برده در دریای رحمت ایزدم ** تا ز چه فن پر کند بفرستدم
God has borne me into the sea of Mercy: (I know not) with what specialty He will fill me and send me (back to the world).
آن یکی را کرده پر نور جلال ** وآن دگر را کرده پر وهم و خیال
He fills one with the light of Majesty, while He fills another with (vain) imagination and fancy.
گر بخویشم هیچ رای و فن بدی ** رای و تدبیرم به حکم من بدی
If I had any judgement and skill by myself, my judgement and forethought would be under my control;
شب نرفتی هوش بی‌فرمان من ** زیر دام من بدی مرغان من 2325
At night my consciousness would not go (from me) without my bidding, and my birds (senses and faculties) would be under my trap.
بودمی آگه ز منزلهای جان ** وقت خواب و بیهشی و امتحان
I should be aware of the stages (of the journey) of the soul (both) at the time of sleep and unconsciousness and (at the time of) tribulation.
چون کفم زین حل و عقد او تهیست ** ای عجب این معجبی من ز کیست
Inasmuch as my hand is (made) empty by this (sovereign) power of His to loose and bind, oh, I wonder, from whom comes this self-conceit of mine?
دیده را نادیده خود انگاشتم ** باز زنبیل دعا برداشتم
I have even deemed that what I saw was not seen (by me), and (like a beggar) I have again held up the basket of invocation.
چون الف چیزی ندارم ای کریم ** جز دلی دلتنگ‌تر از چشم میم
Like alif, I possess nothing, O Gracious One, except a heart more constricted with anguish than the eye of mim.
این الف وین میم ام بود ماست ** میم ام تنگست الف زو نر گداست 2330
This alif and this mím are the mother (umm) of our existence: the mím of umm is narrow (distressful), and the alif is (begging for deliverance) from it (like) a sturdy beggar.
آن الف چیزی ندارد غافلیست ** میم دلتنگ آن زمان عاقلیست
(The state denoted by) ‘alif possesses nothing’ is forgetfulness (unconsciousness); the distressful mím is (denotes) the time of rationality (consciousness).