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هر که شد مر شاه را او جامهدار ** هست خسران بهر شاهش اتجار
- Any one who has become Master of the robes to the King, it is loss for him to traffic on the King's behalf.
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هر که با سلطان شود او همنشین ** بر درش بودن بود حیف و غبین
- Any one who becomes the intimate friend of the Sultan, it is an injury and swindle (for him) to sit at his door.
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دستبوسش چون رسید از پادشاه ** گر گزیند بوس پا باشد گناه
- When (the privilege of) kissing the (King's) hand has been bestowed on him by the King, it is a sin if he prefers to kiss the (King's) foot.
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گر چه سر بر پا نهادن خدمت است ** پیش آن خدمت خطا و زلت است
- Although to lay the head on the (King's) foot is an act of obeisance, (yet) compared with the former act of obeisance it is a fault and backsliding.
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شاه را غیرت بود بر هر که او ** بو گزیند بعد از آن که دید رو 1770
- The King is jealous of any one who, after having seen the face, prefers the (mere) scent.
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غیرت حق بر مثل گندم بود ** کاه خرمن غیرت مردم بود
- To speak in parables, God's jealousy is the wheat, (while) men's jealousy is the straw in the stack.
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اصل غیرتها بدانید از اله ** آن خلقان فرع حق بیاشتباه
- Know that the root of (all) jealousies is in God: those of mankind are an offshoot from God, without resemblance (being implied).
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شرح این بگذارم و گیرم گله ** از جفای آن نگار ده دله
- I will leave the explanation of this and will begin to complain of the cruelty of that fickle Beauty.
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نالم ایرا نالهها خوش آیدش ** از دو عالم ناله و غم بایدش
- I wail because wailings are pleasant to Him: He wants from the two worlds wailing and grief.
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چون ننالم تلخ از دستان او ** چون نیم در حلقهی مستان او 1775
- How should I not wail bitterly on account of His deceit, since I am not in the circle of those intoxicated with Him?
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چون نباشم همچو شب بیروز او ** بیوصال روی روز افروز او
- How shall I not be like night, without His day and without the favour of His day-illuming countenance?
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ناخوش او خوش بود در جان من ** جان فدای یار دل رنجان من
- His unsweetness is sweet in my soul: may my soul be sacrificed to the Beloved who grieves my heart!
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عاشقم بر رنج خویش و درد خویش ** بهر خشنودی شاه فرد خویش
- I am in love with my grief and pain for the sake of pleasing my peerless King.
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خاک غم را سرمه سازم بهر چشم ** تا ز گوهر پر شود دو بحر چشم
- I make the dust of sorrow a salve for mine eye, that the two seas of mine eyes may be filled with pearls.
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اشک کان از بهر او بارند خلق ** گوهر است و اشک پندارند خلق 1780
- The tears which people shed for His sake are pearls—and people think they are tears.
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من ز جان جان شکایت میکنم ** من نیم شاکی روایت میکنم
- I am complaining of the Soul of the soul, (but in truth) I am not complaining: I am (only) relating.
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دل همیگوید کز او رنجیدهام ** وز نفاق سست میخندیدهام
- My heart is saying, “I am tormented by Him,” and I have (long) been laughing at its poor pretence.
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راستی کن ای تو فخر راستان ** ای تو صدر و من درت را آستان
- Do (me) right, O glory of the righteous, O Thou who art the dais, and I the threshold of Thy door!
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آستان و صدر در معنی کجاست ** ما و من کو آن طرف کان یار ماست
- Where are threshold and dais in reality? In the quarter where our Beloved is, where are “we” and “I”?
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ای رهیده جان تو از ما و من ** ای لطیفهی روح اندر مرد و زن 1785
- O Thou whose soul is free from “we” and “I,” O Thou who art the subtle essence of the spirit in man and woman,
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مرد و زن چون یک شود آن یک تویی ** چون که یک جا محو شد آنک تویی
- When man and woman become one, Thou art that One; when the units are wiped out, lo, Thou art that (Unity).
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این من و ما بهر آن بر ساختی ** تا تو با خود نرد خدمت باختی
- Thou didst contrive this “I” and “we” in order that Thou mightst play the game of worship with Thyself,
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تا من و توها همه یک جان شوند ** عاقبت مستغرق جانان شوند
- That all “I's” and “thou's” should become one soul and at last should be submerged in the Beloved.
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این همه هست و بیا ای امر کن ** ای منزه از بیان و از سخن
- All this is (true), and do Thou come, O Giver of the command, O Thou who transcendest “Come” and (all) speech!
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جسم جسمانه تواند دیدنت ** در خیال آرد غم و خندیدنت 1790
- The body can see Thee (only) in bodily fashion: it fancies (pictures to itself) Thy sadness or laughter.