ور بکردی نیز از بهر گلو ** آن گلو از نور حق دارد غلو
And even if he had done it for the sake of his gullet, that gullet hath (is endowed with) exorbitance by the Light of God.
در حق او خورد نان و شهد و شیر ** به ز چله وز سه روزه‌ی صد فقیر 2705
As regards him, the eating of bread and honey and the drinking of milk is better than the forty days' seclusion and the three days' fast of a hundred dervishes.
نور می‌نوشد مگو نان می‌خورد ** لاله می‌کارد به صورت می‌چرد
He eats Light, do not say he eats bread: he sows anemones (though) in appearance he feeds (on them).
چون شراری کو خورد روغن ز شمع ** نور افزاید ز خوردش بهر جمع
Like the flame that consumes the oil (wax) in a candle, from his eating and drinking there is an increase of light for the company.
نان‌خوری را گفت حق لاتسرفوا ** نور خوردن را نگفتست اکتفوا
God hath said, “Be not immoderate,” in reference to the eating of bread; He hath not said, “Be satisfied,” in reference to the eating of Light.
آن گلوی ابتلا بد وین گلو ** فارغ از اسراف و آمن از غلو
The former was the gullet subject to probation, while this (saintly) gullet was free from immoderation and secure from exorbitance.
امر و فرمان بود نه حرص و طمع ** آن چنان جان حرص را نبود تبع 2710
(In the case of the Shaykh) ’twas (by) the (Divine) command and order, not (from) greed and cupidity: a spirit like that is not a follower of greed.
گر بگوید کیمیا مس را بده ** تو به من خود را طمع نبود فره
If the elixir say to the copper, “Give thyself up to me,” cupidity does not prevail (over it).
گنجهای خاک تا هفتم طبق ** عرضه کرده بود پیش شیخ حق
God had offered to the Shaykh (all) the treasures of the earth down to the seventh tier;
شیخ گفتا خالقا من عاشقم ** گر بجویم غیر تو من فاسقم
(But) the Shaykh said, “O Creator, I am a lover: if I seek aught but Thee, I am impious.
هشت جنت گر در آرم در نظر ** ور کنم خدمت من از خوف سقر
If I should bring into view the Eight Paradises, or if I should serve Thee from fear of Hell,
مومنی باشم سلامت‌جوی من ** زانک این هر دو بود حظ بدن 2715
(Then) I am (only) a believer seeking salvation, for both these (motives) are concerned with the body.”
عاشقی کز عشق یزدان خورد قوت ** صد بدن پیشش نیرزد تره‌توت
A hundred bodies are not worth a bean in the eyes of the lover who has received nutriment from God's love;
وین بدن که دارد آن شیخ فطن ** چیز دگر گشت کم خوانش بدن
And this body which the Shaykh of insight possesses has become something different: do not call it a body.
عاشق عشق خدا وانگاه مزد ** جبرئیل متمن وانگاه دزد
(To be) in love with God's love and then (desire) a wage! (To be) a trusted Gabriel and then a thief!
عاشق آن لیلی کور و کبود ** ملک عالم پیش او یک تره بود
In the eyes of that wretched lover of Laylá the kingdom of the world was (worthless as) a vegetable.
پیش او یکسان شده بد خاک و زر ** زر چه باشد که نبد جان را خطر 2720
Earth and gold were alike in his eyes. What of gold? (Even) his life had no value (for him).
شیر و گرگ و دد ازو واقف شده ** هم‌چو خویشان گرد او گرد آمده
Lions and wolves and wild beasts were acquainted with him and gathered round him like kinsfolk,
کین شدست از خوی حیوان پاک پاک ** پر ز عشق و لحم و شحمش زهرناک
(Knowing) that this man had become entirely purged of animality and filled with love, and that his flesh and fat were poisonous (to them).
زهر دد باشد شکرریز خرد ** زانک نیک نیک باشد ضد بد
The sweets scattered by Reason are poison to the wild beast, because the good of (that which is) good is antagonistic to (that which is) evil.
لحم عاشق را نیارد خورد دد ** عشق معروفست پیش نیک و بد
The wild beast dare not devour the flesh of the lover: Love is known both to the good and the evil;
ور خورد خود فی‌المثل دام و ددش ** گوشت عاشق زهر گردد بکشدش 2725
And if the wild beast devour him even parabolically, the lover's flesh will become poison and kill him.
هر چه جز عشقست شد ماکول عشق ** دو جهان یک دانه پیش نول عشق
Everything except love is devoured by Love: to the beak of Love the two worlds are (but) a single grain.
دانه‌ای مر مرغ را هرگز خورد ** کاهدان مر اسپ را هرگز چرد
Does a grain ever devour the bird? Does the manger ever feed on the horse?
بندگی کن تا شوی عاشق لعل ** بندگی کسبیست آید در عمل
Do service (to God), that perchance thou mayst become a lover: (devotional) service is a means of gaining (Love): it comes into action (produces an effect).