بخش 33 - پیدا شدن استارهٔ موسی علیه السلام بر آسمان و غریو منجمان در میدان

His star appeared in the sky, to the confusion of Pharaoh and his plots and devices.

Day broke: he (Pharaoh) said to him (‘Imrán), “O ‘Imrán, go, inform thyself concerning that uproar and noise.”

‘Imrán rode to the maydán and said, “What uproar was this? The King of kings has not slept.”

Every astrologer, with head bare and garment rent, kissed the earth (before him), like mourners.

Their voices were choked with lamentation, like mourners, and their guise (dishevelled).

They had plucked out their beards and hair; their faces were torn; they had cast earth on their heads, and their eyes were filled with blood.

He (‘Imrán) said, “Is it well (with you)? What is this perturbation and emotion? Does the unlucky year give an evil sign?”

They offered excuses and said, “O Amír, the hand of His predestination hath made us captive.

We have done all this, and (now) Fortune is darkened: the King's enemy has come into being and has prevailed.

During the night the star of that boy became clearly visible, to our confusion, on the front of heaven.

The star of that prophet shot up in the sky: we, from weeping, began to shed stars (glistening tears).”

‘Imrán, with a right glad heart and from hypocrisy, was beating his hands on his head and crying, “Alas, all is lost.”

‘Imrán feigned to be wrathful and grim, he went (amongst them) senseless and witless, like madmen.

He feigned to be ignorant and pushed forward and addressed to the company (of astrologers) words exceeding rough.

He made himself out to be bitterly annoyed and grieved, he played (with) reversed dice.

He said to them, “Ye have deceived my King, ye have not refrained from treachery and covetousness.

Ye roused the King (to go) towards the maydán, ye let our King's honour go to waste.

Ye put your hands on your breasts in warrant, saying, ‘We will set the King free from cares.’”

The King too heard (how the astrologers excused themselves) and said, “O traitors, I will hang you up without quarter.

I exposed myself to derision, I squandered riches on my enemies,

To the end that to-night all the Israelites might remain far away from meeting with their wives.

Wealth and honour are gone, and all is done in vain: is this (true) friendship and (are these) the deeds of the noble?

For years ye have been taking stipends and robes of honour and devouring kingdoms as ye pleased.

Was this (the only result of) your judgement and wisdom and astrology? Ye are lickspittles and deceivers and ill-omened.

I will rend you to pieces and set you ablaze, I will tear off your noses and ears and lips.

I will make you fuel for the fire, I will make your past pleasure unsweet to you.”

They prostrated themselves and said, “O Khedive, if (this) one time the Devil has prevailed against us,

(Yet) for years we have warded off afflictions: the imagination is dumbfounded by that which we have done.

(Now) it (the prevention of this calamity) has eluded us, and his conception has occurred: semen ejus exsiliit et in uterum irrepsit;

But (we crave) pardon for this, (and) we shall watch the day of birth, O King and Sovereign.

We shall observe (by the stars) the day of his nativity, that this event may not escape and evade us.

If we do not keep watch for this, kill us, O thou to whose judgement (our) thoughts and intelligence are slaves.”

For nine months he was counting day after day, lest the arrow of the Decree that transfixes its enemy should fly (from the bow).

Any one who makes a night-attack upon (lies in wait to oppose) Doom falls headlong and drinks of his own blood.

When the earth shows enmity to the sky, it becomes salty (barren) and presents a spectacle of death.

(When) the picture (creature) struggles hand to hand with the Painter (Creator), it (only) tears out its own moustaches and beard.