گریه‌ی او نه از غمست و نه از فرح ** روح داند گریه‌ی عین الملح
His weeping is neither from sorrow nor from joy: (only) the spirit knows the weeping of (him who is) the fountain of beauties.
گریه‌ی او خنده‌ی او آن سریست ** زانچ وهم عقل باشد آن بریست
His weeping, his laughter—(both) are of Yonder (World) and transcend all that the intellect may conceive.
آب دیده‌ی او چو دیده‌ی او بود ** دیده‌ی نادیده دیده کی شود
His tears are like his eye: how should the sightless eye become a (seeing) eye?
آنچ او بیند نتان کردن مساس ** نه از قیاس عقل و نه از راه حواس 1310
That which he sees cannot be touched (apprehended) either by the analogical judgement of the intellect or by way of the senses.
شب گریزد چونک نور آید ز دور ** پس چه داند ظلمت شب حال نور
Night flees when Light comes from afar: what, then, should the darkness of Night know concerning Light?
پشه بگریزد ز باد با دها ** پس چه داند پشه ذوق بادها
The gnat flees from the keen wind: what, then, should the gnat know of the (delicious) savour of the winds?
چون قدیم آید حدث گردد عبث ** پس کجا داند قدیمی را حدث
When the Eternal comes, the temporal is made vain: what, then, should the temporal know of Eternity?
بر حدث چون زد قدم دنگش کند ** چونک کردش نیست هم‌رنگش کند
When Eternity comes in contact with the temporal, it strikes it dumb; when it has naughted it, it makes it homogeneous (with itself).
گر بخواهی تو بیایی صد نظیر ** لیک من پروا ندارم ای فقیر 1315
You can find a hundred parallels (of this sort) if you wish, but I do not care (to supply them), O dervish.
این الم و حم این حروف ** چون عصای موسی آمد در وقوف
This Alif-Lám-Mím and Há-Mím—these Letters become, on (real) comprehension (of their meaning), like the rod of Moses.
حرفها ماند بدین حرف از برون ** لیک باشد در صفات این زبون
The (other) letters resemble these Letters outwardly but are subject (to them) in respect of the (sublime) attributes of the latter.
هر که گیرد او عصایی ز امتحان ** کی بود چون آن عصا وقت بیان
A staff that any one takes on trial—how should it be described as being like that staff (Moses' rod)?
عیسویست این دم نه هر باد و دمی ** که برآید از فرح یا از غمی
This Breath is (like the breath) of Jesus (in its effects); it is not (like) any wind and breath that arises from joy or sorrow.
این الم است و حم ای پدر ** آمدست از حضرت مولی البشر 1320
This Alif-Lám-Mím and Há-Mím, O father, have come from the presence of the Lord of Mankind.
هر الف لامی چه می‌ماند بدین ** گر تو جان داری بدین چشمش مبین
What resemblance has any (other) alif-lám to these? Do not regard them with this (external) eye, if you have a (rational) soul.
گر چه ترکیبش حروفست ای همام ** می‌بماند هم به ترکیب عوام
Although they are composed of letters, O sire, and resemble the composition of (words used by) the common folk, (yet they are not the same).
هست ترکیب محمد لحم و پوست ** گرچه در ترکیب هر تن جنس اوست
Mohammed is composed of flesh and skin; (but he is unique) although every body is homogeneous with him in its composition.
گوشت دارد پوست دارد استخوان ** هیچ این ترکیب را باشد همان
It hath flesh, it hath skin and bone; (yet) has this (ordinary) constitution the same (qualities as his)?
که اندر آن ترکیب آمد معجزات ** که همه ترکیبها گشتند مات 1325
(No); for in that constitution (of Mohammed) there appeared miracles by which all (other) constitutions were vanquished.
هم‌چنان ترکیب حم کتاب ** هست بس بالا و دیگرها نشیب
Likewise, the composition of the (Letters) Há-Mím in the (Holy) Book is exceedingly lofty, while the others are low (in comparison),
زانک زین ترکیب آید زندگی ** هم‌چو نفخ صور در درماندگی
Because from this composition comes life, like the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection), (to those) in helplessness.
اژدها گردد شکافد بحر را ** چون عصا حم از داد خدا
By the dispensation of God Há-Mím becomes a dragon and cleaves the sea like the rod (of Moses).
ظاهرش ماند به ظاهرها ولیک ** قرص نان از قرص مه دورست نیک
Its external appearance resembles (other) appearances, but the disc (round cake) of bread is very far from (being) the disc of the moon.
گریه‌ی او خنده‌ی او نطق او ** نیست از وی هست محض خلق هو 1330
His (the Shaykh's) weeping, his laughter, and his speech are not from him: they are the pure nature of Hú (God).
چونک ظاهرها گرفتند احمقان ** وآن دقایق شد ازیشان بس نهان
Since the foolish took (only) the external appearances (into consideration), and (since) the subtleties (inward aspects) were very much hidden from them,