No act of piety can be better than this sin: years in comparison with this moment are (but) an hour.”
مدتی بد پیش این شه زین نسق ** دل کباب و جان نهاده بر طبق
In this fashion he remained with this King for a long while, his heart (roasted like) kabáb and his soul laid on the tray (of self-devotion).
گفت شه از هر کسی یک سر برید ** من ز شه هر لحظه قربانم جدید
He said, “The King beheads every one once, (but) I am sacrificed anew by the King at every instant.
من فقیرم از زر از سر محتشم ** صد هزاران سر خلف دارد سرم
I am poor in gold, but rich in heads (lives): my head (life) hath a hundred heads to take its place.
با دو پا در عشق نتوان تاختن ** با یکی سر عشق نتوان باختن
No one can run in (the path of) Love with two feet: no one can play (the game of) Love with one head;
هر کسی را خود دو پا و یک‌سرست ** با هزاران پا و سر تن نادرست 4605
Yet every one has two feet and one head: the body with thousands of feet and heads is a rarity.”
زین سبب هنگامه‌ها شد کل هدر ** هست این هنگامه هر دم گرم‌تر
On this account all (other) combats are (fought) in vain, (while) this combat (of Love) grows hotter every moment.
معدن گرمیست اندر لامکان ** هفت دوزخ از شرارش یک دخان
The source of its heat lies beyond the realm of space: the seven Hells are (but) a smoke (rising) from the sparks of its fire.
در بیان آنک دوزخ گوید کی قنطره‌ی صراط بر سر اوست ای مومن از صراط زودتر بگذر زود بشتاب تا عظمت نور تو آتش ما را نکشد جز یا مومن فان نورک اطفاء ناری
Setting forth how Hell will say, when the Bridge Sirát is (laid) over it (at the Resurrection), “O believer, pass more quickly across the Sirát! Quick, make haste, lest the greatness of thy light put out my fire,” (according to the Tradition), “Pass, O believer, for lo, thy light hath extinguished my fire.”
زآتش عاشق ازین رو ای صفی ** می‌شود دوزخ ضعیف و منطقی
For this reason, O sincere man, Hell is enfeebled and extinguished by the fire of Love.
گویدش بگذر سبک ای محتشم ** ورنه ز آتش‌های تو مرد آتشم
It says to him (the believer), “Pass speedily, O respected one, or else my fire will be destroyed by thy flames.”
کفر که کبریت دوزخ اوست و بس ** بین که می‌پخساند او را این نفس 4610
Behold how this breath (of Love) dissolves infidelity, which alone is the brimstone of Hell!
زود کبریت بدین سودا سپار ** تا نه دوزخ بر تو تازد نه شرار
Quickly entrust thy brimstone to this passion (of Love), in order that neither Hell nor (even) its sparks may assail thee.
گویدش جنت گذر کن هم‌چو باد ** ورنه گردد هر چه من دارم کساد
Paradise (too) says to him, “Pass like the wind, or else all that I possess will become unsalable;
که تو صاحب‌خرمنی من خوشه‌چین ** من بتی‌ام تو ولایت‌های چین
For thou art the owner of the (whole) stack, (while) I am (but) a gleaner: I am (but) an idol, (while) thou art (all) the provinces of China.”
هست لرزان زو جحیم و هم جنان ** نه مر این را نه مر آن را زو امان
Both Hell and Paradise are trembling in fear of him (the believer): neither the one nor the other feels safe from him.
رفت عمرش چاره را فرصت نیافت ** صبر بس سوزان بدت وجان بر نتافت 4615
His (the prince's) life sped away and he found no opportunity to cure (his passion): the waiting consumed him exceedingly and his soul could not endure it.
مدتی دندان‌کنان این می‌کشید ** نارسیده عمر او آخر رسید
For a long time, gnashing his teeth, he suffered this (agony): ere he attained, his life reached its end.
صورت معشوق زو شد در نهفت ** رفت و شد با معنی معشوق جفت
The form (appearance) of the Beloved vanished from him: he died and was united with the reality of the Beloved.
گفت لبسش گر ز شعر و ششترست ** اعتناق بی‌حجابش خوشترست
He said (to himself), “Though his raiment was of silk and Shushtar cloth, his unscreened embrace is sweeter.
من شدم عریان ز تن او از خیال ** می‌خرامم در نهایات الوصال
(Now) I am denuded of my body, and he of (the veil of) phantasy: I am advancing triumphantly in the consummation of union.”
این مباحث تا بدین‌جا گفتنیست ** هرچه آید زین سپس بنهفتنیست 4620
These topics may be discussed up to this point, (but) all that comes after this must be kept hid;
ور بگویی ور بکوشی صد هزار ** هست بیگار و نگردد آشکار
And if you would tell it and make a hundred thousand efforts, ’tis fruitless labour, for it will never become clear.
تا به دریا سیر اسپ و زین بود ** بعد ازینت مرکب چوبین بود
As far as the sea, ’tis a journey on horseback: after this you (must) have a wooden horse.
مرکب چوبین به خشکی ابترست ** خاص آن دریاییان را رهبرست
The wooden horse is no good on the dry land: it carries exclusively those who voyage on the sea.
این خموشی مرکب چوبین بود ** بحریان را خامشی تلقین بود
The wooden horse is this (mystical) silence: (this) silence gives instruction to the sea-folk.