صورت خندان نقش از بهر تست ** تا از آن صورت شود معنی درست
The picture's smiling appearance is for your sake, in order that by means of that picture the reality may be established (rightly understood by you).
نقشهایی کاندر این حمامهاست ** از برون جامه کن چون جامهاست2770
The pictures (phenomena) which are in these hot baths (the world), (when viewed) from outside the undressing-room (of self-abandonment), are like clothes.
تا برونی جامهها بینی و بس ** جامه بیرون کن در آ ای هم نفس
So long as you are outside, you see only the clothes (phenomena): put off your clothes and enter (the bath of reality), O kindred spirit,
ز آن که با جامه درون سو راه نیست ** تن ز جان جامه ز تن آگاه نیست
Because, with your clothes, there is no way (of getting) inside: the body is ignorant of the soul, the clothes (are ignorant) of the body.
پیش آمدن نقیبان و دربانان خلیفه از بهر اکرام اعرابی و پذیرفتن هدیهی او را
How the Caliph's officers and chamberlains came forward to pay their respects to the Bedouin and to receive his gift.
آن عرابی از بیابان بعید ** بر در دار الخلافه چون رسید
When the Bedouin arrived from the remote desert to the gate of the Caliph's palace,
پس نقیبان پیش او باز آمدند ** بس گلاب لطف بر جیبش زدند
The court officers went to meet him: they sprinkled much rose-water of graciousness on his bosom.
حاجت او فهمشان شد بیمقال ** کار ایشان بد عطا پیش از سؤال2775
Without speech (on his part) they perceived what he wanted: it was their practice to give before being asked.
پس بدو گفتند یا وجه العرب ** از کجایی چونی از راه و تعب
Then they said to him, “O chief of the Arabs, whence dost thou come? How art thou after the journey and fatigue?”
گفت وجهم گر مرا وجهی دهید ** بیوجوهم چون پس پشتم نهید
He said, “I am a chief, if ye give me any countenance (favour); I am without means (of winning respect) when ye put me behind your backs.
ای که در روتان نشان مهتری ** فرتان خوشتر ز زر جعفری
O ye in whose faces are the marks of eminence, O ye whose splendour is more pleasing than the gold of Ja‘far,
ای که یک دیدارتان دیدارها ** ای نثار دینتان دینارها
O ye, one sight of whom is (worth many) sights, O ye on whose religion pieces of gold are scattered (as largesse),
ای همه ینظر بنور الله شده ** از بر حق بهر بخشش آمده2780
O ye, all of whom have become seeing by the light of God, who have come from the King for the sake of munificence,
تا زنید آن کیمیاهای نظر ** بر سر مسهای اشخاص بشر
That ye may cast the elixir of your looks upon the copper of human individuals,
من غریبم از بیابان آمدم ** بر امید لطف سلطان آمدم
I am a stranger: I have come from the desert: I have come in hope of (gaining) the grace of the Sultan.
بوی لطف او بیابانها گرفت ** ذرههای ریگ هم جانها گرفت
The scent of his grace covered (took entire possession of) the deserts: even the grains of sand were ensouled (thereby).
تا بدین جا بهر دینار آمدم ** چون رسیدم مست دیدار آمدم
I came all the way to this place for the sake of dinars: as soon as I arrived, I became drunken with sight (contemplation).”
بهر نان شخصی سوی نانوا دوید ** داد جان چون حسن نانوا را بدید2785
A person ran to the baker for bread: on seeing the beauty of the baker, he gave up the ghost.
بهر فرجه شد یکی تا گلستان ** فرجهی او شد جمال باغبان
A certain man went to the rose-garden to take his pleasure, and found it in the beauty of the gardener,
همچو اعرابی که آب از چه کشید ** آب حیوان از رخ یوسف چشید
Like the desert Arab who drew water from the well and tasted the Water of Life from the (lovely) face of Joseph.
رفت موسی کاتش آرد او به دست ** آتشی دید او که از آتش برست
Moses went to fetch fire: he beheld such a Fire (the Burning Bush) that he escaped from (searching after) fire.
جست عیسی تا رهد از دشمنان ** بردش آن جستن به چارم آسمان
Jesus sprang up, to escape from his enemies: that spring carried him to the Fourth Heaven.
دام آدم خوشهی گندم شده ** تا وجودش خوشهی مردم شده2790
The ear of wheat became a trap for Adam, so that his existence became the wheat-ear (seed and origin) of mankind.
باز آید سوی دام از بهر خور ** ساعد شه یابد و اقبال و فر
The falcon comes to the snare for food: it finds the fore-arm (wrist) of the King and fortune and glory.
طفل شد مکتب پی کسب هنر ** بر امید مرغ با لطف پدر
The child went to school to acquire knowledge, in hope of (getting) its father's pretty bird (as a prize);
پس ز مکتب آن یکی صدری شده ** ماهگانه داده و بدری شده
Then, by (going to) school, that child rose to the top, paid monthly fees (to his teacher), and became perfect (in knowledge).