رفت عمرش چاره را فرصت نیافت ** صبر بس سوزان بدت وجان بر نتافت 4615
His (the prince's) life sped away and he found no opportunity to cure (his passion): the waiting consumed him exceedingly and his soul could not endure it.
مدتی دندان‌کنان این می‌کشید ** نارسیده عمر او آخر رسید
For a long time, gnashing his teeth, he suffered this (agony): ere he attained, his life reached its end.
صورت معشوق زو شد در نهفت ** رفت و شد با معنی معشوق جفت
The form (appearance) of the Beloved vanished from him: he died and was united with the reality of the Beloved.
گفت لبسش گر ز شعر و ششترست ** اعتناق بی‌حجابش خوشترست
He said (to himself), “Though his raiment was of silk and Shushtar cloth, his unscreened embrace is sweeter.
من شدم عریان ز تن او از خیال ** می‌خرامم در نهایات الوصال
(Now) I am denuded of my body, and he of (the veil of) phantasy: I am advancing triumphantly in the consummation of union.”
این مباحث تا بدین‌جا گفتنیست ** هرچه آید زین سپس بنهفتنیست 4620
These topics may be discussed up to this point, (but) all that comes after this must be kept hid;
ور بگویی ور بکوشی صد هزار ** هست بیگار و نگردد آشکار
And if you would tell it and make a hundred thousand efforts, ’tis fruitless labour, for it will never become clear.
تا به دریا سیر اسپ و زین بود ** بعد ازینت مرکب چوبین بود
As far as the sea, ’tis a journey on horseback: after this you (must) have a wooden horse.
مرکب چوبین به خشکی ابترست ** خاص آن دریاییان را رهبرست
The wooden horse is no good on the dry land: it carries exclusively those who voyage on the sea.
این خموشی مرکب چوبین بود ** بحریان را خامشی تلقین بود
The wooden horse is this (mystical) silence: (this) silence gives instruction to the sea-folk.