The Absolute Being is a worker in non-existence: what but non-existence is the workshop (working material) of the Maker of existence?
بر نوشته هیچ بنویسد کسی ** یا نهاله کارد اندر مغرسی
Does one write anything on what is (already) written over, or plant a sapling in a place (already) planted?
کاغذی جوید که آن بنوشته نیست ** تخم کارد موضعی که کشته نیست
(No); he seeks a sheet of paper that has not been written on and sows the seed in a place that has not been sown.
تو برادر موضع ناکشته باش ** کاغذ اسپید نابنوشته باش
Be thou, O brother, a place unsown; be a white paper untouched by writing,
تا مشرف گردی از نون والقلم ** تا بکارد در تو تخم آن ذوالکرم
That thou mayst be ennobled by Nún wa ’l-Qalam, and that the Gracious One may sow seed within thee.
خود ازین پالوه نالیسیده گیر ** مطبخی که دیده‌ای نادیده گیر 1965
Assume, indeed, that thou hast never licked (tasted) this pálúda (honeycake); assume that thou hast never seen the kitchen which thou hast seen,
زانک ازین پالوده مستیها بود ** پوستین و چارق از یادت رود
Because from this pálúda intoxications arise, and the sheepskin jacket and the shoon depart from thy memory.
چون در آید نزع و مرگ آهی کنی ** ذکر دلق و چارق آنگاهی کنی
When the death-agony comes, thou wilt utter a (great) cry of lamentation: in that hour thou wilt remember thy ragged cloak and clumsy shoon;
تا نمانی غرق موج زشتیی ** که نباشد از پناهی پشتیی
(But) until thou art drowning in the waves of an evil plight in which there is no help (to be obtained) from any refuge,
یاد ناری از سفینه‌ی راستین ** ننگری رد چارق و در پوستین
Thou wilt never call to mind the right ship (for thy voyage): thou wilt never look at thy shoon and sheepskin jacket.
چونک درمانی به غرقاب فنا ** پس ظلمنا ورد سازی بر ولا 1970
When thou art left helpless in the overwhelming waters of destruction, then thou wilt incessantly make (the words) we have done wrong thy litany;
دیو گوید بنگرید این خام را ** سر برید این مرغ بی‌هنگام را
(But) the Devil will say, “Look ye at this half-baked (fool)! Cut off the head of this untimely bird (this cock that crows too late)!”
دور این خصلت ز فرهنگ ایاز ** که پدید آید نمازش بی‌نماز
Far from the wisdom of Ayáz is this characteristic, (namely), that his prayer should be uttered without (being a real) prayer.
او خروس آسمان بوده ز پیش ** نعره‌های او همه در وقت خویش
He has been the cock of Heaven from of old: all his crowings are (taking place) at their (proper) time.
در معنی این کی ارنا الاشیاء کما هی و معنی این کی لو کشف الغطاء ما از ددت یقینا و قوله در هر که تو از دیده‌ی بد می‌نگری از چنبره‌ی وجود خود می‌نگری پایه‌ی کژ کژ افکند سایه
On the meaning of this (Tradition), “Show unto us the things as they are (in reality)”; and on the meaning of this (saying), “If the covering were lifted, my certainty would not be increased”; and on his (the poet's) verse: “When thou regardest any one with a malign eye, thou art regarding him from the hoop (narrow circle) of thy (self-)existence.” (Hemistich): “The crooked ladder casts a crooked shadow.”
ای خروسان از وی آموزید بانگ ** بانگ بهر حق کند نه بهر دانگ
O cocks, learn crowing from him: he crows for God's sake, not for the sake of pence.
صبح کاذب آید و نفریبدش ** صبح کاذب عالم و نیک و بدش 1975
The false dawn comes and does not deceive him: the false dawn is the World with its good and evil.
اهل دنیا عقل ناقص داشتند ** تا که صبح صادقش پنداشتند
The worldly people had defective understandings, so that they deemed it to be the true dawn.
صبح کاذب کاروانها را زدست ** که به بوی روز بیرون آمدست
The false dawn has waylaid (many) caravans which have set out in hope of the daybreak.
صبح کاذب خلق را رهبر مباد ** کو دهد بس کاروانها را به باد
May the false dawn not be the people's guide! for it gives many caravans to the wind (of destruction).
ای شده تو صبح کاذب را رهین ** صبح صادق را تو کاذب هم مبین
O thou who hast become captive to the false dawn, do not regard the true dawn also as false.
گر نداری از نفاق و بد امان ** از چه داری بر برادر ظن همان 1980
If thou (thyself) hast no protection (art not exempt) from hypocrisy and wickedness, wherefore shouldst thou impute the same (vices) to thy brother?
بدگمان باشد همیشه زشت‌کار ** نامه‌ی خود خواند اندر حق یار
The evil-doer is always thinking ill (of others): he reads his own book as referring to his neighbour.
آن خسان که در کژیها مانده‌اند ** انبیا را ساحر و کژ خوانده‌اند
The wretches who have remained (sunk) in (their own) unrighteous qualities have called the prophets magicians and unrighteous;
وآن امیران خسیس قلب‌ساز ** این گمان بردند بر حجره‌ی ایاز
And those base Amírs, (who were) forgers of falsehood, conceived this evil thought about the chamber of Ayáz,
کو دفینه دارد و گنج اندر آن ** ز آینه‌ی خود منگر اندر دیگران
(Supposing) that he kept there a buried hoard and treasure. Do not look at others in the mirror of thyself!
شاه می‌دانست خود پاکی او ** بهر ایشان کرد او آن جست و جو 1985
The King, indeed, knew his innocence: (only) on their account was he making that investigation,
کای امیر آن حجره را بگشای در ** نیم شب که باشد او زان بی‌خبر
Saying, “O Amír, open the door of the chamber at midnight, when he (Ayáz) will be unaware of it,
تا پدید آید سگالشهای او ** بعد از آن بر ماست مالشهای او
In order that his (secret) thoughts may come to light: afterwards it rests with me to punish him.
مر شما را دادم آن زر و گهر ** من از آن زرها نخواهم جز خبر
I bestow the gold and jewels upon you: of those riches I desire naught but the information (concerning them).”
این همی‌گفت و دل او می‌طپید ** از برای آن ایاز بی ندید
Thus he spoke, while his heart was throbbing on account of the incomparable Ayáz,
که منم کین بر زبانم می‌رود ** این جفاگر بشنود او چون شود 1990
(Thinking), “Is it I who am uttering this (command)? How (grieved) he will be if he hear of this injustice!”
باز می‌گوید به حق دین او ** که ازین افزون بود تمکین او
Again he says (to himself), “By the truth of his religion, (I vow) that his constancy is too great
کی به قذف زشت من طیره شود ** وز غرض وز سر من غافل بود
For him to be annoyed by my foul aspersion and heedless of my purpose and meaning.
مبتلی چون دید تاویلات رنج ** برد بیند کی شود او مات رنج
When an afflicted person has perceived the (true) interpretations (reasons) of his pain, he sees the victory: how should he be vanquished by the pain?
صاحب تاویل ایاز صابرست ** کو به بحر عاقبتها ناظرست
The (true) interpreter (of suffering) is (like) the patient Ayáz, for he is contemplating the ocean of ends (ultimate consequences).
هم‌چو یوسف خواب این زندانیان ** هست تعبیرش به پیش او عیان 1995
To him, as to Joseph, the interpretation of the dream of these prisoners (in the world) is evident.
خواب خود را چون نداند مرد خیر ** کو بود واقف ز سر خواب غیر
How should the goodly man who is aware of the meaning of the dreams of others be ignorant of (the meaning of) his own dream?
گر زنم صد تیغ او را ز امتحان ** کم نگردد وصلت آن مهربان
If I give him a hundred stabs with my sword by way of trial, the union (concord) of that loving one (with me) will not be diminished.
داند او که آن تیغ بر خود می‌زنم ** من ویم اندر حقیقت او منم
He knows I am wielding that sword against myself: I am he in reality and he is I.”
بیان اتحاد عاشق و معشوق از روی حقیقت اگر چه متضادند از روی آنک نیاز ضد بی‌نیازیست چنان که آینه بی‌صورتست و ساده است و بی‌صورتی ضد صورتست ولکن میان ایشان اتحادیست در حقیقت کی شرح آن درازست و العاقل یکفیه الاشاره
Setting forth the real oneness of the lover and the beloved, although they are contrary to each other from the point of view that want is the opposite of wanting nothing. So a mirror is formless and pure, and formlessness is the opposite of form, yet in reality they have a oneness with each other which is tedious to explain: a hint is enough for the wise.
جسم مجنون را ز رنج و دوریی ** اندر آمد ناگهان رنجوریی
From grief for a (long) separation (from Laylá) there came suddenly a sickness into the body of Majnún.
خون بجوش آمد ز شعله‌ی اشتیاق ** تا پدید آمد بر آن مجنون خناق 2000
(Heated) by the flame of longing his blood boiled up, so that (the symptoms of) quinsy appeared in that mad (lover).
پس طبیب آمد بدار و کردنش ** گفت چاره نیست هیچ از رگ‌زنش
Thereupon the physician came to treat him and said, “There is no resource but to bleed him.
رگ زدن باید برای دفع خون ** رگ‌زنی آمد بدانجا ذو فنون
Bleeding is necessary in order to remove the blood.” (So) a skilled phlebotomist came thither,
بازوش بست و گرفت آن نیش او ** بانک بر زد در زمان آن عشق‌خو
And bandaged his arm and took the lancet (to perform the operation); (but) straightway that passionate lover cried out,
مزد خود بستان و ترک فصد کن ** گر بمیرم گو برو جسم کهن
“Take thy fee and leave the bleeding! If I die, let my old body go (to the grave)!”
گفت آخر از چه می‌ترسی ازین ** چون نمی‌ترسی تو از شیر عرین 2005
“Why,” said he, “wherefore art thou afraid of this, when thou hast no fear of the lion of the jungle?
شیر و گرگ و خرس و هر گور و دده ** گرد بر گرد تو شب گرد آمده
Lions and wolves and bears and onagers and (other) wild animals gather around thee by night;
می نه آیدشان ز تو بوی بشر ** ز انبهی عشق و وجد اندر جگر
The smell of man does not come to them from thee because of the abundance of love and ecstasy in thy heart.”
گرگ و خرس و شیر داند عشق چیست ** کم ز سگ باشد که از عشق او عمیست
Wolf and bear and lion know what love is: he that is blind to love is inferior to a dog.