کشته و مرده به پیشت ای قمر ** به که شاه زندگان جای دگر
‘Tis better to be slain and dead before thee, O Moon, that to be the king of the living in another place.
آزمودم من هزاران بار بیش ** بی تو شیرین می‌نبینم عیش خویش3800
I have put it to the test more than a thousand times: I don not deem my life sweet without thee.
غن لی یا منیتی لحن النشور ** ابرکی یا ناقتی تم السرور
Sing to me, O object of my desire, the melody of resurrection! Kneel, O my she-camel! The joy is complete.
ابلعی یا ارض دمعی قد کفی ** اشربی یا نفس وردا قد صفا
O earth, swallow my tears- surely they are enough. Drink, O my soul, a draught that is now pure!
عدت یا عیدی الینا مرحبا ** نعم ما روحت یا ریح الصبا
Thou hast returned to us, O my festival! Welcome! How goodly is the refreshment thou hast brought, O Zephyr!’”
گفت ای یاران روان گشتم وداع ** سوی آن صدری که امیرست و مطاع
He said, “Farewell, my friends: I have set out towards the Sadr who commands and is obeyed.
دم‌بدم در سوز بریان می‌شوم ** هرچه بادا باد آنجا می‌روم3805
Moment by moment I am being roasted in the flames. (of separation from him): I will go thither, come what may!
گرچه دل چون سنگ خارا می‌کند ** جان من عزم بخارا می‌کند
Although he is making his heart like a hard rock (against me), my soul is bound for Bukhárá.
مسکن یارست و شهر شاه من ** پیش عاشق این بود حب الوطن
It is the abode of my Friend and the city of my King: in the lover’s eyes this is (the meaning of) love of one’s native land.”
پرسیدن معشوقی از عاشق غریب خود کی از شهرها کدام شهر را خوشتر یافتی و انبوه‌تر و محتشم‌تر و پر نعمت‌تر و دلگشاتر
How a loved one asked her lover who had travelled in foreign countries, “Which city didst thou find the fairest and most thronged and the most magnificent and rich and charming?”
گفت معشوقی به عاشق کای فتی ** تو به غربت دیده‌ای بس شهرها
A loved one said to her lover, “O youth, thou hast seen many cities abroad.
پس کدامین شهر ز آنها خوشترست ** گفت آن شهری که در وی دلبرست
Which of them, then, is the fairest?” He replied, “The city where my sweetheart is.”
هرکجا باشد شه ما را بساط ** هست صحرا گر بود سم الخیاط3810
Wherever the carpet is (spread) for our King, (there) is the (spacious) plain, though it (that place) be (as narrow as) the eye of a needle.
هر کجا که یوسفی باشد چو ماه ** جنتست ارچه که باشد قعر چاه
Wherever a Joseph (beautiful) as the moon may be, ’tis Paradise, even though it be the bottom of a well.
منع کردن دوستان او را از رجوع کردن به بخارا وتهدید کردن و لاابالی گفتن او
How his friends hindered him from returning to Bukhárá and threatened him, and how he said, “I don't care.”
گفت او را ناصحی ای بی‌خبر ** عاقبت اندیش اگر داری هنر
A candid adviser said to him, “O imprudent man, think of the end (consequence), if thou hast (any) skill.
درنگر پس را به عقل و پیش را ** همچو پروانه مسوزان خویش را
Consider reasonably the future and the past: do not let thyself be burnt like a moth.
چون بخارا می‌روی دیوانه‌ای ** لایق زنجیر و زندان‌خانه‌ای
How art thou going to Bukhárá? Thou art mad, thou art (only) fit for chains and the prison-house.
او ز تو آهن همی‌خاید ز خشم ** او همی‌جوید ترا با بیست چشم3815
He (the Sadr-i Jahán) is champing iron in his wrath against thee; he is seeking thee with twenty eyes.
می‌کند او تیز از بهر تو کارد ** او سگ قحطست و تو انبان آرد
He is sharpening the knife for thee: he is (like) the starving dog, and thou (like) the bag of flour.
چون رهیدی و خدایت راه داد ** سوی زندان می‌روی چونت فتاد
After thou hast escaped and God has given thee the (open) road, thou art going (back) to prison: what is the matter with thee?
بر تو گر ده‌گون موکل آمدی ** عقل بایستی کز ایشان کم زدی
Had there been ten sorts of custodians over thee, intelligence would have been needed in order that thou might'st become quit of them.
چون موکل نیست بر تو هیچ‌کس ** از چه بسته گشت بر تو پیش و پس
Since no one is a custodian over thee, wherefore have the future and the past become sealed to thee?”
عشق پنهان کرده بود او را اسیر ** آن موکل را نمی‌دید آن نذیر3820
Secret love had made him (the Wakíl) captive: the warner (his critic) was not seeing that custodian.
هر موکل را موکل مختفیست ** ورنه او در بند سگ طبعی ز چیست
Every custodian's custodian is hidden; else, wherefore is he (the wicked custodian) in thrall to (his) currish nature?
خشم شاه عشق بر جانش نشست ** بر عوانی و سیه‌روییش بست
The anger of Love, the King, settled upon his soul and chained him to the (base) office of a myrmidon and to ignominy.
می‌زند او را که هین او رابزن ** زان عوانان نهان افغان من
It (anger) is striking him and saying, “Hark, strike him (thy captive)!” Woe is me on account of those hidden myrmidons.
هرکه بینی در زیانی می‌رود ** گرچه تنها با عوانی می‌رود
Whomsoever you see going in a (path of) detriment, he, though (apparently) alone, is going along with a (hidden) myrmidon.
گر ازو واقف بدی افغان زدی ** پیش آن سلطان سلطانان شدی3825
If he were aware of him, he would cry out in distress and go into the presence of the King of kings,
ریختی بر سر به پیش شاه خاک ** تا امان دیدی ز دیو سهمناک
And scatter earth on his head before the King, that he might find security from the frightful Devil.
میر دیدی خویش را ای کم ز مور ** زان ندیدی آن موکل را تو کور
(But) you, O less than an ant, deemed yourself a prince: hence, blind (as you are), you did not see that custodian.
غره گشتی زین دروغین پر و بال ** پر و بالی کو کشد سوی وبال
You were deluded by these false wings and plumes—the wings and plumes that lead to woe.
پر سبک دارد ره بالا کند ** چون گل‌آلو شد گرانیها کند
(If) he keep his wings light (unencumbered), he journeys upward; when he becomes defiled with earth, he makes heavinesses (which weigh him down).
لاابالی گفتن عاشق ناصح و عاذل را از سر عشق
How the lover, impelled by love, said “I don't care” to the person who counselled and scolded him.
گفت ای ناصح خمش کن چند چند ** پند کم ده زانک بس سختست بند3830
He said, “O counsellor, be silent! How long, how long (wilt thou chide)? Do not give advice, for the bonds (on me) are very grievous.
سخت‌تر شد بند من از پند تو ** عشق را نشناخت دانشمند تو
My bonds are more grievous than thy advice: thy doctor (who taught thee) was not acquainted with love.
آن طرف که عشق می‌افزود درد ** بوحنیفه و شافعی درسی نکرد
In that quarter where love was increasing (my) pain, Bú Hanífa and Sháfi‘í gave no instruction.
تو مکن تهدید از کشتن که من ** تشنه‌ی زارم به خون خویشتن
Do not thou threaten me with being killed, for I thirst lamentably for mine own blood.”
عاشقان را هر زمانی مردنیست ** مردن عشاق خود یک نوع نیست
For lovers, there is a dying at every moment: verily, the dying of lovers is not of one sort.
او دو صد جان دارد از جان هدی ** وآن دوصد را می‌کند هر دم فدی3835
He (the lover) hath two hundred souls (lives) from the Soul of Guidance, and those two hundred he is sacrificing at every instant.
هر یکی جان را ستاند ده بها ** از نبی خوان عشرة امثالها
For each soul (life) he receives ten as its price: read from the Qur’án “ten like unto them.”
گر بریزد خون من آن دوست‌رو ** پای‌کوبان جان برافشانم برو
If that One of friendly countenance shed my blood, dancing (in triumph) I will strew (lavish) my soul (life) upon Him.
آزمودم مرگ من در زندگیست ** چون رهم زین زندگی پایندگیست
I have tried it: my death is (consists) in life: when I escape from this life, ’tis to endure for ever.
اقتلونی اقتلونی یا ثقات ** ان فی قتلی حیاتا فی حیات
“Kill me, kill me, O trusty friends! Lo, in my being killed is life on life.”
یا منیر الخد یا روح البقا ** اجتذب روحی وجد لی باللقا3840
O Thou that makest the cheek radiant, O Spirit of everlastingness, draw my spirit to Thyself and generously bestow on me the meeting (with Thee).
لی حبیب حبه یشوی الحشا ** لو یشا یمشی علی عینی مشی
I have a Beloved whose love roasts the bowels (of my heart): if He wished to walk upon mine eye, He would walk (upon it, and be welcome).
پارسی گو گرچه تازی خوشترست ** عشق را خود صد زبان دیگرست
Speak Persian, though Arabic is sweeter: Love indeed hath a hundred other tongues (besides these two).
بوی آن دلبر چو پران می‌شود ** آن زبانها جمله حیران می‌شود
When the scent of that Charmer of hearts begins to fly (abroad), all those tongues become dumbfounded.
بس کنم دلبر در آمد در خطاب ** گوش شو والله اعلم بالصواب
I will cease (from speech): the Sweetheart has begun to speak, be (all) ear—and God best knoweth the right course.
چونک عاشق توبه کرد اکنون بترس ** کو چو عیاران کند بر دار درس3845
Since the lover has repented, now beware (of misapprehension), for he will lecture, like the adepts (in mystical love), on the gallows.
گرچه این عاشق بخارا می‌رود ** نه به درس و نه به استا می‌رود
Although this lover is going to Bukhárá, he is not going to (attend) lectures or to (learn from) a teacher.
عاشقان را شد مدرس حسن دوست ** دفتر و درس و سبقشان روی اوست
For lovers, the (only) lecturer is the beauty of the Beloved, their (only) book and lecture and lesson is His face.
خامشند و نعره‌ی تکرارشان ** می‌رود تا عرش و تخت یارشان
They are silent (outwardly), but the shrill noise of their repetition is going up to the throne and high-seat of their Friend.