گفتم ار خوبم پذیرم این از او ** ور نه خود خندید بر من زشت رو
I said, “If I am beautiful, I shall receive this (dust of Divine grace and love) from him; and if not, he has indeed laughed at ugly me.
چاره آن باشد که خود را بنگرم ** ور نه او خندد مرا من کی خرم
The (best) plan is this, that I look at myself (to see whether I am worthy of him); otherwise (if I am not worthy), he will laugh at me: how shall I buy (gain his love)?”
او جمیل است و محب للجمال ** کی جوان نو گزیند پیر زال
He is beautiful and a lover of beauty: how should a fresh young man choose a decrepit old woman?
خوب خوبی را کند جذب این بدان ** طیبات و طیبین بر وی بخوان80
The Beautiful attracts the beautiful (to itself): know this (for sure). Recite thereon (the text) the good women for the good men.
در جهان هر چیز چیزی جذب کرد ** گرم گرمی را کشید و سرد سرد
In this world everything attracts something: the hot draws the hot (to itself) and the cold the cold.
قسم باطل باطلان را میکشند ** باقیان از باقیان هم سر خوشند
The worthless sort attract the worthless; the lasting (those of lasting worth) are rejoiced by the lasting.
ناریان مر ناریان را جاذباند ** نوریان مر نوریان را طالباند
Those of the Fire attract those of the Fire, those of the Light seek those of the Light.
چشم چون بستی ترا تاسه گرفت ** نور چشم از نور روزن کی شکفت
When you shut your eye, you have a feeling of anguish: the eye cannot do without the light of the window.
تاسهی تو جذب نور چشم بود ** تا بپیوندد به نور روز زود85
Your discomfort was (caused by) the light in your eye straining to be joined speedily with the daylight.
چشم باز ار تاسه گیرد مر ترا ** دان که چشم دل ببستی بر گشا
If you feel distress (within) while your eyes are unclosed, know that you have shut the eye of your heart, (and) open it.
آن تقاضای دو چشم دل شناس ** کاو همیجوید ضیای بیقیاس
Recognise that that (distress) is the craving of the eyes of your heart which is seeking the immeasurable Light.
چون فراق آن دو نور بیثبات ** تاسه آوردت گشادی چشمهات
Inasmuch as separation from those two impermanent lights brought you discomfort, (so that) you opened your eyes,
پس فراق آن دو نور پایدار ** تاسه میآرد مر آن را پاس دار
Separation, then, from those two steadfast (everlasting) lights will bring you discomfort: guard them (well)!
او چو میخواند مرا من بنگرم ** لایق جذبام و یا بد پیکرم90
Since He is calling me, I will look to see whether I am worthy to be drawn (to Him) or whether I am ill-favoured.
گر لطیفی زشت را در پی کند ** تسخری باشد که او بر وی کند
If a charming person makes an ugly one (follow) at his heels, ’tis (but) a mockery that he makes of him.
کی ببینم روی خود را ای عجب ** تا چه رنگم همچو روزم یا چو شب
How, I wonder, shall I behold my own face, so as to see what complexion I have and whether I am like day or like night?
نقش جان خویش میجستم بسی ** هیچ میننمود نقشم از کسی
For a long while I was seeking the image of my soul, (but) my image was not displayed (reflected) by any one.
گفتم آخر آینه از بهر چیست ** تا بداند هر کسی کاو چیست و کیست
“After all,” I said, “what is a mirror for? (The use of it is this), that every one may know what and who he is.”
آینهی آهن برای پوستهاست ** آینهی سیمای جان سنگین بهاست95
The mirror of iron is (only) for husks (external forms); the mirror that shows the aspect of the heart is of great price.
آینهی جان نیست الا روی یار ** روی آن یاری که باشد ز آن دیار
The soul's mirror is naught but the face of the friend, the face of that friend who is of yonder country (the spiritual land).
گفتم ای دل آینهی کلی بجو ** رو به دریا کار برناید به جو
I said, “O heart, seek the Universal Mirror, go to the Sea: the business will not succeed (be successfully accomplished) by means of the river.”
زین طلب بنده به کوی تو رسید ** درد مریم را به خرما بن کشید
In this quest thy slave (at last) arrived at thy dwelling-place, (as) the pains (of childbirth) drew Mary to the palm-tree.
دیدهی تو چون دلم را دیده شد ** این دل نادیده غرق دیده شد
When thine eye became an eye for my heart, my blind heart went and became drowned in vision.
آینهی کلی ترا دیدم ابد ** دیدم اندر چشم تو من نقش خود100
I saw that thou art the Universal Mirror unto everlasting: I saw my own image in thine eye.
گفتم آخر خویش را من یافتم ** در دو چشمش راه روشن یافتم
I said, “At last I have found myself: in his eyes I have found the shining Way.”