The people in the ship were faint with terror: cries of woe had arisen,
اهل کشتی از مهابت کاسته ** نعره وا ویلها برخاسته
And in lamentation they were beating their heads with their hands: infidel and deist—they all had become sincere (in devotion to God),
دستها در نوحه بر سر میزدند ** کافر و ملحد همه مخلص شدند
Making heartfelt promises and vows to God with a hundred humble entreaties in that hour.
با خدا با صد تضرع آن زمان ** عهدها و نذرها کرده بجان
Bare-headed in the prostrate attitude (of Divine worship) were those whose faces, because of (their) perversity, had never seen the qibla at all.2185
سر برهنه در سجود آنها که هیچ ** رویشان قبله ندید از پیچ پیچ
They (formerly) said, “This worship of God is useless”; (but) in that hour (of despair) they saw a hundred lives (precious advantages) therein.
گفته که بیفایدهست این بندگی ** آن زمان دیده در آن صد زندگی
They had entirely abandoned hope of all—of friends and maternal and paternal uncles and father and mother.
از همه اومید ببریده تمام ** دوستان و خال و عم بابا و مام
At that moment ascetic and reprobate (alike) had become God-fearing as a wicked man at the time of the death-agony.
زاهد و فاسق شد آن دم متقی ** همچو در هنگام جان کندن شقی
Neither on the left nor on the right was there any help for them: when (all) expedients are dead, (then) is the time to invoke God.
نه ز چپشان چاره بود و نه ز راست ** حیلهها چون مرد هنگام دعاست
They were (engaged) in invocation and lament and moaning: a black smoke went up from them to heaven.2190
در دعا ایشان و در زاری و آه ** بر فلک زیشان شده دود سیاه
Then the Devil cried in enmity, “Avaunt! Avaunt! O dog-worshippers, (ye shall be afflicted with) two maladies.
دیو آن دم از عداوت بین بین ** بانگ زد کای سگپرستان علتین
Death and woe (to you)! O unbelievers and hypocrites, this will befall (you) in the end,
مرگ و جسک ای اهل انکار و نفاق ** عاقبت خواهد بدن این اتفاق
(That) after deliverance ye will rejoice to become peculiar devils for the sake of (gratifying) your lust,
چشمتان تر باشد از بعد خلاص ** که شوید از بهر شهوت دیو خاص
And will not remember that in the day of peril God took your hands (to save you) from His decree.”
یادتان ناید که روزی در خطر ** دستتان بگرفت یزدان از قدر
This cry was coming from the Devil; but these words are unheard except by a good ear.2195
این همیآمد ندا از دیو لیک ** این سخن را نشنود جز گوش نیک
Mustafá (Mohammed), the Pole and the Emperor and the Sea of Purity, has told us truly,
راست فرمودست با ما مصطفی ** قطب و شاهنشاه و دریای صفا
That what the ignorant will see in the end the wise see from the first step.
کانچ جاهل دید خواهد عاقبت ** عاقلان بینند ز اول مرتبت
If matters are hidden and secret at the beginning, the wise man sees at first, while that obstinate one (sees) at last.
کارها ز آغاز اگر غیبست و سر ** عاقل اول دید و آخر آن مصر
The beginning thereof is concealed, and both the wise man and the ignorant will see the end in (the moment of its) manifestation;
اولش پوشیده باشد و آخر آن ** عاقل و جاهل ببیند در عیان
(But) if you, O contumacious one, do not see the hidden event (before it comes to pass)—when did the torrent sweep away your prudence?2200
گر نبینی واقعهی غیب ای عنود ** حزم را سیلاب کی اندر ربود
What is prudence? To think ill of the world. He (the prudent man) at every moment will (expect to) see a sudden calamity.
حزم چه بود بدگمانی بر جهان ** دم بدم بیند بلای ناگهان
The ideas of the prudent man.
تصورات مرد حازم
’Tis as when a lion has suddenly come up and seized a man and dragged him into the jungle.
آنچنانک ناگهان شیری رسید ** مرد را بربود و در بیشه کشید
At (the moment of) that carrying off, what will he think of? Consider (this), and think of the same thing, O thou who art learned in the (Mohammedan) Religion.
او چه اندیشد در آن بردن ببین ** تو همان اندیش ای استاد دین
The lion, Destiny, is dragging into the jungles (of death) our souls which are preoccupied with (worldly) business and trades.
میکشد شیر قضا در بیشهها ** جان ما مشغول کار و پیشهها