ور بسوی زن نبشتی کاتبش ** نامه را تصحیف خواندی نایبش
And if his secretary wrote (a letter to be sent) to the woman, his delegate (messenger) would read the letter (to her) with tashíf;
ور صبا را پیک کردی در وفا ** از غباری تیره گشتی آن صبا
And if in good faith he made the zephyr his envoy, that zephyr would be darkened by a (cloud of) dust.
رقعه گر بر پر مرغی دوختی ** پر مرغ از تف رقعه سوختی 4755
If he sewed the letter on the wing of a bird, the bird's wing would be burnt by the ardour of the letter.
راههای چاره را غیرت ببست ** لشکر اندیشه را رایت شکست
The (Divine) jealousy barred (all) the ways of device and broke the banner of the army of cogitation.
بود اول مونس غم انتظار ** آخرش بشکست کی هم انتظار
At first, expectation was the comforting friend of (his) sorrow; at last, there broke him—who? Even (the same) expectation.
گاه گفتی کین بلای بی‌دواست ** گاه گفتی نه حیات جان ماست
Sometimes he would say, “This is an irremediable affliction”; sometimes he would say, “No, it is the life of my spirit.”
گاه هستی زو بر آوردی سری ** گاه او از نیستی خوردی بری
Sometimes (self-) existence would lift up a head from him (appear in him); sometimes he would eat of the fruit of non-existence.
چونک بر وی سرد گشتی این نهاد ** جوش کردی گرم چشمه‌ی اتحاد 4760
When this (bodily) nature became cold (irksome and useless) to him, the fountain of union (with the beloved) would boil hotly.
چونک با بی‌برگی غربت بساخت ** برگ بی‌برگی به سوی او بتاخت
When he put up with (contented himself with) the unprovidedness of exile, the provision of unprovidedness hastened towards him.
خوشه‌های فکرتش بی‌کاه شد ** شب‌روان را رهنما چون ماه شد
The wheat-ears of his thought were purged of chaff: he became, like the moon, a guide to the night-travellers.
ای بسا طوطی گویای خمش ** ای بسا شیرین‌روان رو ترش
Oh, there is many a parrot that speaks though it is mute; oh, there is many a sweet-spirited one whose face is sour.
رو به گورستان دمی خامش نشین ** آن خموشان سخن‌گو را ببین
Go to the graveyard, sit awhile in silence, and behold those eloquent silent ones;
لیک اگر یکرنگ بینی خاکشان ** نیست یکسان حالت چالاکشان 4765
But, if you see that their dust is of one colour, (yet) their active (spiritual) state is not uniform.
شحم و لحم زندگان یکسان بود ** آن یکی غمگین دگر شادان بود
The fat and flesh of living persons is uniform, (yet) one is sad, another glad.
تو چه دانی تا ننوشی قالشان ** زانک پنهانست بر تو حالشان
Until you hear their words, what should you know (of their feelings), inasmuch as their (inward) state is hidden from you?
بشنوی از قال های و هوی را ** کی ببینی حالت صدتوی را
You may hear words—(cries of) háy, húy; (but) how will you perceive the (inward) state that hath a hundred folds?
نقش ما یکسان بضدها متصف ** خاک هم یکسان روانشان مختلف
Our (human) figure is uniform, (yet) endued with contrary qualities: likewise their dust is uniform, (yet) their spirits are diverse.
همچنین یکسان بود آوازها ** آن یکی پر درد و آن پر نازها 4770
Similarly, voices are uniform (as such), (but) one is sorrowful, and another full of charms.
بانگ اسپان بشنوی اندر مصاف ** بانگ مرغان بشنوی اندر طواف
On the battle-field you may hear the cry of horses; in strolling round (a garden) you may hear the cry of birds.
آن یکی از حقد و دیگر ز ارتباط ** آن یکی از رنج و دیگر از نشاط
One (voice proceeds) from hate, and another from harmony; one from pain, and another from joy.
هر که دور از حالت ایشان بود ** پیشش آن آوازها یکسان بود
Whoever is remote from (ignorant of) their (inward) state, to him the voices are uniform.
آن درختی جنبد از زخم تبر ** و آن درخت دیگر از باد سحر
One tree is moved by blows of the axe, another tree by the breeze of dawn.
بس غلط گشتم ز دیگ مردریگ ** زانک سرپوشیده می‌جوشید دیگ 4775
Much error befell me from (I was greatly deceived by) the worthless pot, because the pot was boiling (while) covered by the lid.
جوش و نوش هرکست گوید بیا ** جوش صدق و جوش تزویر و ریا
The fervour and savour of every one says to you, “Come”— the fervour of sincerity and the fervour of imposture and hypocrisy.
گر نداری بو ز جان روشناس ** رو دماغی دست آور بوشناس
If you have not the scent (discernment derived) from the soul that recognises the face (reality), go, get for yourself a (spiritual) brain (sense) that recognises the scent.