No act of piety can be better than this sin: years in comparison with this moment are (but) an hour.”
مدتی بد پیش این شه زین نسق ** دل کباب و جان نهاده بر طبق
In this fashion he remained with this King for a long while, his heart (roasted like) kabáb and his soul laid on the tray (of self-devotion).
گفت شه از هر کسی یک سر برید ** من ز شه هر لحظه قربانم جدید
He said, “The King beheads every one once, (but) I am sacrificed anew by the King at every instant.
من فقیرم از زر از سر محتشم ** صد هزاران سر خلف دارد سرم
I am poor in gold, but rich in heads (lives): my head (life) hath a hundred heads to take its place.
با دو پا در عشق نتوان تاختن ** با یکی سر عشق نتوان باختن
No one can run in (the path of) Love with two feet: no one can play (the game of) Love with one head;
هر کسی را خود دو پا و یک‌سرست ** با هزاران پا و سر تن نادرست 4605
Yet every one has two feet and one head: the body with thousands of feet and heads is a rarity.”
زین سبب هنگامه‌ها شد کل هدر ** هست این هنگامه هر دم گرم‌تر
On this account all (other) combats are (fought) in vain, (while) this combat (of Love) grows hotter every moment.
معدن گرمیست اندر لامکان ** هفت دوزخ از شرارش یک دخان
The source of its heat lies beyond the realm of space: the seven Hells are (but) a smoke (rising) from the sparks of its fire.
در بیان آنک دوزخ گوید کی قنطره‌ی صراط بر سر اوست ای مومن از صراط زودتر بگذر زود بشتاب تا عظمت نور تو آتش ما را نکشد جز یا مومن فان نورک اطفاء ناری
Setting forth how Hell will say, when the Bridge Sirát is (laid) over it (at the Resurrection), “O believer, pass more quickly across the Sirát! Quick, make haste, lest the greatness of thy light put out my fire,” (according to the Tradition), “Pass, O believer, for lo, thy light hath extinguished my fire.”