در تردد هر که او آشفته است ** حق به گوش او معما گفته است‌‌

Whosoever in perplexity is sorely troubled, God has spoken the riddle into his ear,

تا کند محبوسش اندر دو گمان ** آن کنم کاو گفت یا خود ضد آن‌‌

That He may imprison him in two (doubtful) thoughts, (namely), “Shall I do that? He said that (bade me do that) or the contrary thereof?”

هم ز حق ترجیح یابد یک طرف ** ز آن دو یک را بر گزیند ز آن کنف‌‌

From (the decree of) God also, one side obtains the preponderance, and from that (Divine) quarter he chooses one of the two (alternatives).

گر نخواهی در تردد هوش جان ** کم فشار این پنبه اندر گوش جان‌‌

If thou wouldst not have the mind of thy spirit in (a state of) perplexity, do not stuff this cotton-wool into thy spiritual ear,

تا کنی فهم آن معماهاش را ** تا کنی ادراک رمز و فاش را 1460

So that thou mayst understand those riddles of His, so that thou mayst apprehend (both) the secret sign and the open.

پس محل وحی گردد گوش جان ** وحی چه بود گفتنی از حس نهان‌‌

Then the spiritual ear becomes the place where wahy (inspiration) descends. What is wahy? A speech hidden from sense-perception.

گوش جان و چشم جان جز این حس است ** گوش عقل و گوش ظن زین مفلس است‌‌

The spiritual ear and eye are other than this sense-perception, the ear of (discursive) reason and the ear of opinion are destitute of this (inspiration).

لفظ جبرم عشق را بی‌‌صبر کرد ** و آن که عاشق نیست حبس جبر کرد

The word “compulsion” (jabr) made me impatient (uncontrollable) for love's sake, while it confined in (the prison of) compulsion him who is not a lover.

این معیت با حق است و جبر نیست ** این تجلی مه است این ابر نیست‌‌

This is union with God, and it is not compulsion: this is the shining forth of the moon, this is not a cloud.

ور بود این جبر جبر عامه نیست ** جبر آن اماره‌‌ی خودکامه نیست‌‌ 1465

And if this be compulsion, it is not the compulsion of (suffered by) the vulgar: it is not the compulsion of (exerted by) the evil-commanding self-willed (soul).