Pardon these body-worshipping slaves: pardon from (Thee who art) the ocean of pardon is more worthy.
عفو خلقان هم‌چو جو و هم‌چو سیل ** هم بدان دریای خود تازند خیل
Creaturely pardon is like a river and like a torrent: (all) the troop (of such pardons) run towards their ocean.
عفوها هر شب ازین دل‌پاره‌ها ** چون کبوتر سوی تو آید شها
Every night from these individual hearts the pardons come to Thee, O King, like pigeons.
بازشان وقت سحر پران کنی ** تا به شب محبوس این ابدان کنی
At the hour of dawn Thou causest them to fly away again, and imprisonest them in these bodies till nightfall.
پر زنان بار دگر در وقت شام ** می‌پرند از عشق آن ایوان و بام
Once more, at eventide, flapping their wings they fly off in passionate longing for that palace and roof.
تا که از تن تار وصلت بسکلند ** پیش تو آیند کز تو مقبلند 4180
In order that they may snap the thread that unites them with the body, they come before Thee, for by Thee they are endowed with fortune—
پر زنان آمن ز رجع سرنگون ** در هوا که انا الیه راجعون
Flapping their wings, secure from falling back headlong, (soaring) in the (spiritual) air and saying, “Verily unto Him we are returning.”
بانگ می‌آید تعالوا زان کرم ** بعد از آن رجعت نماند از حرص و غم
From that Bounty comes the call, “Come! After that returning (unto Me) desire and anxiety are no more.
بس غریبیها کشیدیت از جهان ** قدر من دانسته باشید ای مهان
As exiles in the world ye suffered many indignities: ye will have learned to value Me, O nobles.
زیر سایه‌ی این درختم مست ناز ** هین بیندازید پاها را دراز
Hark now, stretch your legs beneath the shade of this tree of Mine in the intoxication of delight,
پایهای پر عنا از راه دین ** بر کنار و دست حوران خالدین 4185
(Stretch) your legs, (which are) fatigued by (travel on) the Way of Religion, resting for ever on the bosoms and hands of the houris,
حوریان گشته مغمز مهربان ** کز سفر باز آمدند این صوفیان
(While) the houris amorously and fondly say, ‘These Súfís have returned from their travels.
صوفیان صافیان چون نور خور ** مدتی افتاده بر خاک و قذر
The Súfís pure as the light of the sun, who for a long time had fallen into (the world of) earth and filth,
بی‌اثر پاک از قذر باز آمدند ** هم‌چو نور خور سوی قرص بلند
Have (now) come back stainless and undefiled, as the sunlight to the lofty orb (of the sun).’”
این گروه مجرمان هم ای مجید ** جمله سرهاشان به دیواری رسید
(Ayáz said), “This company of sinners likewise, O glorious (King)—all their heads have come against a wall.
بر خطا و جرم خود واقف شدند ** گرچه مات کعبتین شه بدند 4190
They have become aware of their fault and sin, although they were defeated by the King's two dice.
رو به تو کردند اکنون اه‌کنان ** ای که لطفت مجرمان را ره‌کنان
Now they turn their faces towards thee, uttering cries of lamentation. O thou whose clemency is making way for sinners,
راه ده آلودگان را العجل ** در فرات عفو و عین مغتسل
Speedily grant the defiled ones admission into the Euphrates of (thy) pardon and the fountain (which is) a (cool) washing-place,
تا که غسل آرند زان جرم دراز ** در صف پاکان روند اندر نماز
That they may wash themselves clean of that prolonged sin and join in prayer among the ranks of the purified—
اندر آن صفها ز اندازه برون ** غرقگان نور نحن الصافون
Among those innumerable ranks plunged in the light of ‘We are they that stand in line.’”
چون سخن در وصف این حالت رسید ** هم قلم بشکست و هم کاغذ درید 4195
When the discourse reached the description of this (exalted) state, at once the pen broke and the paper tore.
بحر را پیمود هیچ اسکره‌ای ** شیر را برداشت هرگز بره‌ای
Did any saucer measure the sea? Did a lamb ever carry off a lion?
گر حجابستت برون رو ز احتجاب ** تا ببینی پادشاهی عجاب
If you are veiled, go forth from enveilment, that you may behold the marvellous sovereignty (of God).
گرچه بشکستند حامت قوم مست ** آنک مست از تو بود عذریش هست
Although the drunken fellows broke Thy cup, (yet) there is an excuse for him that is intoxicated by Thee.
مستی ایشان به اقبال و به مال ** نه ز باده‌ی تست ای شیرین فعال
Is not their intoxication with fortune and riches (the result) of Thy wine, O Thou whose actions are sweet?
ای شهنشه مست تخصیص توند ** عفو کن از مست خود ای عفومند 4200
O Emperor, they are intoxicated with Thy election (of them): pardon him that is intoxicated with Thee, O Pardoner!
لذت تخصیص تو وقت خطاب ** آن کند که ناید از صد خم شراب
The delight of being elected (singled out) by Thee at the moment of Thy addressing them has an effect that is not produced by a hundred jars of wine.
چونک مستم کرده‌ای حدم مزن ** شرع مستان را نبیند حد زدن
Since Thou hast intoxicated me, do not inflict a penalty: the Law does not see fit to inflict a penalty on the intoxicated.
چون شوم هشیار آنگاهم بزن ** که نخواهم گشت خود هشیار من
Inflict it (only) at the time when I become sober; for indeed I shall never become sober (again).
هرکه از جام تو خورد ای ذوالمنن ** تا ابد رست از هش و از حد زدن
Whoso has drunk of Thy cup, O Gracious One, is for ever delivered from self consciousness and from the infliction of penalties.
خالدین فی فناء سکرهم ** من تفانی فی هواکم لم یقم 4205
Their intoxication consists in a state of unconsciousness of self (faná), (in which they are) abiding for ever: he that passes away from self in love for Thee will not arise.
فضل تو گوید دل ما را که رو ** ای شده در دوغ عشق ما گرو
Thy grace saith to our heart, “Go, O thou who hast become in pawn to the buttermilk of My love.
چون مگس در دوغ ما افتاده‌ای ** تو نه‌ای مست ای مگس تو باده‌ای
Thou hast fallen, like a gnat, into My buttermilk: O gnat, thou art not intoxicated, thou art the wine (itself).
کرگسان مست از تو گردند ای مگس ** چونک بر بحر عسل رانی فرس
O gnat, the vultures become intoxicated by thee, when thou ridest on the ocean of honey.
کوهها چون ذره‌ها سرمست تو ** نقطه و پرگار و خط در دست تو
The mountains are tipsy with thee (and dance) like motes; the point and the compass and the line are in thy hand (control).
فتنه که لرزند ازو لرزان تست ** هر گران‌قیمت گهر ارزان تست 4210
The torment at which they tremble is trembling at thee: every costly pearl is cheap to thee.”
گر خدا دادی مرا پانصد دهان ** گفتمی شرح تو ای جان و جهان
If God gave me five hundred mouths, I would sing in description (praise) of thee, O (my) soul and world;
یک دهان دارم من آن هم منکسر ** در خجالت از تو ای دانای سر
(But) I have (only) one mouth, and even that one is crushed with shame before thee, O knower of the mystery.
منکسرتر خود نباشم از عدم ** کز دهانش آمدستند این امم
In sooth I am not more crushed than non-existence, from the mouth of which (all) these peoples have come (forth).
صد هزار آثار غیبی منتظر ** کز عدم بیرون جهد با لطف و بر
A hundred thousand impressions of the Unseen World are waiting to spring forth graciously and kindly from non-existence.
از تقاضای تو می‌گردد سرم ** ای ببرده من به پیش آن کرم 4215
Because of thy urgency my head is reeling: oh, I am dead in the presence of that bounty.
رغبت ما از تقاضای توست ** جذبه‌ی حقست هر جا ره‌روست
Our desire (for thee) arises from thy urgency: wherever there is a wayfarer, ’tis the pull of God (that draws him on).
خاک بی‌بادی به بالا بر جهد ** کشتی بی‌بحر پا در ره نهد
Does the dust leap upward without a wind? Does a ship voyage without the sea?
پیش آب زندگانی کس نمرد ** پیش آبت آب حیوانست درد
None (ever) died in the presence of the Water of Life: compared with thy water the Water of Life is (mere) dregs.
آب حیوان قبله‌ی جان دوستان ** ز آب باشد سبز و خندان بوستان
The Water of Life is the goal of those to whom life is dear: by water the garden is (made) verdant and smiling.
مرگ آشامان ز عشقش زنده‌اند ** دل ز جان و آب جان بر کنده‌اند 4220
(But) those who quaff the cup of death are living through His love: they have torn their hearts away from life and the Water of Life.