هست باشد ذات او تا تو اگر ** بر نهی پنبه بسوزد زان شرر
Its (the flame's) essence is existent, so that, if you put cotton upon it, it (the cotton) will be consumed by the sparks;
نیست باشد روشنی ندهد ترا ** کرده باشد آفتاب او را فنا
(But) it is (really) non-existent: it gives you no light: the sun will have naughted it.
در دو صد من شهد یک اوقیه خل ** چون در افکندی و در وی گشت حل
When you have thrown an ounce of vinegar into two hundred maunds of sugar, and it has become dissolved therein,
نیست باشد طعم خل چون می‌چشی ** هست اوقیه فزون چون برکشی3675
The flavour of the vinegar, when you taste (the sugar), is non-existent, (though) the ounce exists (as a) surplus when you weigh.
پیش شیری آهوی بیهوش شد ** هستی‌اش در هست او روپوش شد
In the presence of a lion a deer becomes senseless: her existence becomes a (mere) veil for his existence.
این قیاس ناقصان بر کار رب ** جوشش عشقست نه از ترک ادب
These analogies drawn by imperfect men concerning the action of the Lord are (like) the emotion of love, (they are) not from irreverence.
نبض عاشق بی ادب بر می‌جهد ** خویش را در کفه‌ی شه می‌نهد
The lover's pulse bounds up without reverence, he lays himself on the scale of the King's balance.
بی‌ادب‌تر نیست کس زو در جهان ** با ادب‌تر نیست کس زو در نهان
None is more irreverent than he in the world (outwardly); none is more reverent than he in secret (inwardly).
هم بنسبت دان وفاق ای منتجب ** این دو ضد با ادب با بی‌ادب3680
Know, O chosen one, that these two opposites also, “reverent” and “irreverent,” are reconciled by means of relation.
بی‌ادب باشد چو ظاهر بنگری ** که بود دعوی عشقش هم‌سری
He (the lover) is irreverent when you regard the outward aspect, for his claim of love is (involves) equality (with the Beloved);
چون به باطن بنگری دعوی کجاست ** او و دعوی پیش آن سلطان فناست
(But) when you regard the inward aspect, where is the claim? He and (his) claim are naughted in the presence of that Sultan.
مات زید زید اگر فاعل بود ** لیک فاعل نیست کو عاطل بود
Máta Zaydun (Zayd died): if Zayd is the agent (grammatical subject), (yet) he is not the agent, for he is defunct.
او ز روی لفظ نحوی فاعلست ** ورنه او مفعول و موتش قاتلست
He is the agent (only) in respect of the grammatical expression; otherwise, he is the one acted upon (the object of the action), and Death is his slayer.
فاعل چه کو چنان مقهور شد ** فاعلیها جمله از وی دور شد3685
What agent (is he), since he has been so overpowered and all the qualities of an agent have been removed from him?
قصه وکیل صدر جهان کی متهم شد و از بخارا گریخت از بیم جان باز عشقش کشید رو کشان کی کار جان سهل باشد عاشقان را
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán's Wakíl (minister), who fell under suspicion and fled from Bukhárá in fear of his life; then love drew him back irresistibly, for the matter of life is of small account to lovers.
در بخارا بنده‌ی صدر جهان ** متهم شد گشت از صدرش نهان
In Bukhárá the servant of the Sadr-i Jahán incurred suspicion and hid from his Sadr (prince).
مدت ده سال سرگردان بگشت ** گه خراسان گه کهستان گاه دشت
During ten years he roamed distractedly, now in Khurásán, now in the mountain-land, now in the desert.
از پس ده سال او از اشتیاق ** گشت بی‌طاقت ز ایام فراق
After ten years, through longing he became unable to endure the days of separation (from his beloved).
گفت تاب فرقتم زین پس نماند ** صبر کی داند خلاعت را نشاند
He said, “Henceforth I cannot bear to be parted (from him) any more: how can patience allay (the lover's) state of abandonment?”
از فراق این خاکها شوره بود ** آب زرد و گنده و تیره شود3690
From separation these soils are nitrous (barren), and water becomes yellow and stinking and dark;