از مونث وز مذکر برتر است ** این نه آن جان است کز خشک و تر است
It is higher than feminine and masculine: this is not that spirit which is composed of dryness and moisture.
این نه آن جان است کافزاید ز نان ** یا گهی باشد چنین گاهی چنان
This is not that spirit which is increased by (eating) bread, or which is sometimes like this and sometimes like that.
خوش کننده ست و خوش و عین خوشی ** بی‌‌خوشی نبود خوشی ای مرتشی
It is a doer of (what is) sweet, and (it is) sweet, and the essence of sweetness. Without (inward) sweetness there is no sweetness, O taker of bribes!
چون تو شیرین از شکر باشی بود ** کان شکر گاهی ز تو غایب شود
When thou art (made) sweet by sugar, it may be that at some time that sugar will vanish from thee;
چون شکر گردی ز تاثیر وفا ** پس شکر کی از شکر باشد جدا1980
(But) when thou becomest sugar from the effect produced by faithfulness, then how should sugar be parted from sugar?
عاشق از خود چون غذا یابد رحیق ** عقل آن جا گم شود گم ای رفیق
When the lover (of God) is fed from (within) himself with pure wine, there reason becomes lost, lost, O comrade.
عقل جزوی عشق را منکر بود ** گر چه بنماید که صاحب سر بود
Partial (discursive) reason is a denier of Love, though it may give out that it is a confidant.
زیرک و داناست اما نیست نیست ** تا فرشته لا نشد اهریمنی است
It is clever and knowing, but it is not naught (devoid of self-existence): until the angel has become naught, he is an Ahriman (Devil).
او به قول و فعل یار ما بود ** چون به حکم حال آیی لا بود
It (partial reason) is our friend in word and deed, (but) when you come to the case of inward feeling (ecstasy), it is naught (of no account).
لا بود چون او نشد از هست نیست ** چون که طوعا لا نشد کرها بسی است1985
It is naught because it did not (pass away) from existence and become nonexistent: since it did not become naught willingly, (it must become naught nevertheless, for) there is many a one (who became naught, i.e. died) unwillingly.
جان کمال است و ندای او کمال ** مصطفی گویان ارحنا یا بلال
The Spirit is perfection and its call is perfection: Mustafá (Mohammed) used to say, “Refresh us, O Bilál!
ای بلال افراز بانگ سلسلت ** ز آن دمی کاندر دمیدم در دلت
O Bilál, lift up thy mellifluous voice (drawn) from that breath which I breathed into thy heart,
ز آن دمی کادم از آن مدهوش گشت ** هوش اهل آسمان بی‌‌هوش گشت
From that breath by which Adam was dumbfounded and the wits of the people of Heaven were made witless.”
مصطفی بی‌‌خویش شد ز آن خوب صوت ** شد نمازش از شب تعریس فوت
Mustafá became beside himself at that beautiful voice: his prayer escaped him (was left unperformed) on the night of the ta‘rís.
سر از آن خواب مبارک بر نداشت ** تا نماز صبحدم آمد به چاشت1990
He did not raise his head from that blessed sleep until the (time of the) dawn prayer had advanced to (the time of) forenoon.
در شب تعریس پیش آن عروس ** یافت جان پاک ایشان دستبوس
On the night of the ta‘rís his holy spirit gained (the privilege of) kissing hands in the presence of the Bride.
عشق و جان هر دو نهانند و ستیر ** گر عروسش خوانده‌‌ام عیبی مگیر
Love and the Spirit are, both of them, hidden and veiled: if I have called Him (God) the Bride, do not find fault.
از ملولی یار خامش کردمی ** گر همو مهلت بدادی یک دمی
I would have been silent from (fear of) the Beloved's displeasure, if He had granted me a respite for one moment,