عشق بر مرده نباشد پایدار ** عشق را بر حی جان‌افزای دار
Love for the dead is not lasting: keep your love (fixed) on the Living One who increases spiritual life.
بعد از آن زان گور خود خواب آیدش ** از جمادی هم جمادی زایدش
Afterwards, indeed, from that grave (nothing) comes to her (but) slumber (indifference and oblivion): from an insensible object is born in her the same insensibility,
زانک عشق افسون خود بربود و رفت ** ماند خاکستر چو آتش رفت تفت
Because Love has carried off his enchantment and gone away: as soon as the fire is sped, (only) ashes remain.
آنچ بیند آن جوان در آینه ** پیر اندر خشت می‌بیند همه 3275
The (wise) Elder (Pír) beholds in the (iron) brick all that the (ignorant) young man beholds in the mirror.
پیر عشق تست نه ریش سپید ** دستگیر صد هزاران ناامید
The Elder is thy love, not (the owner of) a white beard. ‘Tis he (Love) that gives a helping hand to thousands who are in despair.
عشق صورتها بسازد در فراق ** نامصور سر کند وقت تلاق
In (the hour of) separation Love fashions forms (of phantasy); in the hour of union the Formless One puts forth his head,
که منم آن اصل اصل هوش و مست ** بر صور آن حسن عکس ما بدست
Saying, “I am the ultimate origin of sobriety and intoxication: the beauty in (all) forms is reflected from Me.
پرده‌ها را این زمان برداشتم ** حسن را بی‌واسطه بفراشتم
At this moment I have removed the veils: I have raised Beauty on high without intermediaries.
زانک بس با عکس من در بافتی ** قوت تجرید ذاتم یافتی 3280
Because thou hast been much occupied with My reflexion, thou hast gained the power to contemplate My essence denuded (of the forms by which it is veiled).
چون ازین سو جذبه‌ی من شد روان ** او کشش را می‌نبیند در میان
When My pull is set in motion (begins to be exerted) from this side, he (the Christian) does not see (is not conscious of) the priest intervening (between him and Me).”
مغفرت می‌خواهد از جرم و خطا ** از پس آن پرده از لطف خدا
(At that time) he is craving forgiveness for his sins and trespasses from the grace of God behind the veil.
چون ز سنگی چشمه‌ای جاری شود ** سنگ اندر چشمه متواری شود
When a fountain gushes from a rock, the rock disappears in the fountain.
کس نخواهد بعد از آن او را حجر ** زانک جاری شد از آن سنگ آن گهر
After that, no one calls it “stone,” seeing that such a pure substance has gushed forth from the rock.
کاسه‌ها دان این صور را واندرو ** آنچ حق ریزد بدان گیرد علو 3285
Know that these forms are (like) bowls and acquire excellence through that which God pours into them.
گفتن خویشاوندان مجنون را کی حسن لیلی باندازه‌ایست چندان نیست ازو نغزتر در شهر ما بسیارست یکی و دو و ده بر تو عرضه کنیم اختیار کن ما را و خود را وا رهان و جواب گفتن مجنون ایشان را
How the kinsfolk of Majnún said to him, “The beauty of Laylá is limited, it is not so very great: in our city there are many fairer than she. We will show unto thee one or two or ten: take thy choice, and deliver us (from reproach) and thyself (from affliction)”; and how Majnún answered them.
ابلهان گفتند مجنون را ز جهل ** حسن لیلی نیست چندان هست سهل
The fools in their ignorance said to Majnún, “The beauty of Laylá is not so very great, it is of slight account.
بهتر از وی صد هزاران دلربا ** هست هم‌چون ماه اندر شهر ما
There are thousands of moon-like sweethearts fairer than she in our city.”
گفت صورت کوزه است و حسن می ** می خدایم می‌دهد از نقش وی
He replied, “The (outward) form is a pot, and beauty is the wine: God is giving me wine from her form.
مر شما را سرکه داد از کوزه‌اش ** تا نباشد عشق اوتان گوش کش
He gave you vinegar from her pot, lest love of her should pull you by the ears.”
از یکی کوزه دهد زهر و عسل ** هر یکی را دست حق عز و جل 3290
The hand of God, the Almighty and Glorious, gives poison or honey to every one from the same pot.
کوزه می‌بینی ولیکن آب شراب ** روی ننماید به چشم ناصواب
Thou seest the pot, but the wine does not show itself to the wrong eye.
قاصرات الطرف باشد ذوق جان ** جز به خصم خود بنماید نشان
Spiritual experience is (like) the women who look modestly: it shows no sign but to its possessor.
قاصرات الطرف آمد آن مدام ** وین حجاب ظرفها هم‌چون خیام
That wine is (like) the women who look modestly, while these vessels screening it (from view) are like the tents.
هست دریا خیمه‌ای در وی حیات ** بط را لیکن کلاغان را ممات
The great river (too) is (like) a tent, wherein is life for the duck, but death for crows.
زهر باشد مار را هم قوت و برگ ** غیر او را زهر او دردست و مرگ 3295
Venom also is the snake's food and provision, (but) its venom is anguish and death to others.
صورت هر نعمتی و محنتی ** هست این را دوزخ آن را جنتی
The form of every blessing and affliction is a Hell to this one, a Paradise to that one.