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).
بنده آزادی طمع دارد ز جد ** عاشق آزادی نخواهد تا ابد
The servant (of God) desires to be freed from Fortune; the lover (of God) nevermore desires to be free.
بنده دایم خلعت و ادرارجوست ** خلعت عاشق همه دیدار دوست 2730
The servant is always seeking a robe of honour and a stipend; all the lover's robe of honour is his vision of the Beloved.
در نگنجد عشق در گفت و شنید ** عشق دریاییست قعرش ناپدید
Love is not contained in speech and hearing: Love is an ocean whereof the depth is invisible.
قطره‌های بحر را نتوان شمرد ** هفت دریا پیش آن بحرست خرد
The drops of the sea cannot be numbered: the Seven Seas are petty in comparison with that Ocean.
این سخن پایان ندارد ای فلان ** باز رو در قصه‌ی شیخ زمان
This discourse hath no end. Return, O reader, to the story of the Shaykh of the time.
در معنی لولاک لما خلقت الافلاک
On the meaning of “But for thee, I would not have created the heavens.”
شد چنین شیخی گدای کو به کو ** عشق آمد لاابالی اتقوا
A Shaykh like this became a beggar (going) from street to street. Love is reckless: beware!
عشق جوشد بحر را مانند دیگ ** عشق ساید کوه را مانند ریگ 2735
Love makes the sea boil like a kettle; Love crumbles the mountain like sand;