بازگردان قصه‌ی عشق ایاز ** که آن یکی گنجیست مالامال راز
Bring back (to my mind) the story of Ayáz's love; for ’tis a treasure full of mystery.
می‌رود هر روز در حجره‌ی برین ** تا ببیند چارقی با پوستین
Every day he is going into the uppermost chamber to see his rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket,
زانک هستی سخت مستی آورد ** عقل از سر شرم از دل می‌برد 1920
Because (self-)existence produces grievous intoxication: it removes intelligence from the head and reverence from the heart.
صد هزاران قرن پیشین را همین ** مستی هستی بزد ره زین کمین
From this ambush this same intoxication of (self-)existence waylaid a hundred thousand generations of old.
شد عزرائیلی ازین مستی بلیس ** که چرا آدم شود بر من رئیس
By this (self-)existence an ‘Azázíl was made to be Iblís, saying, “Why should Adam become lord over me?
خواجه‌ام من نیز و خواجه‌زاده‌ام ** صد هنر را قابل و آماده‌ام
I too am noble and nobly-born: I am capable of receiving and ready for (receiving) a hundred excellences.
در هنر من از کسی کم نیستم ** تا به خدمت پیش دشمن بیستم
In excellence I am inferior to none, that I should stand before my enemy to do him service.
من ز آتش زاده‌ام او از وحل ** پیش آتش مر وحل را چه محل 1925
I am born of fire, he of mud: what is the position (rank) of mud compared with fire?
او کجا بود اندر آن دوری که من ** صدر عالم بودم و فخر زمن
Where was he in the period when I was the Prince of the World and the glory of Time?”
خلق الجان من مارج من نار و قوله تعالی فی حق ابلیس انه کان من الجن ففسق
(On the words of God) “He created the Jinn from smokeless fire,” and His words concerning Iblís: “verily he was one of the Jinn, and he transgressed.”
شعله می‌زد آتش جان سفیه ** که آتشی بود الولد سر ابیه
The fire (of pride and jealousy) was flaming in the soul of the fool (Iblís), because he was (born) of fire: the son is (endued with) the inward nature of his father.
نه غلط گفتم که بد قهر خدا ** علتی را پیش آوردن چرا
No; I have spoken in error; ’twas the compelling might of God: why, (then), adduce any cause (for it)?
کار بی‌علت مبرا از علل ** مستمر و مستقرست از ازل
The causeless action (of God) is quit of (all) causes: it is lasting (without change) and firmly stablished from eternity.
در کمال صنع پاک مستحث ** علت حادث چه گنجد یا حدث 1930
In the perfection of the holy work sped on (by Him) what room is there for (any) temporal cause or temporal thing?
سر آب چه بود آب ما صنع اوست ** صنع مغزست و آب صورت چو پوست
What is (the real meaning of) “the inward nature of (his) father”? His (God's) work (creative energy) is our father: (His) work is the kernel, and the formal (physical) father is the skin (shell).
عشق دان ای فندق تن دوستت ** جانت جوید مغز و کوبد پوستت
O nut-like body, know that Love is thy friend: thy soul (inspired by Love) will seek thy kernel and batter thy shell (to pieces).
دوزخی که پوست باشد دوستش ** داد بدلنا جلودا پوستش
The man doomed to Hell whose skin is his friend—(God who hath said) “We will give them (other) skins in exchange” bestows a (new) skin upon him.
معنی و مغزت بر آتش حاکمست ** لیک آتش را قشورت هیزمست
Thy spiritual principle and kernel is dominant over the Fire, but thy skins (sensual faculties) are fuel for the Fire.
کوزه‌ی چوبین که در وی آب جوست ** قدرت آتش همه بر ظرف اوست 1935
(In the case of) a wooden pot in which river-water is (contained), the power of fire is entirely (directed) against the vessel containing it.
معنی انسان بر آتش مالکست ** مالک دوزخ درو کی هالکست
Man's spiritual principle is a ruler over the Fire: when is Málik (the Ruler) of Hell destroyed therein?
پس میفزا تو بدن معنی فزا ** تا چو مالک باشی آتش را کیا
Do not, then, increase (pamper) thy body; increase (cherish and cultivate) thy spiritual principle, in order that thou mayst be the Fire's sovereign, like Málik.
پوستها بر پوست می‌افزوده‌ای ** لاجرم چون پوست اندر دوده‌ای
Thou hast ever been adding skins to thy skin: necessarily thou art (black) as a skin (enveloped) in (layers of) soot.
زانک آتش را علف جز پوست نیست ** قهر حق آن کبر را پوستین کنیست
Since the Fire hath no fodder (fuel) except the skin, the vengeance of God will tear the skin off that pride (of thine).
این تکبر از نتیجه‌ی پوستست ** جاه و مال آن کبر را زان دوستست 1940
This arrogance is a product of the skin; hence power and riches are friends to that pride.
این تکبر چیست غفلت از لباب ** منجمد چون غفلت یخ ز آفتاب
What is this arrogance? (It consists in) being oblivious to the essential principle and frozen (insensible)—like the oblivion of ice to the sun.
چون خبر شد ز آفتابش یخ نماند ** نرم گشت و گرم گشت و تیز راند
When it (the ice) becomes conscious of the sun, the ice does not endure: it becomes soft and warm and moves on rapidly.