ba-suḳhan āmdan-e-tifl darmiyān-e-ātish-o-tahrīz kardan-e-kHalq rā dar uftādan-e-ba-ātish
How a child began to speak amidst the fire and urged the
people to throw themselves into the fire.
yak zane bā-tifl āvurd aañ jahūd
pesh-e-āñ but-o-ātish andar sho'ala buud
That Jew brought to that idol a woman with her child,
and the fire was blazing.
tifl azū ba-sitad dar ātish dar fa-kand
zan ba-tarsīd-o-dil az īmāñ ba-kand
He took the child from her and cast it into the fire: the woman
was affrighted and withdrew her heart from (abandoned) her faith.
ḳhvāst tā-ū-sajda aarad pesh-e-but
baañg zad aañ tifl ki innī lam-amut
She was about to bow down before the idol
(when) the child cried, Verily, I am not dead.
andar aa ai mādar īñ-jā man ḳhusham
garche dar sūrat miyān-e-ātisham
Come in, O mother: I am happy here,
although in appearance I am amidst the fire.
chashm band-ast ātish az bahr-e-hujīb
rahmatast iiñ sar bar āvurda za jeb
The fire is a spell that binds the eye for the sake of screening (the truth);
this is (in reality) a Divine mercy which has raised its head from the collar (has been manifested from the Unseen).
andar aa mādar ba-bīñ burhān-e-haq
tā ba-bīnī 'ishrat-e-kHāsān-e-haq
Come in, mother, and see the evidence of God,
that thou mayst behold the delight of God's elect.
andar ā-o-āb biiñ ātish misāl
az jahāne ki-ātishast ābash misāl
Come in, and see water that has the semblance of fire; (come away)
from a world which is (really) fire and (only) has the semblance of water.
andar aa asrār-e-ibrāhīm ba-bīñ
kū dar ātish yaaft sarv-o-yāsmīñ
Come in, and see the mysteries of Abraham,
who in the fire found cypress and jessamine.
marg mī dīdam gah zādan za tū
saḳht kHaufam buud uftādan za tū
I was seeing death at the time of birth from thee:
sore was my dread of falling from thee;
chuuñ ba-zādam rastam az zindān-e-tañg
dar jahāne ḳhush havā-e-kHūb rañg
(But) when I was born, I escaped from the narrow prison
(of the womb) into a world of pleasant air and beautiful colour.
man jahāñ rā chuuñ raham dīdam kanūñ
chuuñ darīñ ātish ba-dīdam iiñ sukūñ
Now I deem the (earthly) world to be like the womb,
since in this fire I have seen such rest:
andarīñ ātish ba-dīdam 'ālame
zarra zarra andar uu 'iisā dame
In this fire I have seen a world wherein every
atom possesses the (life-giving) breath of Jesus.
nak jahān-e-nīst shakle hast zaat
vaañ jahān-e-hast shakle be-sabāt
Lo, (it is) a world apparently non-existent (but) essentially existent,
while that (other) world is apparently existent (but) has no permanence.
andar aa mādar ba-haqq-e-mādarī
biiñ ki iiñ aazar na-dārad āzarī
Come in, mother, (I beseech thee) by the right of motherhood:
see this fire, how it hath no fieriness.
andar aa mādar ki iqbāl āmdast
andar aa mādar ma-deh daulat za dast
Come in, mother, for felicity is come; come in, mother,
do not let fortune slip from thy hand.
qudrat-e-āñ sag ba-dīdī andar aa
tā ba-bīnī qudrat-e-lutf-e-kHudā
Thou hast seen the power of that (Jewish) cur: come in,
that thou mayst see the power and the grace of God.
man za rahmat mī kishānam pā-e-tū
kaz tarab ḳhud nīstam parvā-e-tū
’Tis (only) out of pity that I am drawing thy feet (hither),
for indeed such is my rapture that I have no care for thee.
andar ā-o-dīgarāñ rā ham ba-kHvāñ
ki-andar ātish shaah ba-nihādast-ḳhvāñ
Come in and call the others also,
for the King has spread a (festal) table within the fire.
andar aayed ai muslamānāñ hama
ġhair iiñ 'azabe 'azābast aañ hama
O true believers, come in, all of you: except the sweetness
(‘adhbí) of (the true) religion all is torment (‘adháb).
andar aayed ai hama parvāna-vār
andarīñ bahra ki dārad sad bahār
Oh, come in, all of you, like moths; (come) into
this fortune which hath a hundred springtimes.
baañg mī zad darmiyān-e-āñ giroh
pur hamī shud jān-e-kHalqāñ az shikoh
(Thus) he was crying amidst that multitude:
the souls of the people were filled with awe.
ḳhalq ḳhud rā baad az aañ be-kHveshtan
mī figandand andar ātish mard-o-zan
After that, the folk, men and women (alike),
cast themselves unwittingly into the fire—
be-mu.vakkil be-kashish az 'ishq-e-dost
zāñ-ki shīrīñ kardan-e-har talḳh azūzt
Without custodian, without being dragged, for love of the Friend,
because from Him is the sweetening of every bitterness—
tā chunāñ shud ki-āñ 'avvānāñ ḳhalq rā
man'a mī kardand ki ātish dar miyā
Until it came to pass that the (king's) myrmidons were
holding back the people, saying, Do not enter the fire!
aañ yahūdī shud siyah-rū-o-kHajil
shud pashemāñ ziiñ sabab bīmār dil
The Jew became black-faced (covered with shame)
and dismayed; he became sorry and sick at heart,
ki-andar īmāñ ḳhalq 'āshiq-tar shudand
dar fanā-e-jism sādiq-tar shudand
Because the people grew more loving (ardent) in
their Faith and more firm in mortification (faná) of the body.
makr-e-shaitāñ ham dar uu pechīd shukr
dev ham ḳhud rā siyah-rū diid shukr
Thanks (be to God), the Devil's plot caught him in its toils;
thanks (be to God), the Devil saw himself disgraced.
āñ-che mī mālīd dar rū-e-kasāñ
jam' shud dar chehra-e-āñ nā-kasāñ
That which he was rubbing (the shame he was inflicting) on
the faces of those persons (the Christians) was all accumulated on the visage of that vile wretch.
āñ-ki mī durrīd jāma-e-kHalq chust
shud darīda ān-e-ū īshāñ durust
He who was busy rending the garment (honour and integrity)
of the people—his own (garment) was rent, (while) they were unhurt.
ba-suKHan aamdan-e-tifl darmiyan-e-atish-o-tahriz kardan-e-kHalq ra dar uftadan-e-ba-atish
How a child began to speak amidst the fire and urged the
people to throw themselves into the fire.
yak zane ba-tifl aawurd aan jahud
pesh-e-an but-o-atish andar sho'ala bud
That Jew brought to that idol a woman with her child,
and the fire was blazing.
tifl azu ba-sitad dar aatish dar fa-kand
zan ba-tarsid-o-dil az iman ba-kand
He took the child from her and cast it into the fire: the woman
was affrighted and withdrew her heart from (abandoned) her faith.
KHwast ta-u-sajda aarad pesh-e-but
bang zad aan tifl ki inni lam-amut
She was about to bow down before the idol
(when) the child cried, Verily, I am not dead.
andar aa ai madar in-ja man KHusham
garche dar surat miyan-e-atisham
Come in, O mother: I am happy here,
although in appearance I am amidst the fire.
chashm band-ast aatish az bahr-e-hujib
rahmatast in sar bar aawurda za jeb
The fire is a spell that binds the eye for the sake of screening (the truth);
this is (in reality) a Divine mercy which has raised its head from the collar (has been manifested from the Unseen).
andar aa madar ba-bin burhan-e-haq
ta ba-bini 'ishrat-e-kHasan-e-haq
Come in, mother, and see the evidence of God,
that thou mayst behold the delight of God's elect.
andar aa-o-ab bin aatish misal
az jahane ki-atishast aabash misal
Come in, and see water that has the semblance of fire; (come away)
from a world which is (really) fire and (only) has the semblance of water.
andar aa asrar-e-ibrahim ba-bin
ku dar aatish yaft sarw-o-yasmin
Come in, and see the mysteries of Abraham,
who in the fire found cypress and jessamine.
marg mi didam gah zadan za tu
saKHt kHaufam bud uftadan za tu
I was seeing death at the time of birth from thee:
sore was my dread of falling from thee;
chun ba-zadam rastam az zindan-e-tang
dar jahane KHush hawa-e-kHub rang
(But) when I was born, I escaped from the narrow prison
(of the womb) into a world of pleasant air and beautiful colour.
man jahan ra chun raham didam kanun
chun darin aatish ba-didam in sukun
Now I deem the (earthly) world to be like the womb,
since in this fire I have seen such rest:
andarin aatish ba-didam 'alame
zarra zarra andar u 'isa dame
In this fire I have seen a world wherein every
atom possesses the (life-giving) breath of Jesus.
nak jahan-e-nist shakle hast zat
wan jahan-e-hast shakle be-sabaat
Lo, (it is) a world apparently non-existent (but) essentially existent,
while that (other) world is apparently existent (but) has no permanence.
andar aa madar ba-haqq-e-madari
bin ki in aazar na-darad aazari
Come in, mother, (I beseech thee) by the right of motherhood:
see this fire, how it hath no fieriness.
andar aa madar ki iqbaal aamdast
andar aa madar ma-deh daulat za dast
Come in, mother, for felicity is come; come in, mother,
do not let fortune slip from thy hand.
qudrat-e-an sag ba-didi andar aa
ta ba-bini qudrat-e-lutf-e-kHuda
Thou hast seen the power of that (Jewish) cur: come in,
that thou mayst see the power and the grace of God.
man za rahmat mi kishanam pa-e-tu
kaz tarab KHud nistam parwa-e-tu
’Tis (only) out of pity that I am drawing thy feet (hither),
for indeed such is my rapture that I have no care for thee.
andar aa-o-digaran ra hum ba-kHwan
ki-andar aatish shah ba-nihadast-KHwan
Come in and call the others also,
for the King has spread a (festal) table within the fire.
andar aayed ai muslamanan hama
ghair in 'azabe 'azabast aan hama
O true believers, come in, all of you: except the sweetness
(‘adhbí) of (the true) religion all is torment (‘adháb).
andar aayed ai hama parwana-war
andarin bahra ki darad sad bahaar
Oh, come in, all of you, like moths; (come) into
this fortune which hath a hundred springtimes.
bang mi zad darmiyan-e-an giroh
pur hami shud jaan-e-kHalqan az shikoh
(Thus) he was crying amidst that multitude:
the souls of the people were filled with awe.
KHalq KHud ra baad az aan be-kHweshtan
mi figandand andar aatish mard-o-zan
After that, the folk, men and women (alike),
cast themselves unwittingly into the fire—
be-muwakkil be-kashish az 'ishq-e-dost
zan-ki shirin kardan-e-har talKH azuzt
Without custodian, without being dragged, for love of the Friend,
because from Him is the sweetening of every bitterness—
ta chunan shud ki-an 'awwanan KHalq ra
man'a mi kardand ki aatish dar miya
Until it came to pass that the (king's) myrmidons were
holding back the people, saying, Do not enter the fire!
aan yahudi shud siyah-ru-o-kHajil
shud pasheman zin sabab bimar dil
The Jew became black-faced (covered with shame)
and dismayed; he became sorry and sick at heart,
ki-andar iman KHalq 'ashiq-tar shudand
dar fana-e-jism sadiq-tar shudand
Because the people grew more loving (ardent) in
their Faith and more firm in mortification (faná) of the body.
makr-e-shaitan hum dar u pechid shukr
dew hum KHud ra siyah-ru did shukr
Thanks (be to God), the Devil's plot caught him in its toils;
thanks (be to God), the Devil saw himself disgraced.
aan-che mi malid dar ru-e-kasan
jam' shud dar chehra-e-an na-kasan
That which he was rubbing (the shame he was inflicting) on
the faces of those persons (the Christians) was all accumulated on the visage of that vile wretch.
aan-ki mi durrid jama-e-kHalq chust
shud darida aan-e-u ishan durust
He who was busy rending the garment (honour and integrity)
of the people—his own (garment) was rent, (while) they were unhurt.
Additional information available
Click on the INTERESTING button to view additional information associated with this sher.
rare Unpublished content
This ghazal contains ashaar not published in the public domain. These are marked by a red line on the left.
