چند گفتی نظم و نثر و راز فاش ** خواجه یک روز امتحان کن گنگ باش
How long have you been uttering poetry and prose and (proclaiming) mysteries! O master, try the experiment and, for one day, be dumb!
حکایت در تقریر این سخن کی چندین گاه گفت ذکر را آزمودیم مدتی صبر و خاموشی را بیازماییم
Story in confirmation of the saying, “We have tried speech and talk all this time: (now) for a while let us. try self-restraint and silence.”
چند پختی تلخ و تیز و شورگز ** این یکی بار امتحان شیرین بپز 2150
How long have you been cooking (things) sour and acid and (like the fruit of) the white tamarisk? For this one time make an experiment and cook sweets.
آن یکی را در قیامت ز انتباه ** در کف آید نامه‌ی عصیان سیاه
On waking at the Resurrection, there is put into the hands of a (wicked) man the scroll of his sins: (it will be) black,
سرسیه چون نامه‌های تعزیه ** پر معاصی متن نامه و حاشیه
Headed with black, as letters of mourning; the body and margin of the scroll completely filled with (his) sins—
جمله فسق و معصیت بد یک سری ** هم‌چو دارالحرب پر از کافری
The whole (of it) wickedness and sin from end to end, full of infidelity, like the land of war.
آنچنان نامه‌ی پلید پر وبال ** در یمین ناید درآید در شمال
Such a foul and noxious scroll does not come into the right hand; it comes into the left hand.
خود همین‌جا نامه‌ی خود را ببین ** دست چپ را شاید آن یا در یمین 2155
Here also (in this world) regard your scroll (the record of your actions), (and consider) whether it fits the left hand or the right.
موزه‌ی چپ کفش چپ هم در دکان ** آن چپ دانیش پیش از امتحان
In the (bootmaker's) shop, can you know before trying (them) on that the left boot or shoe belongs to the left (foot)?
چون نباشی راست می‌دان که چپی ** هست پیدا نعره‌ی شیر و کپی
When you are not “right,” know that you are “left”; the cries of a lion and an ape are distinct (from one another).
آنک گل را شاهد و خوش‌بو کند ** هر چپی را راست فضل او کند
He (God) who makes the rose lovely and sweet-scented—His bounty makes every “left” to be “right.”
هر شمالی را یمینی او دهد ** بحر را ماء معینی او دهد
He bestows “rightness” on every one belonging to the “left” He bestows a(fresh) running water on the (salt) sea.
گر چپی با حضرت او راست باش ** تا ببینی دست‌برد لطفهاش 2160
If you are “left,” be “right” (in perfect harmony) with His Lordship, that you may see His mercies prevail (over His wrath).
تو روا داری که این نامه‌ی مهین ** بگذرد از چپ در آید در یمین
Do you think it allowable that this vile scroll (of yours) should pass from the left hand and come into the right?
این چنین نامه که پرظلم و جفاست ** کی بود خود درخور اندر دست راست
How indeed should a scroll like this, which is full of iniquity and injury, be fit (to place) in the right hand?
در بیان کسی کی سخنی گوید کی حال او مناسب آن سخن و آن دعوی نباشد چنان که کفره و لن سالتهم من خلق السموات والارض لیقولن الله خدمت بت سنگین کردن و جان و زر فدای او کردن چه مناسب باشد با جانی کی داند کی خالق سموات و ارض و خلایق الهیست سمیعی بصیری حاضری مراقبی مستولی غیوری الی آخره
Explaining the case of a person who makes a statement when his behaviour is not consistent with that statement and profession, like the infidels (of whom God hath said): “and if thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth they will surely say, ‘Allah.’” How is the worship of a stone idol and the sacrifice of life and wealth for its sake appropriate to a soul which knows that the creator of heaven and earth and (all) created beings is a God, all-hearing, all-seeing, omnipresent, all-observing, all dominating, jealous, etc.?
زاهدی را یک زنی بد بس غیور ** هم بد او را یک کنیزک هم‌چو حور
A certain ascetic had a very jealous wife: he also had a maid-servant (beautiful) as a houri.
The wife used to watch her husband jealously and not let him be alone with the maid.
مدتی زن شد مراقب هر دو را ** تاکشان فرصت نیفتد در خلا 2165
For a long time the wife watched them both, lest an opportunity should occur for their being alone (together)—
تا در آمد حکم و تقدیر اله ** عقل حارس خیره‌سر گشت و تباه
Until the decree and fore-ordainment of God arrived: (then) the watchman, Reason, became giddy-headed and good-for-nothing.
حکم و تقدیرش چو آید بی‌وقوف ** عقل کی بود در قمر افتد خسوف
When His decree and fore-ordainment arrives unawares, who is Reason? Eclipse overtakes (even) the moon.
بود در حمام آن زن ناگهان ** یادش آمد طشت و در خانه بد آن
The wife was at the (public) bath: suddenly she remembered the wash-basin and (that) it was (had been left) at home.
با کنیزک گفت رو هین مرغ‌وار ** طشت سیمین را ز خانه‌ی ما بیار
She said to the maid, “Hark, go like a bird and fetch the silver basin from our house.”
آن کنیزک زنده شد چون این شنید ** که به خواجه این زمان خواهد رسید 2170
On hearing this, the maid came to life, for (she knew that) now she would obtain (a meeting with) the master,
خواجه در خانه‌ست و خلوت این زمان ** پس دوان شد سوی خانه شادمان
(Since) the master was then at home and alone. So she ran joyously to the house.
عشق شش ساله کنیزک را بد این ** که بیابد خواجه را خلوت چنین
For six years the maid had been longing to find the master alone like this.
گشت پران جانب خانه شتافت ** خواجه را در خانه در خلوت بیافت
She flew off and hastened towards the house: she found the master at home and alone.
هر دو عاشق را چنان شهوت ربود ** که احتیاط و یاد در بستن نبود
Desire took possession of both the lovers so (mightily) that they had no care or thought of bolting the door.
هر دو با هم در خزیدند از نشاط ** جان به جان پیوست آن دم ز اختلاط 2175
Ambo summa alacritate coierunt: copulatis corporibus anima cum anima conjuncta est. [Both moved toward one another from joy; by means of (bodily) copulation, soul joined to soul (in) that moment.]
یاد آمد در زمان زن را که من ** چون فرستادم ورا سوی وطن
Then the wife recollected (and said to herself), “Why did I send her (back) to the house?
پنبه در آتش نهادم من به خویش ** اندر افکندم قج نر را به میش
I have set the cotton on fire with my own hand, I have put the lusty ram to the ewe.”
گل فرو شست از سر و بی‌جان دوید ** در پی او رفت و چادر می‌کشید
She washed off the clay (soap) from her head and ran, beside herself (with anxiety): she went in pursuit of her (the maid), drawing the chádar (over her head as she ran).
آن ز عشق جان دوید و این ز بیم ** عشق کو و بیم کو فرقی عظیم
The former (the maid) ran because of the love in her soul, and the latter (the wife) because of fear. What is fear in comparison with love? (There is) a great difference.
سیر عارف هر دمی تا تخت شاه ** سیر زاهد هر مهی یک روزه راه 2180
The mystic's progress is (an ascension) at every moment to the throne of the (Divine) King; the ascetic's progress is one day's journey every month.
گرچه زاهد را بود روزی شگرف ** کی بود یک روز او خمسین الف
Although, for the ascetic, one day is of great value, (yet) how should his one day be (equal to) fifty thousand (years)?
قدر هر روزی ز عمر مرد کار ** باشد از سال جهان پنجه هزار
The length of every day in the life of the adept is fifty thousand of the years of the world.
عقلها زین سر بود بیرون در ** زهره‌ی وهم ار بدرد گو بدر
Intellects are excluded from this mystery: if the heart of Imagination burst, let it burst!
ترس مویی نیست اندر پیش عشق ** جمله قربانند اندر کیش عشق
In the sight of Love, fear is not (so much as) a single hair: in the law of Love, all things (else) are (offered) as a sacrifice.
عشق وصف ایزدست اما که خوف ** وصف بنده‌ی مبتلای فرج و جوف 2185
Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by lust and gluttony. [Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by vulva and belly.]
چون یحبون بخواندی در نبی ** با یحبوهم قرین در مطلبی
Since you have read in the Qur’án (the words) “they love Him” joined in a certain place with (the words) “He loves them,”
پس محبت وصف حق دان عشق نیز ** خوف نبود وصف یزدان ای عزیز
Know, then, that love (mahabbat), and excessive love (‘ishq) too, is an attribute of God: fear is not an attribute of God, O honoured sir.
وصف حق کو وصف مشتی خاک کو ** وصف حادث کو وصف پاک کو
What relation exists between the attributes of God and those of a handful of earth? What relation exists between the attributes of him who is originated in time and those of the Holy (Eternal) One?
شرح عشق ار من بگویم بر دوام ** صد قیامت بگذرد و آن ناتمام
If I should continue to describe Love, a hundred Resurrections would pass, and it (my description would still be) incomplete;
زانک تاریخ قیامت را حدست ** حد کجا آنجا که وصف ایزدست 2190
For there is a limit to the date of the Resurrection, but what limit can there be where the Divine attributes are (concerned)?
عشق را پانصد پرست و هر پری ** از فراز عرش تا تحت‌الثری
Love hath five hundred wings, and every wing (extends) from above the empyrean to beneath the earth.
زاهد با ترس می‌تازد به پا ** عاشقان پران‌تر از برق و هوا
The timorous ascetic runs on foot; the lovers (of God) fly more quickly than the lightning and the wind.
کی رسند این خایفان در گرد عشق ** که آسمان را فرش سازد درد عشق
How should those fearful ones overtake Love?—for Love's passion makes the (lofty) heaven its carpet—
جز مگر آید عنایتهای ضو ** کز جهان و زین روش آزاد شو
Unless perchance the favours of the (Divine) Light come and say, “Become free from the world and from this wayfaring;
از قش خود وز دش خود باز ره ** که سوی شه یافت آن شهباز ره 2195
Escape from thine own qush and dush, for (only) the royal falcon has found the way to the King.”
این قش و دش هست جبر و اختیار ** از ورای این دو آمد جذب یار
This “qush and dush” is necessity and free-will: the pull of the Beloved (who draws you to Himself) transcends these twain.
چون رسید آن زن به خانه در گشاد ** بانگ در در گوش ایشان در فتاد
When the wife arrived home, she opened the door: the sound of the door fell on their ears.
آن کنیزک جست آشفته ز ساز ** مرد بر جست و در آمد در نماز
The maid jumped up in consternation and disorder; the man jumped up and began to say his prayers.