As for that one whom God protects, birds and fish become his guardians.
آنکسی را کش خدا حافظ بود ** مرغ و ماهی مر ورا حارس شود
How an eagle seized the boot of the Prophet, on whom be peace, and carried it into the air and turned it upside down, and how a black serpent dropped down from the boot.
ربودن عقاب موزهی مصطفی علیه السلام و بردن بر هوا و نگون کردن و از موزه مار سیاه فرو افتادن
They were thus engaged, when Mustafá (Mohammed) heard from aloft the call to the ritual prayer.
اندرین بودند کواز صلا ** مصطفی بشنید از سوی علا
He asked for water and renewed the ablution: he washed his hands and face with that cold water.
خواست آبی و وضو را تازه کرد ** دست و رو را شست او زان آب سرد
He washed both his feet and gave attention to (was about to take) his boot: a boot-snatcher carried off the boot.3240
هر دو پا شست و به موزه کرد رای ** موزه را بربود یک موزهربای
That man of sweet address moved his hand towards the boot: an eagle snatched the boot from his hand,
دست سوی موزه برد آن خوشخطاب ** موزه را بربود از دستش عقاب
And bore it away into the air, (swift) as the wind; then she turned it upside down, and a serpent dropped from it.
موزه را اندر هوا برد او چو باد ** پس نگون کرد و از آن ماری فتاد
From the boot dropped a black serpent: on account of that (Divine) care (for the Prophet) the eagle became his benevolent friend.
در فتاد از موزه یک مار سیاه ** زان عنایت شد عقابش نیکخواه
Then the eagle brought back the boot and said, “Come, take it and go to prayers.
پس عقاب آن موزه را آورد باز ** گفت هین بستان و رو سوی نماز
I did this presumptuous act from necessity: I am abashed by (my feeling of) reverence (for thee).3245
از ضرورت کردم این گستاخیی ** من ز ادب دارم شکستهشاخیی
Woe to him that steps (behaves) presumptuously without necessity (and only) because vain desire authorises him!”
وای کو گستاخ پایی مینهد ** بی ضرورت کش هوا فتوی دهد
Then the Prophet thanked her (the eagle) and said, “I deemed this (act of thine) rudeness, but it really was kindness.
پس رسولش شکر کرد و گفت ما ** این جفا دیدیم و بود این خود وفا
Thou didst carry off the boot, and I was perturbed: thou took’st away my grief, and I was aggrieved.
موزه بربودی و من درهم شدم ** تو غمم بردی و من در غم شدم
Although God hath shown to me every unseen thing, at that moment my heart was occupied with myself.”
گرچه هر غیبی خدا ما را نمود ** دل در آن لحظه به خود مشغول بود
She (the eagle) said, “Far be it from thee that forgetfulness grew up in thee: my seeing that invisible thing is (from) thy reflexion.3250
گفت دور از تو که غفلت در تو رست ** دیدنم آن غیب را هم عکس تست
(If) I, in the air, see the serpent in the boot, ’tis not of myself, ’tis thy reflexion, O Mustafá.”
مار در موزه ببینم بر هوا ** نیست از من عکس تست ای مصطفی
The reflexion of the man of light is wholly resplendent; the reflexion of the man of darkness is wholly (like) a bath-stove (ash-heap).
عکس نورانی همه روشن بود ** عکس ظلمانی همه گلخن بود
The reflexion of the servant of God is wholly luminous; the reflexion of the stranger (to God) is wholly blindness.
عکس عبدالله همه نوری بود ** عکس بیگانه همه کوری بود
Know every one's reflexion: see (it plainly), O my soul. (Then) ever sit beside the congener whom thou desirest.
عکس هر کس را بدان ای جان ببین ** پهلوی جنسی که خواهی مینشین
The right way of taking a lesson from this story and knowing with certainty that “verily, together with hardship there is ease.”
وجه عبرت گرفتن ازین حکایت و یقین دانستن کی ان مع العسر یسرا
That tale is a lesson to thee, O my soul, to the end that thou mayst acquiesce in the decree of God;3255
عبرتست آن قصه ای جان مر ترا ** تا که راضی باشی در حکم خدا
So that thou wilt be quick to understand and wilt have good thoughts (of God) when thou seest a calamity (befall thee) of a sudden.
تا که زیرک باشی و نیکوگمان ** چون ببینی واقعهی بد ناگهان
(While) others turn pale from dread of it, thou (wilt be) laughing in the hour of gain or loss, like the rose.
دیگران گردند زرد از بیم آن ** تو چو گل خندان گه سود و زیان
Because the rose, though thou tear it petal by petal, does not leave off laughing and does not become bent (with grief).