تو که باشی زید هم خود را نیافت ** همچو اختر که بر او خورشید تافت
Who are you (that you should hope to find him)? Zayd cannot even find himself, (he has vanished) like the star on which the sun shone.
نی از او نقشی بیابی نی نشان ** نی کهی یابی نه راه کهکشان3670
You will find neither mark nor trace of him, you will not find a straw (star) in the straw-strewn Way (the Milky Way).
شد حواس و نطق با پایان ما ** محو نور دانش سلطان ما
Our senses and finite speech (reason) are obliterated in the light of the knowledge of our (Divine) King.
حسها و عقلهاشان در درون ** موج در موج لدينا محضرون
Their (the God-intoxicated mystics') senses and understandings within (them) are (tossed), wave on wave, in (the sea of) they are assembled before Us.
چون شب آمد باز وقت بار شد ** انجم پنهان شده بر کار شد
When dawn comes, ’tis again the time of (bearing) the burden: the stars, which had become hidden, go (again) to work.
بیهشان را وادهد حق هوشها ** حلقه حلقه حلقهها در گوشها
God gives back to the senseless ones their (lost) senses: (they return to consciousness) troop after troop, with rings (of mystic knowledge) in their ears,
پای کوبان دست افشان در ثنا ** ناز نازان ربنا أحییتنا3675
Dancing, waving their hands in praise (of God), triumphing (and crying), “O Lord, Thou hast brought us to life.”
آن جلود و آن عظام ریخته ** فارسان گشته غبار انگیخته
Those crumbled skins and bones have become (like) horsemen and have raised the dust:
حمله آرند از عدم سوی وجود ** در قیامت هم شکور و هم کنود
At Resurrection both the thankful and the ungrateful rush along from non-existence towards existence.
سر چه میپیچی کنی نادیدهای ** در عدم ز اول نه سرپیچیدهای
Why do you turn away your head and pretend not to see? Did you not turn away your head at first, (when you were) in non-existence (and disbelieved that you would ever come into existence)?
در عدم افشرده بودی پای خویش ** که مرا که بر کند از جای خویش
You had planted your foot (firmly) in non-existence, saying, “Who will uproot me from my place?”
مینبینی صنع ربانیت را ** که کشید او موی پیشانیت را3680
Are not you beholding the action of your Lord, who dragged you (into existence) by the forelock,
تا کشیدت اندر این انواع حال ** که نبودت در گمان و در خیال
Until He drew you into (all) these various states (of being), which were not in your thought or fancy?
آن عدم او را هماره بنده است ** کار کن دیوا سلیمان زنده است
That non-existence is always His slave: work (in His service), O demon! Solomon is living.
دیو میسازد جفان کالجواب ** زهره نی تا دفع گوید یا جواب
The demon is making large bowls like watering-troughs: he dare not say a word in refusal or in retort.
خویش را بین چون همیلرزی ز بیم ** مر عدم را نیز لرزان دان مقیم
Look at yourself, how you are trembling with fear (of non-existence): know that nonexistence also is constantly trembling (lest God should bring it into existence).
ور تو دست اندر مناصب میزنی ** هم ز ترس است آن که جانی میکنی3685
And if you are grasping at (worldly) dignities, ’tis from fear too that you are suffering agony of spirit.
هر چه جز عشق خدای احسن است ** گر شکر خواری است آن جان کندن است
Except love of the most beauteous God everything, though (outwardly) it is (pleasant like) eating sugar, is (in truth) agony of spirit.
چیست جان کندن سوی مرگ آمدن ** دست در آب حیاتی نازدن
What is agony of spirit? To advance towards death and not grasp the Water of Life.
خلق را دو دیده در خاک و ممات ** صد گمان دارند در آب حیات
People fix both their eyes on earth and death: they have a hundred doubts concerning the Water of Life.
جهد کن تا صد گمان گردد نود ** شب برو ور تو بخسبی شب رود
Strive that the hundred doubts may become ninety (may decrease): go (towards God) in the night (of this world), for if you slumber, the night will go (from you).
در شب تاریک جوی آن روز را ** پیش کن آن عقل ظلمت سوز را3690
In the dark night seek that (shining) Day: put in front (follow) the darkness consuming Reason.
در شب بد رنگ بس نیکی بود ** آب حیوان جفت تاریکی بود
In the evil-coloured night there is much good: the Water of Life is the mate of darkness.
سر ز خفتن کی توان برداشتن ** با چنین صد تخم غفلت کاشتن
How is it possible to lift up the head from slumber, whilst you are sowing a hundred such seeds of slothfulness?
خواب مرده لقمهی مرده یار شد ** خواجه خفت و دزد شب بر کار شد
Slumber is dead (unlawful) food is dead; they are friends (to each other): the merchant fell asleep and the night-thief got to work.