بخش 96 - گفتن موسی علیه‌السلام فرعون را کی از من یک پند قبول کن و چهار فضیلت عوض بستان

Come, accept from me one thing and bring (it into practice), and then take from me four as recompense for that.”

He replied, “O Moses, what is that one thing? Explain to me a little about that one thing.”

“That one thing,” said he, “is that thou shouldst say publicly that there is no god but the Maker,

The Creator of the heavenly spheres and of the stars on high and of man and devil and genie and bird,

The Creator of sea and plain and mountain and desert: His sovereignty is without limit and He is without like.”

He (Pharaoh) said, “O Moses, what are those four things that thou wilt give me in recompense? Declare (what they are) and bring (them before me),

That perchance, by the favour of that goodly promise, the crucifixion (torment) of my unbelief may be assuaged.

Perchance, by the effect of the river of honey, this poison of hatred may be turned into honey in my body;

Or by the reflexion of the river of that pure milk, (my) captive intelligence may be nourished for a moment;

Or perchance, by the reflexion of those rivers of wine, I may be intoxicated and obtain a scent of the delight of (obedience to) the (Divine) command;

Or perchance, by the favour of those rivers of water, my barren devastated body may gain refreshment—

Some verdure may appear on my barren soil, my thorn-brake may become the Garden of (everlasting) abode;

Perchance, by the reflexion of Paradise and the four rivers, my spirit, through God's befriending (it), may become a seeker of the Friend,

In the same fashion as from the reflexion of Hell I have become fire and am steeped in the wrath of God.

At one moment, from the reflexion of the snake of Hell I have become (engaged in) dropping poison, like a snake, on those who shall dwell in Paradise;

I am now the Hell of the poor and oppressed: woe to him whom I suddenly find subject (to me)!”