ای زبان تو بس زیانی بر وری ** چون تویی گویا چه گویم من ترا

O tongue, thou art a great damage (very injurious) to mankind, (but) since thou art speaking, what should I say to thee?

ای زبان هم آتش و هم خرمنی ** چند این آتش در این خرمن زنی‌‌ 1700

O tongue, thou art both the fire and the stack: how long wilt thou dart this fire upon this stack?

در نهان جان از تو افغان می‌‌کند ** گر چه هر چه گویی‌‌اش آن می‌‌کند

Secretly my soul is groaning because of thee, although it is doing whatsoever thou biddest it.

ای زبان هم گنج بی‌‌پایان تویی ** ای زبان هم رنج بی‌‌درمان تویی‌‌

O tongue, thou art a treasure without end. O tongue, thou art also a disease without remedy.

هم صفیر و خدعه‌‌ی مرغان تویی ** هم انیس وحشت هجران تویی‌‌

Thou art at once a whistle and decoy for birds, and a comforter in the desolation of absence (from the Beloved).

چند امانم می‌‌دهی ای بی‌‌امان ** ای تو زه کرده به کین من کمان‌‌

How long wilt thou grant me mercy, O merciless one, O thou who hast drawn the bow to take vengeance on me?

نک بپرانیده ای مرغ مرا ** در چراگاه ستم کم کن چرا 1705

Lo, thou hast made my bird fly away. Do not browse (any more) in the pasture of injustice!

یا جواب من بگو یا داد ده ** یا مرا ز اسباب شادی یاد ده‌‌

Either answer me or give redress or mention to me (what will be) the means of (producing) joy.

ای دریغا نور ظلمت سوز من ** ای دریغا صبح روز افروز من‌‌

Oh, alas for my darkness-consuming light! Oh, alas for my day-enkindling dawn!

ای دریغا مرغ خوش پرواز من ** ز انتها پریده تا آغاز من‌‌

Oh, alas for my bird of goodly flight, that has flown from my end (my last state) to my beginning (my first state).

عاشق رنج است نادان تا ابد ** خیز لا أقسم بخوان تا فی کبد

The ignorant man is in love with pain unto everlasting. Arise and read (in the Qur’án) I swear as far as (the words) in trouble.

از کبد فارغ بدم با روی تو ** وز زبد صافی بدم در جوی تو 1710

With thy face I was free from trouble, and in thy river I was unsoiled by froth.

این دریغاها خیال دیدن است ** وز وجود نقد خود ببریدن است‌‌

These cries of ‘Alas’ are (caused by) the phantasy (idea) of seeing (the Beloved) and (by) separation from my present existence.

غیرت حق بود و با حق چاره نیست ** کو دلی کز حکم حق صد پاره نیست‌‌

’Twas the jealousy of God, and there is no device against God: where is a heart that is not (shattered) in a hundred pieces by God's love?

غیرت آن باشد که او غیر همه ست ** آن که افزون از بیان و دمدمه ست‌‌

The jealousy (of God) is this, that He is other than all things, that He is beyond explanation and the noise of words.

ای دریغا اشک من دریا بدی ** تا نثار دل بر زیبا بدی‌‌

Oh, alas! Would that my tears were an ocean, that they might be strewn as an offering to the fair charmer!

طوطی من مرغ زیرکسار من ** ترجمان فکرت و اسرار من‌‌ 1715

My parrot, my clever-headed bird, the interpreter of my thought and inmost consciousness,

هر چه روزی داد و ناداد آیدم ** او ز اول گفته تا یاد آیدم‌‌

She has told me from the first, that I might remember it, whatsoever should come to me as my allotted portion of right and wrong.”

طوطیی کاید ز وحی آواز او ** پیش از آغاز وجود آغاز او

The parrot whose voice comes from (Divine) inspiration and whose beginning was before the beginning of existence—

اندرون تست آن طوطی نهان ** عکس او را دیده تو بر این و آن‌‌

That parrot is hidden within thee: thou hast seen the reflexion of her upon this and that (the things of the phenomenal world).

می‌‌برد شادیت را تو شاد از او ** می‌‌پذیری ظلم را چون داد از او

She takes away thy joy, and because of her thou art rejoicing: thou receivest injury from her as though it were justice.

ای که جان را بهر تن می‌‌سوختی ** سوختی جان را و تن افروختی‌‌ 1720

O thou who wert burning the soul for the body's sake, thou hast burned (destroyed) the soul and illumined (delighted) the body.

سوختم من سوخته خواهد کسی ** تا ز من آتش زند اندر خسی‌‌

I am burning (with love of God): does any one want tinder, let him set his rubbish ablaze with fire from me.

سوخته چون قابل آتش بود ** سوخته بستان که آتش کش بود

Inasmuch as tinder is combustible, take tinder that catches fire (readily).

ای دریغا ای دریغا ای دریغ ** کانچنان ماهی نهان شد زیر میغ‌‌

O alas, O alas, O alas that such a moon became hidden under the clouds!