چون تجلی کرد اوصاف قدیم ** پس بسوزد وصف حادث را گلیم
When the Attributes of the Eternal have shone forth, then the mantle of temporality is burned.
ربع قرآن هر که را محفوظ بود ** جل فینا از صحابه می‌شنود
Every one that knew a quarter of the Qur’án by heart was hearing from the Companions (the words), “Great is he amongst us.”
جمع صورت با چنین معنی ژرف ** نیست ممکن جز ز سلطانی شگرف
To combine the (outward) form with such a deep (inner) meaning is not possible, except on the part of a mighty (spiritual) king.
در چنین مستی مراعات ادب ** خود نباشد ور بود باشد عجب
In such (mystical) intoxication (as his) the observance of due respect (to the letter of the Qur’án) will not be there at all; or if it be, ’tis a wonder.
اندر استغنا مراعات نیاز ** جمع ضدینست چون گرد و دراز1395
To observe humility in (the state of spiritual) independence is to combine two opposites, like “round” and “long.”
خود عصا معشوق عمیان می‌بود ** کور خود صندوق قرآن می‌بود
Truly the staff is loved by the blind; the (inwardly) blind man himself is a coffer (full) of the Qur’án.
گفت کوران خود صنادیقند پر ** از حروف مصحف و ذکر و نذر
He (a certain one) said, “In sooth the blind are coffers full of the words of the Qur’án and commemoration (of God) and warning.”
باز صندوقی پر از قرآن به است ** زانک صندوقی بود خالی بدست
Again, a coffer full of the Qur’án is better than he that is (like) an empty coffer in the hand.
باز صندوقی که خالی شد ز بار ** به ز صندوقی که پر موشست و مار
Yet again, the coffer that is empty of (any) load is better than the coffer that is full of mice and snakes.
حاصل اندر وصل چون افتاد مرد ** گشت دلاله به پیش مرد سرد1400
The sum (of the matter is this): when a man has attained to union, the go between becomes worthless to him.
چون به مطلوبت رسیدی ای ملیح ** شد طلب کاری علم اکنون قبیح
Since you have reached the object of your search, O elegant one, the search for knowledge has now become evil.
چون شدی بر بامهای آسمان ** سرد باشد جست وجوی نردبان
Since you have mounted to the roofs of Heaven, it would be futile to seek a ladder.
جز برای یاری و تعلیم غیر ** سرد باشد راه خیر از بعد خیر
After (having attained to) felicity, the way (that leads) to felicity is worthless except for the sake of helping and teaching others.
آینه‌ی روشن که شد صاف و ملی ** جهل باشد بر نهادن صیقلی
The shining mirror, which has become clear and perfect— ’twould be folly to apply a burnisher (to it).
پیش سلطان خوش نشسته در قبول ** زشت باشد جستن نامه و رسول1405
Seated happily beside the Sultan (and) in favour (with him) —’twould be disgraceful to seek letter and messenger.
داستان مشغول شدن عاشقی به عشق‌نامه خواندن و مطالعه کردن عشق‌نامه درحضور معشوق خویش و معشوق آن را ناپسند داشتن کی طلب الدلیل عند حضور المدلول قبیح والاشتغال بالعلم بعد الوصول الی المعلوم مذموم
Story of a lover's being engrossed in reading and perusing a love-letter in the presence of his beloved, and how the beloved was displeased thereat. It is shameful to seek the proof in the presence of that which is proved, and blameworthy to occupy one's self with knowledge after having attained to that which is known.
آن یکی را یار پیش خود نشاند ** نامه بیرون کرد و پیش یار خواند
A certain man, (when) his beloved let (him) sit beside her, produced a letter and read it to her.
بیتها در نامه و مدح و ثنا ** زاری و مسکینی و بس لابه‌ها
In the letter were verses and praise and laud, lamentation and wretchedness and many humble entreaties.
گفت معشوق این اگر بهر منست ** گاه وصل این عمر ضایع کردنست
The beloved said, “If this is for my sake, (to read) this at the time of (our) meeting is to waste one's life.
من به پیشت حاضر و تو نامه خوان ** نیست این باری نشان عاشقان
I am here beside thee, and thou reading a letter! This, at any rate, is not the mark of (true) lovers.”
گفت اینجا حاضری اما ولیک ** من نمی‌یایم نصیب خویش نیک1410
He replied, “Thou art present here, but I am not gaining my pleasure well (completely).
آنچ می‌دیدم ز تو پارینه سال ** نیست این دم گرچه می‌بینم وصال
That which I felt last year on account of thee is non-existent at this moment, though I am experiencing union (with thee).
من ازین چشمه زلالی خورده‌ام ** دیده و دل ز آب تازه کرده‌ام
I have drunk cool water from this fountain, I have refreshed eye and heart with its water.
چشمه می‌بینم ولیکن آب نی ** راه آبم را مگر زد ره‌زنی
I am (still) seeing the fountain, but the water is not there: maybe some brigand has waylaid (and cut off) my water.”
گفت پس من نیستم معشوق تو ** من به بلغار و مرادت در قتو
She said, “Then I am not thy beloved: I am in Bulghár, and the object of thy desire is in Qutú
عاشقی تو بر من و بر حالتی ** حالت اندر دست نبود یا فتی1415
Thou art in love with me and (also) with a state of feeling; the state of feeling is not in thy hand (in thy possession), O youth.
پس نیم کلی مطلوب تو من ** جزو مقصودم ترا اندرز من
Therefore I am not the whole of that which is sought by thee; I am (only) part of the object of thy quest at the present time.
خانه‌ی معشوقه‌ام معشوق نی ** عشق بر نقدست بر صندوق نی
I am (only) the house of thy beloved, not the beloved (herself): (true) love is for the cash, not for the coffer (that contains it).”
هست معشوق آنک او یکتو بود ** مبتدا و منتهاات او بود
The (real) beloved is that one who is single, who is thy beginning and end.
چون بیابی‌اش نمانی منتظر ** هم هویدا او بود هم نیز سر
When thou findest him, thou wilt not remain in expectation (of aught else): he is both the manifest and also the mystery,
میر احوالست نه موقوف حال ** بنده‌ی آن ماه باشد ماه و سال1420
He is the lord of states of feeling, not dependent on any state: month and year are slaves of that Moon.
چون بگوید حال را فرمان کند ** چون بخواهد جسمها را جان کند
When he bids the “state,” it does his behest; when he wills, he makes bodies (become) spirit.
منتها نبود که موقوفست او ** منتظر بنشسته باشد حال‌جو
One that is stopped (on the way) is not (at) the (journey's) end; he will be seated, waiting and seeking the “state.”
کیمیای حال باشد دست او ** دست جنباند شود مس مست او
His (the perfect saint's) hand is the elixir that transmutes the “state”: (if) he move his hand, the copper becomes intoxicated with him.
گر بخواهد مرگ هم شیرین شود ** خار و نشتر نرگس و نسرین شود
If he will, even death becomes sweet; thorns and stings become narcissus and wild-rose.
آنک او موقوف حالست آدمیست ** کو بحال افزون و گاهی در کمیست1425
He that is dependent on the “state” is (still) a human being: for (at one moment) he is (made) greater by the “state,” at another moment he is in decrease.
صوفی ابن الوقت باشد در منال ** لیک صافی فارغست از وقت و حال
In respect of gaining (the 'state'), the Súfí is “the son of the time,” but the pure one (sáfí) is unconcerned with “time” and “state.”
حالها موقوف عزم و رای او ** زنده از نفخ مسیح‌آسای او
“States” are dependent on his decision and judgement; (they are) vivified by his Messiah-like breath.
عاشق حالی نه عاشق بر منی ** بر امید حال بر من می‌تنی
“Thou art in love with thy ‘state,’ thou art not in love with me; thou art attached to me in the hope of (experiencing) the ‘state.’”
آنک یک دم کم دمی کامل بود ** نیست معبود خلیل آفل بود
He that at one moment is deficient and at another moment perfect is not He that was worshipped by Khalíl (Abraham): he is one that sinks;
وانک آفل باشد و گه آن و این ** نیست دلبر لا احب افلین1430
And he that is liable to sink and is now that and (now) this is not the (true) beloved: “I love not them that sink.”
آنک او گاهی خوش و گه ناخوشست ** یک زمانی آب و یک دم آتشست
He that is now pleasing and now unpleasing, at one time water and at one moment fire,
برج مه باشد ولیکن ماه نه ** نقش بت باشد ولی آگاه نه
May be the mansion of the Moon, but he is not the Moon; he may be the picture of the Adored One, but he is not conscious.
هست صوفی صفاجو ابن وقت ** وقت را همچون پدر بگرفته سخت
The Súfí that seeks purity is ‘the son of the time’: he has clasped the ‘time’ tightly as (though it were) his father.
هست صافی غرق عشق ذوالجلال ** ابن کس نه فارغ از اوقات و حال
The pure one (sáfí) is plunged in love of the Glorious (God); he is not the son of any one, (he is) free from ‘times’ and ‘states’—
غرقه‌ی نوری که او لم یولدست ** لم یلد لم یولد آن ایزدست1435
Plunged in the Light which is unbegotten: (the description) He neither begetteth nor is He begotten belongs to God (alone).
رو چنین عشقی بجو گر زنده‌ای ** ورنه وقت مختلف را بنده‌ای
Go, seek a love like this, if thou art (spiritually) alive; otherwise, thou art a slave to the changing “time.”
منگر اندر نقش زشت و خوب خویش ** بنگر اندر عشق و در مطلوب خویش
Do not regard thy ugly or beauteous form; regard Love and the object of thy search.
منگر آنک تو حقیری یا ضعیف ** بنگر اندر همت خود ای شریف
Do not regard the fact that thou art despicable or infirm; look upon thy aspiration, O noble one.
تو به هر حالی که باشی می‌طلب ** آب می‌جو دایما ای خشک‌لب
In whatsoever state thou be, keep searching; O thou with dry lip, always be seeking the water,
کان لب خشکت گواهی می‌دهد ** کو بخر بر سر منبع رسد1440
For that dry lip of thine gives evidence that at last it will reach the springhead.