تن برهنه سر برهنه سوخته ** شکر را دزدیده یا آموخته
(Thou art) naked, bare-headed, consumed (with afflictions): thou hast stolen (these) expressions of gratitude or learned (them by rote).
کو نشان شکر و حمد میر تو ** بر سر و بر پای بی توفیر تو1745
Where are the signs of the gratitude and praise due to thy prince on thy unplenished head and feet?
گر زبانت مدح آن شه می‌تند ** هفت اندامت شکایت می‌کند
If thy tongue is weaving (making up) praise of that king, (yet) thy seven members are complaining (of him).
در سخای آن شه و سلطان جود ** مر ترا کفشی و شلواری نبود
In the generosity of that king and sultan of munificence was there not (room for) a pair of shoes and trousers for thee?”
گفت من ایثار کردم آنچ داد ** میر تقصیری نکرد از افتقاد
He replied, “I gave away what he bestowed: the prince left nothing undone in the way of solicitude.
بستدم جمله عطاها از امیر ** بخش کردم بر یتیم و بر فقیر
I received all the presents from the prince and distributed them among the orphans and the poor.
مال دادم بستدم عمر دراز ** در جزا زیرا که بودم پاک‌باز1750
I gave the riches away and received long (everlasting) life in return, because I was utterly self-sacrificing.”
پس بگفتندش مبارک مال رفت ** چیست اندر باطنت این دود نفت
Then they said to him, “Bless thee! the riches are gone: what (then) is this naphtha-smoke within thee?
صد کراهت در درون تو چو خار ** کی بود انده نشان ابتشار
A hundred loathings like thorns are in thy heart: how should grief be the sign of rejoicing?
کو نشان عشق و ایثار و رضا ** گر درستست آنچ گفتی ما مضی
Where are the signs of love and charity and being pleased (with God), if what thou hast said of what passed is true?
خود گرفتم مال گم شد میل کو ** سیل اگر بگذشت جای سیل کو
I grant, forsooth, that the riches are gone: (then) where is (thy) desire (for spiritual riches)? If the torrent has gone by, where is the torrent-bed?
چشم تو گر بد سیاه و جان‌فزا ** گر نماند او جان‌فزا ازرق چرا1755
If (as thou pretendest) thine eye was (once) black and soul-inspiring, and if it is soul-inspiring no longer, (then) why is it blue?
کو نشان پاک‌بازی ای ترش ** بوی لاف کژ همی‌آید خمش
Where are the signs of self-sacrifice, O sour one? The smell of false and empty words is coming (from thee): be silent!”
صد نشان باشد درون ایثار را ** صد علامت هست نیکوکار را
Charity (for God's sake) hath a hundred signs within (in the heart): the good deed hath a hundred tokens.
مال در ایثار اگر گردد تلف ** در درون صد زندگی آید خلف
If riches be consumed in charity, a hundred lives come into the heart as a substitute.
در زمین حق زراعت کردنی ** تخمهای پاک آنگه دخل نی
A sowing of pure seeds in God's earth, and then no income! (That is impossible.)
گر نروید خوشه از روضات هو ** پس چه واسع باشد ارض الله بگو1760
If the (spiritual) ears of corn grow not from the gardens of Hú (God), then tell (me), how should God's earth be “spacious”?
چونک این ارض فنا بی‌ریع نیست ** چون بود ارض الله آن مستوسعیست
Since this earth of mortality is not without produce, how should God's earth be (without it)? That (earth of God) is a spacious place.
این زمین را ریع او خود بی‌حدست ** دانه‌ای را کمترین خود هفصدست
Verily, the produce of this earth (of God) is infinite: even the least (produce) for a single seed is seven-hundredfold.
حمد گفتی کو نشان حامدون ** نه برونت هست اثر نه اندرون
You said, “Glory to God!” Where are the signs (in you) of those who glorify? Neither in your exterior nor within is there a trace.
حمد عارف مر خدا را راستست ** که گواه حمد او شد پا و دست
(Only) the gnostic's glorification of God is right (perfect), for his feet and hands have borne witness to his glorification.
از چه تاریک جسمش بر کشید ** وز تک زندان دنیااش خرید1765
It hath lifted him up from the dark pit of the body and redeemed him from the bottom of the dungeon of this world.
اطلس تقوی و نور متلف ** آیت حمدست او را بر کتف
On his shoulder is the sign of glorification—the silken robe of piety and the light which associates itself (with him).
وا رهیده از جهان عاریه ** ساکن گلزار و عین جاریه
He is delivered from the transitory world, he is dwelling in the Rose-garden, and (therein is) a running fountain.
بر سریر سر عالی‌همتش ** مجلس و جا و مقام و رتبتش
His sitting-place and home and abode is on the throne of the high-aspiring inmost consciousness, and his station
مقعد صدقی که صدیقان درو ** جمله سر سبزند و شاد و تازه‌رو
Is the Seat of sincerity in which all the siddíqs are flourishing and joyous and fresh of countenance.
حمدشان چون حمد گلشن از بهار ** صد نشانی دارد و صد گیر و دار1770
Their praise (of God), like the garden's praise on account of spring, hath a hundred signs and a hundred pomps.
بر بهارش چشمه و نخل و گیاه ** وآن گلستان و نگارستان گواه
Fountains and palms and herbs and rose-beds and plots of bright-coloured flowers bear witness to its springtide.
شاهد شاهد هزاران هر طرف ** در گواهی هم‌چو گوهر بر صدف
Everywhere thousands of witnesses to the Beloved are (engaged) in bearing testimony, as the pearl (bears testimony) to the oyster-shell.
بوی سر بد بیاید از دمت ** وز سر و رو تابد ای لافی غمت
(But) from your breath (words) comes the smell of a bad conscience, and your (inward) pain is reflected from your head and face, O braggart!
بوشناسانند حاذق در مصاف ** تو به جلدی های هو کم کن گزاف
In the battle-field (of this world) there are sagacious ones who know (distinguish) the smell: do not in (your) presumption idly utter (imitate) the ecstatic cries (of the true enthusiasts).
تو ملاف از مشک کان بوی پیاز ** از دم تو می‌کند مکشوف راز1775
Do not brag of musk, for that smell of onions is revealing the secret (true nature) of your breath (words and professions).
گل‌شکر خوردم همی‌گویی و بوی ** می‌زند از سیر که یافه مگوی
You are saying, “I have eaten rose-sugar,” while the smell of garlic is striking (your hearers) and saying (in effect), “Don't talk nonsense.”
The heart is like unto a great house: the house of the heart hath neighbours concealed (from view):
از شکاف روزن و دیوارها ** مطلع گردند بر اسرار ما
Through the window-slit and (crevices in) the walls they observe the hidden thoughts—
از شکافی که ندارد هیچ وهم ** صاحب خانه و ندارد هیچ سهم
Through a slit whereof the owner of the house hath no conception and in which he hath no share.
از نبی بر خوان که دیو و قوم او ** می‌برند از حال انسی خفیه بو1780
Recite from the Qur’án (the verse which declares) that the Devil and his tribe secretly get scent of (become acquainted with) the (inward) state of humankind,
از رهی که انس از آن آگاه نیست ** زانک زین محسوس و زین اشباه نیست
By a way of which humankind are ignorant, because it is not of this sensible (world) or one of these semblances (phenomenal objects).
در میان ناقدان زرقی متن ** با محک ای قلب دون لافی مزن
Do not devise any fraud amongst the assayers: do not address any idle boast to the touchstone, O base spurious coin.
مر محک را ره بود در نقد و قلب ** که خدایش کرد امیر جسم و قلب
The (spiritual) touchstone hath a way to (know) the genuine and the spurious coin, for God made him the commander of (both) body and heart.
چون شیاطین با غلیظیهای خویش ** واقف‌اند از سر ما و فکر و کیش
Since the devils, notwithstanding their grossnesses, are acquainted with our inmost soul and thought and belief,
مسلکی دارند دزدیده درون ** ما ز دزدیهای ایشان سرنگون1785
(And) have a passage (means of penetrating) stealthily within, (so that) we are overthrown by their thievish practices,
دم به دم خبط و زیانی می‌کنند ** صاحب نقب و شکاف روزنند
(And since) they continually inflict a (great) derangement and damage (upon us), for they are masters of the (interior) tunnel and window-slit—
پس چرا جان‌های روشن در جهان ** بی‌خبر باشند از حال نهان
Why, then, should the illuminated spirits in the world be unaware of our hidden state?
در سرایت کمتر از دیوان شدند ** روحها که خیمه بر گردون زدند
Have the spirits that pitched their tent on Heaven become inferior to the devils in respect of permeation (the power of insinuating themselves into our hearts)?
دیو دزدانه سوی گردون رود ** از شهاب محرق او مطعون شود
The devil goes like a thief towards Heaven, and he is pierced with a burning meteor:
سرنگون از چرخ زیر افتد چنان ** که شقی در جنگ از زخم سنان1790
He falls down headlong from the sky as the wretched (infidel falls when smitten) in battle by the blow of the spear-point.
آن ز رشک روحهای دل‌پسند ** از فلکشان سرنگون می‌افکنند
That is caused by the jealousy (indignation) of the delectable spirits (the prophets and saints): (hence) they (the angels) cast them (the devils) headlong from Heaven.
تو اگر شلی و لنگ و کور و کر ** این گمان بر روحهای مه مبر
If you are palsied and lame and blind and deaf, (yet) do not hold this (bad) opinion of the great spirits.
شرم دار و لاف کم زن جان مکن ** که بسی جاسوس هست آن سوی تن
Be ashamed and do not utter idle words, do not torment yourself (in vain), for there are many spies (observing you) beyond the (ken of the) body.
دریافتن طبیبان الهی امراض دین و دل را در سیمای مرید و بیگانه و لحن گفتار او و رنگ چشم او و بی این همه نیز از راه دل کی انهم جواسیس القلوب فجالسوهم بالصدق
How the divine physicians detect diseases, religious and spiritual, in the countenance of friend or stranger and in the tones of his speech and the colour of his eyes, and even without all these (indications), by the way of the heart; for "verily, they are spies on the hearts (of men); therefore behave with sincerity when ye sit with them."