گاو اگر خسپد وگر چیزی خورد ** بهر عید و ذبح او می‌پرورد
Whether the buffalo sleep or whether it eat something, he nurtures (fattens) it for the Feast and the slaughter.
گاو موسی دان مرا جان داده‌ای ** جزو جزوم حشر هر آزاده‌ای
Deem me to be (as) the cow of Moses that gave life (to the murdered man): each limb of me is the (means of) raising from the dead every one that is (spiritually) free.
گاو موسی بود قربان گشته‌ای ** کمترین جزوش حیات کشته‌ای
The cow of Moses was one offered in sacrifice: her smallest limb brought a murdered man to life.
برجهید آن کشته ز آسیبش ز جا ** در خطاب اضربوه بعضها
At its touch the murdered man sprang up from his place—at the words spoken (by God), Strike him with part of her.
یا کرامی اذبحوا هذا البقر ** ان اردتم حشر ارواح النظر3900
O my noble (friends), slaughter this cow (the fleshly soul), if ye desire to raise to life the spirits (possessed) of insight.
از جمادی مردم و نامی شدم ** وز نما مردم به حیوان برزدم
I died to the inorganic state and became endowed with growth, and (then) I died to (vegetable) growth and attained to the animal.
مردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم ** پس چه ترسم کی ز مردن کم شدم
I died from animality and became Adam (man): why, then, should I fear? When have I become less by dying?
حمله‌ی دیگر بمیرم از بشر ** تا بر آرم از ملایک پر و سر
At the next remove I shall die to man, that I may soar and lift up my head amongst the angels;
وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو ** کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
And I must escape even from (the state of) the angel:everything is perishing except His Face.
بار دیگر از ملک قربان شوم ** آنچ اندر وهم ناید آن شوم3905
Once more I shall be sacrificed and die to the angel: I shall become that which enters not into the imagination.
پس عدم گردم عدم چون ارغنون ** گویدم که انا الیه راجعون
Then I shall become non-existence: non-existence saith to me, (in tones loud) as an organ, Verily, unto Him shall we return.
مرگ دان آنک اتفاق امتست ** کاب حیوانی نهان در ظلمتست
Know death to be (the thing signified by) what the (Mohammedan) community are agreed upon, namely, that the Water of Life is hidden in the (Land of) Darkness.
همچو نیلوفر برو زین طرف جو ** همچو مستسقی حریص و مرگ‌جو
Grow from this river-bank, like the water-lily, greedy and craving for death as the sufferer from dropsy.
مرگ او آبست و او جویای آب ** می‌خورد والله اعلم بالصواب
The water is death to him, and (yet) he is seeking the water and drinking it— and God best knoweth the right course.
ای فسرده عاشق ننگین نمد ** کو ز بیم جان ز جانان می‌رمد3910
Oh, the cold lover, clad in the felt (garment) of shame, who from fear of (losing) his life is fleeing from the Beloved!
سوی تیغ عشقش ای ننگ زنان ** صد هزاران جان نگر دستک‌زنان
O thou disgrace (even) to women, behold hundreds of thousands of souls clapping their hands (and rushing) towards the sword of His love!
جوی دیدی کوزه اندر جوی ریز ** آب را از جوی کی باشد گریز
Thou hast seen the river: spill thy jug in the river: how should the water take flight from the river?
آب کوزه چون در آب جو شود ** محو گردد در وی و جو او شود
When the water in the jug goes into the river-water, it disappears in it, and it becomes the river.
وصف او فانی شد و ذاتش بقا ** زین سپس نه کم شود نه بدلقا
His (the lover's) attributes have passed away, and his essence remains: after this, he does not dwindle or become ill-favoured.
خویش را بر نخل او آویختم ** عذر آن را که ازو بگریختم3915
I have hanged myself on His palm-tree in excuse for having fled from Him.”
رسیدن آن عاشق به معشوق خویش چون دست از جان خود بشست
How that lover reached his Beloved when he washed his hands of (gave up) his life.
همچو گویی سجده کن بر رو و سر ** جانب آن صدر شد با چشم تر
Prostrating himself on face and head, like a ball, he went with wet eyes towards the Sadr (Prince).
جمله خلقان منتظر سر در هوا ** کش بسوزد یا برآویزد ورا
All the people were waiting, their heads in the air, (to see) whether he would burn or hang him.
این زمان این احمق یک لخت را ** آن نماید که زمان بدبخت را
“Now” (they said) “he will show to this simpleton that which Time (Fortune) shows to the unfortunate.
همچو پروانه شرر را نور دید ** احمقانه در فتاد از جان برید
Like the moth, he (the lover) deemed the (fiery) sparks to be the light: foolishly he fell in and was cut off from (deprived of) life.”
لیک شمع عشق چون آن شمع نیست ** روشن اندر روشن اندر روشنیست3920
But the candle of Love is not like that (external) candle: it is radiance in radiance in radiance.