هالک آید پیش وجهش هست و نیست ** هستی اندر نیستی خود طرفه‌ایست
Before His Face the existent and the non-existent perish: existence in nonexistence is in sooth a marvellous thing!
اندرین محضر خردها شد ز دست ** چون قلم اینجا رسیده شد شکست
In this place of presence (all) minds are lost beyond control; when the pen reaches this point, it breaks.
نواختن معشوق عاشق بیهوش را تا به هوش باز آید
How the Beloved caressed the senseless lover, that he might return to his senses.
می‌کشید از بیهشی‌اش در بیان ** اندک اندک از کرم صدر جهان
The Sadr-i Jahán, from kindness, was drawing him little by little from senselessness into (the capacity for) clear expression.
بانگ زد در گوش او شه کای گدا ** زر نثار آوردمت دامن گشا4665
The Prince cried into his ear, “O beggar, I bring gold to scatter o’er thee; spread out thy skirt.
جان تو کاندر فراقم می‌طپید ** چونک زنهارش رسیدم چون رمید
Thy spirit, which was quivering (with distress) in separation. from me—since I have come to protect it, how has it fled?
ای بدیده در فراقم گرم و سرد ** با خود آ از بی‌خودی و باز گرد
O thou who hast suffered heat and cold in separation from me, come to thyself from selflessness and return!”
مرغ خانه اشتری را بی خرد ** رسم مهمانش به خانه می‌برد
The domestic fowl, in the manner of a host, foolishly brings a camel to her house.
چون به خانه مرغ اشتر پا نهاد ** خانه ویران گشت و سقف اندر فتاد
When the camel set foot in the hen’s house, the house was destroyed and the roof fell in.
خانه‌ی مرغست هوش و عقل ما ** هوش صالح طالب ناقه‌ی خدا4670
The hen’s house is our (weak) intelligence and understanding the good intelligence is a seeker of God’s she-camel
ناقه چون سر کرد در آب و گلش ** نه گل آنجا ماند نه جان و دلش
When the she-camel put her head into its water and clay, neither its clay remained there (in existence) nor its soul and heart.
کرد فضل عشق انسان را فضول ** زین فزون‌جویی ظلومست و جهول
Pre-eminence in love made Man overweening: because of this desire for excess he is very unjust and very ignorant.
جاهلست و اندرین مشکل شکار ** می‌کشد خرگوش شیری در کنار
He is ignorant, and in this difficult chase the hare is clasping a lion in his arms.
کی کنار اندر کشیدی شیر را ** گر بدانستی و دیدی شیر را
How would he clasp the lion in his arms, if he knew and saw the lion?
ظالمست او بر خود و بر جان خود ** ظلم بین کز عدلها گو می‌برد4675
He is unjust to himself and to his own soul: behold an injustice that bears away the ball (the palm) from (all) justices!
جهل او مر علمها را اوستاد ** ظلم او مر عدلها را شد رشاد
His ignorance is the teacher to (all) knowledges, his injustice has become the right way for (all) justices.
دست او بگرفت کین رفته دمش ** آنگهی آید که من دم بخشمش
He (the Sadr-i Jahán) took his (the lover’s) hand, saying, “This man whose breath has departed will (only) then come (to life) when I give him (spiritual) breath.
چون به من زنده شود این مرده‌تن ** جان من باشد که رو آرد به من
When this man whose body is dead shall become living through Me (then) it will be My spirit that turns its face towards me.
من کنم او را ازین جان محتشم ** جان که من بخشم ببیند بخششم
By means of this spirit I make him possessed of high estate: (only) the spirit that I give sees (experiences) My bounty.
جان نامحرم نبیند روی دوست ** جز همان جان کاصل او از کوی اوست4680
The unfamiliar (unprivileged) spirit does not see the face of the Beloved: (none sees it) except that spirit whose origin is from His dwelling-place.
در دمم قصاب‌وار این دوست را ** تا هلد آن مغز نغزش پوست را
Butcher-like, I breathe upon this dear friend, in order that his goodly inward part may leave the skin.”
گفت ای جان رمیده از بلا ** وصل ما را در گشادیم الصلا
He said, “O spirit that hast fled from tribulation, We have opened the door to union with Us; welcome!
ای خود ما بی‌خودی و مستی‌ات ** ای ز هست ما هماره هستی‌ات
O thou whose selflessness and intoxication is (caused by) Our Self, O thou whose being is incessantly (derived) from Our Being,
با تو بی لب این زمان من نو بنو ** رازهای کهنه گویم می‌شنو
Now, without lip, I tell thee the old mysteries anew: hearken!
زانک آن لبها ازین دم می‌رمد ** بر لب جوی نهان بر می‌دمد4685
(I tell thee silently) because those (bodily) lips are fleeing from (are unable to apprehend) this Breath (Word); it is breathed forth on the lip (bank) of the hidden River.
گوش بی‌گوشی درین دم بر گشا ** بهر راز یفعل الله ما یشا
At this moment open the ear of earlessness for the sake of (hearing) the mystery of God doeth what He willeth.”
چون صلای وصل بشنیدن گرفت ** اندک اندک مرده جنبیدن گرفت
When he began to hear the call to union, little by little, the dead man began to stir.
نه کم از خاکست کز عشوه‌ی صبا ** سبز پوشد سر بر آرد از فنا
He (the lover of God) is not less than the earth which at the zephyr’s blandishments puts on (a garment of) green and lifts up it head from death;
کم ز آب نطفه نبود کز خطاب ** یوسفان زایند رخ چون آفتاب
He is not less than the seminal water from which at the (Divine) bidding there are born Josephs with faces like the sun;
کم ز بادی نیست شد از امر کن ** در رحم طاوس و مرغ خوش‌سخن4690
He is not less than a wind (from which) at the command “Be!” peacocks and sweet-voiced birds came to being in the (bird’s) womb
کم ز کوه سنگ نبود کز ولاد ** ناقه‌ای کان ناقه ناقه زاد زاد
He is not less than the mountain of rock which by parturition brought forth the she-camel that brought forth a she-camel
زین همه بگذر نه آن مایه‌ی عدم ** عالمی زاد و بزاید دم بدم
Leave all this behind. Did not the substance of non-existence bring forth, and will it not bring forth continually, a (whole) Universe?
بر جهید و بر طپید و شاد شاد ** یک دو چرخی زد سجود اندر فتاد
He (the man of Bukhárá) sprang up and quivered and whirled once or twice (in dance) joyously, joyously; (then) fell to worship.
با خویش آمدن عاشق بیهوش و روی آوردن به ثنا و شکر معشوق
How the senseless lover came to himself and turned his face in praise and thanksgiving to the Beloved.
گفت ای عنقای حق جان را مطاف ** شکر که باز آمدی زان کوه قاف
He said, “O ‘Anqá of God, (thou who art) the place of the spirit’s circling flight, (I give) thanks that thou hast come back from yonder mountain of Qáf.
ای سرافیل قیامتگاه عشق ** ای تو عشق عشق و ای دلخواه عشق4695
O Siráfíl (Seraphiel) of Love’s resurrection place O Love of love and O Heart’s-desire of love,
اولین خلعت که خواهی دادنم ** گوش خواهم که نهی بر روزنم
I desire, as the first gift of honour thou wilt give me, that thou lay thine ear on my window.
گرچه می‌دانی بصفوت حال من ** بنده‌پرور گوش کن اقوال من
Albeit through (thy) purity thou knowest my feelings, lend ear to my words, O cherisher of thy slave.
صد هزاران بار ای صدر فرید ** ز آرزوی گوش تو هوشم پرید
Hundreds of thousands of times, O unique Prince, did my wits fly away in longing for thy ear—
آن سمیعی تو وان اصغای تو ** و آن تبسمهای جان‌افزای تو
That hearing of thine and that listening of thine, and those life-quickening smiles of thine;
آن بنوشیدن کم و بیش مرا ** عشوه‌ی جان بداندیش مرا4700
That hearkening unto my lesser and greater (matters), (and unto) the beguilements of my evil-thinking (suspicious) soul.
قلبهای من که آن معلوم تست ** بس پذیرفتی تو چون نقد درست
Then my false coins, which are well-known to thee, thou didst accept as (though they were) genuine money;
بهر گستاخی شوخ غره‌ای ** حلمها در پیش حلمت ذره‌ای
For the sake of the boldness (importunity) of one (who was) impudent and deluded, O thou beside whose clemency (all) clemencies are (but) a mote!
اولا بشنو که چون ماندم ز شست ** اول و آخر ز پیش من بجست
Firstly, hear that when I abandoned (thy) net the first and the last {this world and the next) shot away (disappeared) from before me;
ثانیا بشنو تو ای صدر ودود ** که بسی جستم ترا ثانی نبود
Secondly, hear, O loving Prince, that I sought long, (but) there was no second to thee;
ثالثا تا از تو بیرون رفته‌ام ** گوییا ثالث ثلاثه گفته‌ام4705
Thirdly, since I have gone away from thee, ‘tis as though I have said, ‘the third of three’;
رابعا چون سوخت ما را مزرعه ** می ندانم خامسه از رابعه
Fourthly, forasmuch as my cornfield is burnt-up, I do not know the fifth (finger) from the fourth.
هر کجا یابی تو خون بر خاکها ** پی بری باشد یقین از چشم ما
Wherever thou findest blood on the sods, (if) thou investigate, it will certainly (prove to) be (blood) from mine eye.
گفت من رعدست و این بانگ و حنین ** ز ابر خواهد تا ببارد بر زمین
My words are (as) the thunder, and this noise and moaning demands of the cloud that it should rain upon the earth.
من میان گفت و گریه می‌تنم ** یا بگریم یا بگویم چون کنم
Between words and tears I continue (in doubt) whether I should weep or speak: hew shall I do?
گر بگویم فوت می‌گردد بکا ** ور نگویم چون کنم شکر و ثنا4710
If I speak, the weeping will be lost; and if I weep, how shall I render thanks and praise?
می‌فتد از دیده خون دل شها ** بین چه افتادست از دیده مرا
Heart’s blood is falling from mine eye, O King: see what has befallen me from mine eye!”