گر دخان او را دلیل آتشست ** بی‌دخان ما را در آن آتش خوشست
If to him (the philosopher) the smoke is a proof of the fire, to us (mystics) ’tis sweet (to be) in the fire without the smoke,
خاصه این آتش که از قرب ولا ** از دخان نزدیک‌تر آمد به ما
Especially this Fire which, through (our) nighness and fealty (to God), is nearer to us than the smoke.
پس سیه‌کاری بود رفتن ز جان ** بهر تخییلات جان سوی دخان
Therefore ’tis black villainy to go (turn away) from the Soul (Reality) towards the smoke for the sake of (indulging) the phantasies (illusions) of the (animal) soul.
در بیان قول رسول علیه‌السلام لا رهبانیة فی‌الاسلام
In explanation of the saying of the Prophet, on whom be peace, “There is no monkery in Islam.”
بر مکن پر را و دل بر کن ازو ** زانک شرط این جهاد آمد عدو
“Do not tear out thy feathers, but detach thy heart from (desire for) them, because (the existence of) the enemy is the necessary condition for (waging) this Holy War.
چون عدو نبود جهاد آمد محال ** شهوتت نبود نباشد امتثال 575
When there is no enemy, the Holy War is inconceivable; (if) thou hast no lust, there can be no obedience (to the Divine command).
صبر نبود چون نباشد میل تو ** خصم چون نبود چه حاجت حیل تو
There can be no self-restraint when thou hast no desire; when there is no adversary, what need for thy strength?
هین مکن خود را خصی رهبان مشو ** زانک عفت هست شهوت را گرو
Hark, do not castrate thyself, do not become a monk; for chastity is in pawn to (depends on the existence of) lust.
بی‌هوا نهی از هوا ممکن نبود ** غازیی بر مردگان نتوان نمود
Without (the existence of) sensuality ’tis impossible to forbid sensuality: heroism cannot be displayed against the dead.
انفقوا گفتست پس کسپی بکن ** زانک نبود خرج بی‌دخل کهن
He (God) hath said ‘Spend’: therefore earn something, since there can be no expenditure without an old (previously acquired) income.
گر چه آورد انفقوا را مطلق او ** تو بخوان که اکسبوا ثم انفقوا 580
Although He used (the word) Spend absolutely, (yet) read (it as meaning) ‘Earn, then spend.’
هم‌چنان چون شاه فرمود اصبروا ** رغبتی باید کزان تابی تو رو
Similarly, since the King (God) has given the command ‘Refrain yourselves,’ there must be some desire from which thou shouldst avert thy face.
پس کلوا از بهر دام شهوتست ** بعد از آن لاتسرفوا آن عفتست
Hence (the command) ‘Eat ye’ is for the sake of the snare (temptation) of appetite; after that (comes) ‘Do not exceed’: that is temperance.
چونک محمول به نبود لدیه ** نیست ممکن بود محمول علیه
When there is no ‘predicate’ (relative quality) in him (any one), the existence of the ‘subject’ (the correlative term) is impossible.
چونک رنج صبر نبود مر ترا ** شرط نبود پس فرو ناید جزا
When thou hast not the pain of self-restraint, there is no protasis: therefore the apodosis (recompense) does not follow.
حبذا آن شرط و شادا آن جزا ** آن جزای دل‌نواز جان‌فزا 585
How admirable is that protasis and how joyful is that apodosis (recompense), a recompense that charms the heart and increases the life of the spirit!
در بیان آنک ثواب عمل عاشق از حق هم حق است
Explaining that God (Himself) is the reward bestowed by Him for the (devotional) work of the lover.
عاشقان را شادمانی و غم اوست ** دست‌مزد و اجرت خدمت هم اوست
For (His) lovers He (alone) is (all their) joy and sorrow; He (alone) is their wages and hire for service.
غیر معشوق ار تماشایی بود ** عشق نبود هرزه سودایی بود
If there be any spectacle (object of regard for them) except the Beloved, ’tis not love: ’tis an idle passion.
عشق آن شعله‌ست کو چون بر فروخت ** هرچه جز معشوق باقی جمله سوخت
Love is that flame which, when it blazes up, consumes everything else but the Beloved.
تیغ لا در قتل غیر حق براند ** در نگر زان پس که بعد لا چه ماند
He (the lover) drives home the sword of Not in order to kill all other than God: thereupon consider what remains after Not.
ماند الا الله باقی جمله رفت ** شاد باش ای عشق شرکت‌سوز زفت 590
There remains except God: all the rest is gone. Hail, O mighty Love, destroyer of polytheism!
خود همو بود آخرین و اولین ** شرک جز از دیده‌ی احول مبین
Verily, He is the First and the Last: do not regard polytheism as arising from aught except the eye that sees double.
ای عجب حسنی بود جز عکس آن ** نیست تن را جنبشی از غیر جان
Oh, wonderful! Is there any beauty but from the reflexion of Him? The (human) body hath no movement but from the spirit.
آن تنی را که بود در جان خلل ** خوش نگردد گر بگیری در عسل
The body that hath defect in its spirit will never become sweet, (even) if you smear it with honey.
این کسی داند که روزی زنده بود ** از کف این جان جان جامی ربود
This he knows who one day was (spiritually) alive and received a cup from this Soul of the soul;
وانک چشم او ندیدست آن رخان ** پیش او جانست این تف دخان 595
While to him whose eye has not beheld those (beauteous) cheeks this smoky heat is (appears to be) the spirit.