بانگ می‌زد کای مبشر باش شاد ** وان دگر بشناخت بیهوش اوفتاد
Crying, “Joy to thee, O bringer of the good news!” But the other (son) recognised (him) and fell (to the ground) unconscious,
که چه جای مژده است ای خیره‌سر ** که در افتادیم در کان شکر
Saying, “What occasion is there for good tidings, O scatterbrain, when we have fallen into the mine (the very midst) of sugar?”
وهم را مژده‌ست و پیش عقل نقد ** ز انک چشم وهم شد محجوب فقد
To Opinion it is (merely) good tidings, whereas in the sight of Reason it is ready cash (actuality), because the eye of Opinion is veiled by missing (the object sought).
کافران را درد و مومن را بشیر ** لیک نقد حال در چشم بصیر
It is pain to the infidels and glad news to the faithful, but in the eye of the seer it is immediate experience.
زانک عاشق در دم نقدست مست ** لاجرم از کفر و ایمان برترست3280
Inasmuch as the lover is intoxicated at the moment of immediacy, he is necessarily superior to infidelity and faith.
کفر و ایمان هر دو خود دربان اوست ** کوست مغز و کفر و دین او را دو پوست
Indeed, both infidelity and faith are his door-keeper (who secures him from intrusion); for he is the kernel, while infidelity and religion are his two rinds.
کفر قشر خشک رو بر تافته ** باز ایمان قشر لذت یافته
Infidelity is the dry peel that has averted its face (from the kernel); faith, again, is the peel (inner integument) that has gained a delicious flavour.
قشرهای خشک را جا آتش است ** قشر پیوسته به مغز جان خوش است
The place for the dry peels is the fire, (but) the peel attached to the spiritual kernel is sweet.
مغز خود از مرتبه‌ی خوش برترست ** برترست از خوش که لذت گسترست
The kernel itself is above the grade of “sweet”: it is above “sweet” because it is the dispenser of deliciousness.
این سخن پایان ندارد باز گرد ** تا برآرد موسیم از بحر گرد3285
This discourse hath no end: turn back, that my Moses may cleave the sea asunder.
درخور عقل عوام این گفته شد ** از سخن باقی آن بنهفته شد
This (preceding part) of the discourse hath been spoken suitably to the intelligence of the vulgar; the remainder thereof hath been concealed.
زر عقلت ریزه است ای متهم ** بر قراضه مهر سکه چون نهم
The gold, (which is) thy intelligence, is in fragments, O suspected one: how should I set the stamp of the die upon clippings?
عقل تو قسمت شده بر صد مهم ** بر هزاران آرزو و طم و رم
Thy intelligence is distributed over a hundred important affairs, over thousands of desires and great matters and small.
جمع باید کرد اجزا را به عشق ** تا شوی خوش چون سمرقند و دمشق
Thou must unite the (scattered) parts by means of love, to the end that thou mayst become sweet as Samarcand and Damascus.
جو جوی چون جمع گردی ز اشتباه ** پس توان زد بر تو سکه‌ی پادشاه3290
When thou becomest united, grain by grain, from (after thy dispersion in) perplexity, then it is possible to stamp upon thee the King's die;
ور ز مثقالی شوی افزون تو خام ** از تو سازد شه یکی زرینه جام
And if thou, foolish man, become greater than a mithqál (dinar), the King will make of thee a cup of gold.
پس برو هم نام و هم القاب شاه ** باشد و هم صورتش ای وصل خواه
Then thereon will be both the name and the titles of the King and also his effigy, O thou that cravest to attain,
تا که معشوقت بود هم نان هم آب ** هم چراغ و شاهد و نقل شراب
So that the Beloved will be to thee both bread and water and lamp and minion and dessert and wine.
جمع کن خود را جماعت رحمتست ** تا توانم با تو گفتن آنچ هست
Unite thyself—union is (a Divine) mercy—that I may be able to speak unto thee that which is;
زانک گفتن از برای باوریست ** جان شرک از باوری حق بریست3295
For speaking is for the purpose of (producing) belief: the spirit of polytheism is quit (devoid) of belief in God.
جان قسمت گشته بر حشو فلک ** در میان شصت سودا مشترک
The spirit that has been distributed over the contents of the (mundane) sphere is shared amongst sixty passions;
پس خموشی به دهد او را ثبوت ** پس جواب احمقان آمد سکوت
Therefore silence is best: it gives peace to it ( to that spirit); therefore ( I ought to follow the adage) “Silence is the answer to fools.”
این همی‌دانم ولی مستی تن ** می‌گشاید بی‌مراد من دهن
This I know, but intoxication of the body is opening my mouth without volition on my part,
آنچنان که از عطسه و از خامیاز ** این دهان گردد بناخواه تو باز
Just as in sneezing and yawning this mouth becomes open without your willing it.
تفسیر این حدیث کی ائنی لاستغفر الله فی کل یوم سبعین مرة
Commentary on the Tradition, "Verily, I ask pardon of God seventy times every day."
هم‌چو پیغامبر ز گفتن وز نثار ** توبه آرم روز من هفتاد بار3300
Like the Prophet, I repent seventy times daily of speaking and giving out (mysteries);