بود جان کشت و گشت او مرگ کشت
The hand of the person who (formerly) kissed thy hand—in the moment of anger that hand becomes a mace.
دست آن کس که بکردت دست‌بوس ** وقت خشم آن دست می‌گردد دبوس
He (who has toothache) cries from his soul, “O Lord! O Lord! Take away this wind, O Thou whose aid is besought (by all)!
یا رب و یا رب بر آرد او ز جان ** که ببر این باد را ای مستعان
O mouth, thou wert heedless of this wind: (now) go and betake thyself to asking pardon of God with utter abasement.”
ای دهان غافل بدی زین باد رو ** از بن دندان در استغفار شو
His hard eye (now) sheds tears like rain: (only) pain causes the unbelievers to call unto God.4690
چشم سختش اشک‌ها باران کند ** منکران را درد الله‌خوان کند
Since thou hast not received the breath (inspiration) of (holy) men from a (holy) man, hark, receive the Divine inspiration from pain.
چون دم مردان نپذرفتی ز مرد ** وحی حق را هین پذیرا شو ز درد
The wind says, “I am a messenger from the King of mankind: now I bring good news, now calamitous and bad;
باد گوید پیکم از شاه بشر ** گه خبر خیر آورم گه شوم و شر
For I am subject to command, I am not in command of myself: when am I forgetful, like thee, of my King?
ز آنک مامورم امیر خود نیم ** من چو تو غافل ز شاه خود کیم
If thy (spiritual) state resembled that of Solomon, I should have carried thee as (I carried) Solomon.
گر سلیمان‌وار بودی حال تو ** چون سلیمان گشتمی حمال تو
I am (only) lent (to thee); I should have become a possession in thy hand: I should have made thee acquainted with my mystery.4695
عاریه‌ستم گشتمی ملک کفت ** کردمی بر راز خود من واقفت
But since thou art rebellious and I am (only) taken on loan to serve thee for three or four days,
لیک چون تو یاغیی من مستعار ** می‌کنم خدمت ترا روزی سه چار
Therefore I will lay thee low, like ‘Ád, and dash away in revolt from thy army,
پس چو عادت سرنگونی‌ها دهم ** ز اسپه تو یاغیانه بر جهم
In order that thy faith in the Unseen may become firm at the moment when thy faith is (only) a source of woe.”
تا به غیب ایمان تو محکم شود ** آن زمان که ایمانت مایه‌ی غم شود
(For) at that moment, in sooth, all become believers: at that moment even the (most) headstrong run on their heads.
آن زمان خود جملگان مؤمن شوند ** آن زمان خود سرکشان بر سر دوند
At that moment they cry piteously and make humble supplication, like robbers and brigands under the gibbet.4700
آن زمان زاری کنند و افتقار ** هم‌چو دزد و راه‌زن در زیر دار
But if you become upright in (your faith in) the Unseen, you are owner of the two worlds and a magistrate (exercising sovereign authority) over yourself.
لیک گر در غیب گردی مستوی ** مالک دارین و شحنه‌ی خود توی
The abiding (spiritual) magistracy and kingship is not (something) taken on loan for two days and ailing (perishable).
شحنگی و پادشاهی مقیم ** نه دو روزه و مستعارست و سقیم
(Possessing that) you are delivered from strife and can act for yourself: you are king and at the same time beating your own drum.
رستی از بیگار و کار خود کنی ** هم تو شاه و هم تو طبل خود زنی
When the World squeezes our throats tightly, would that our gullets and mouths had eaten (only) earth!
چون گلو تنگ آورد بر ما جهان ** خاک خوردی کاشکی حلق و دهان
This mouth, indeed, has (always) been an eater of earth; but an earth that has been coloured.4705
این دهان خود خاک‌خواری آمدست ** لیک خاکی را که آن رنگین شدست
This roast-meat and this wine and this sugar are (merely) coloured and painted earth, O son.
این کباب و این شراب و این شکر ** خاک رنگینست و نقشین ای پسر
When you have eaten or drunk (them) and they have become flesh and skin, He gives them the colour of flesh, but they are still the earth of (His) street.
چونک خوردی و شد آن لحم و پوست ** رنگ لحمش داد و این هم خاک کوست
’Tis from a bit of earth that He stitches the (body of) clay, and then makes the whole (fabric) a bit of earth again.
هم ز خاکی بخیه بر گل می‌زند ** جمله را هم باز خاکی می‌کند
Hindús and Qifcháq (Turks) and Greeks and Abyssinians— all have quite the same colour in the grave.
هندو و قفچاق و رومی و حبش ** جمله یک رنگ‌اند اندر گور خوش
So you may know that all those colours and pictures are entirely a mask and deceit and borrowed (ephemeral).4710
تا بدانی کان همه رنگ و نگار ** جمله روپوشست و مکر و مستعار
The only lasting colour is the dye of Allah: know that all the rest are tied (stuck) on (superficially) like a bell.
رنگ باقی صبغة الله است و بس ** غیر آن بر بسته دان هم‌چون جرس
The colour of sincerity and the colour of piety and intuitive faith will endure in the (devout) worshippers for evermore;
رنگ صدق و رنگ تقوی و یقین ** تا ابد باقی بود بر عابدین
And the colour of doubt and the colour of ingratitude and hypocrisy will endure in the undutiful soul for evermore;
رنگ شک و رنگ کفران و نفاق ** تا ابد باقی بود بر جان عاق
Like wicked Pharaoh's blackness of face, the colour whereof is enduring, though his body passes away.
چون سیه‌رویی فرعون دغا ** رنگ آن باقی و جسم او فنا
(And so with) the radiance and glory in the beauteous faces of the sincere (believers): their bodies pass away, but that remains till the Day of Judgement.4715
برق و فر روی خوب صادقین ** تن فنا شد وان به جا تو یومن دین
The only ugly one is that (eternally) ugly one; the only beautiful one is that (eternally) beautiful one: this one is always laughing and that one scowling.
زشت آن زشتست و خوب آن خوب و بس ** دایم آن ضحاک و این اندر عبس
He (God) gives to earth a certain colour and variety and value, and causes childish folk to wrangle over it.
خاک را رنگ و فن و سنگی دهد ** طفل‌خویان را بر آن جنگی دهد
(When) a piece of dough is baked in the shape of a camel or lion, (these) children bite their fingers (excitedly) in their greed for it.
از خمیری اشتر وشیری پزند ** کودکان از حرص آن کف می‌گزند
The lion or camel turns to bread in the mouth, but it is futile to tell this to children.
شیر و اشتر نان شود اندر دهان ** در نگیرد این سخن با کودکان
The child is in a (state of) ignorance and fancy and doubt: at any rate, thank God, his strength is (but) little.4720
کودک اندر جهل و پندار و شکیست ** شکر باری قوت او اندکیست
The child is quarrelsome and very mischievous: thank God for his lack of skill and strength.
طفل را استیزه و صد آفتست ** شکر این که بی‌فن و بی‌قوتست
(But) alas for these childish undisciplined elders who in their strength have become an affliction to every guardian!
وای ازین پیران طفل ناادیب ** گشته از قوت بلای هر رقیب
When weapons and ignorance are brought together, he (such an one) becomes in his tyranny a world-consuming Pharaoh.
چون سلاح و جهل جمع آید به هم ** گشت فرعونی جهان‌سوز از ستم
O poor man, thank God for thy deficiency (of means), for (thereby) thou art delivered from being a Pharaoh and ungrateful (for Divine blessings).
شکر کن ای مرد درویش از قصور ** که ز فرعونی رهیدی وز کفور