پا برهنه می‌روی بر خار و سنگ ** گفت من حیرانم و بی خویش و دنگ

پا برهنه می‌روی بر خار و سنگ ** گفت من حیرانم و بی خویش و دنگ 1975

(Some one asked him), “(Why) dost thou go bare-foot over thorns and stones?” He said, “I am bewildered and beside myself and crazed.”

تو مبین این پایها را بر زمین ** زانک بر دل می‌رود عاشق یقین

Do not regard these feet (that walk) on the earth, for assuredly the lover (of God) walks on his heart;

از ره و منزل ز کوتاه و دراز ** دل چه داند کوست مست دل‌نواز

(And) the heart that is intoxicated with the Sweetheart, what should it know of road and stage or of short (distance) and long?

آن دراز و کوته اوصاف تنست ** رفتن ارواح دیگر رفتنست

That “long” and “short” are attributes of the body: the faring of spirits is another (kind of) faring.

تو سفرکردی ز نطفه تا بعقل ** نه بگامی بود نه منزل نه نقل

You have journeyed from the seed to rationality: ’twas not by (taking) a step or (travelling from stage to) stage or moving from one place to another.

سیر جان بی چون بود در دور و دیر ** جسم ما از جان بیاموزید سیر 1980

The journey of the spirit is unconditioned in respect of Time and Space: our body learned from the spirit how to journey.

سیر جسمانه رها کرد او کنون ** می‌رود بی‌چون نهان در شکل چون

Now it has relinquished the bodily manner of journeying: it moves unconditioned, (though) masked in the form of conditionedness.

گفت روزی می‌شدم مشتاق‌وار ** تا ببینم در بشر انوار یار

He (Daqúqí) said, “One day I was going along like him that yearns, that I might behold in man the radiance of the Beloved,

تا ببینم قلزمی در قطره‌ای ** آفتابی درج اندر ذره‌ای

That I might behold an ocean in a drop of water, a sun enclosed in a mote.

چون رسیدم سوی یک ساحل بگام ** بود بیگه گشته روز و وقت شام

When I came on foot to a certain shore, the day had turned late, and ’twas eventide.

نمودن مثال هفت شمع سوی ساحل

The apparition of what seemed like seven candles in the direction of the shore.

هفت شمع از دور دیدم ناگهان ** اندر آن ساحل شتابیدم بدان 1985

Of a sudden I beheld from afar seven candles and hastened along the shore towards them.

نور شعله‌ی هر یکی شمعی از آن ** بر شده خوش تا عنان آسمان

The light of the flame of each candle thereof ascended beauteously to the loft of the sky.

خیره گشتم خیرگی هم خیره گشت ** موج حیرت عقل را از سر گذشت

I became amazed, (so that) even amazement (itself) became amazed: the waves of bewilderment passed over the head of my understanding.

این چگونه شمعها افروختست ** کین دو دیده‌ی خلق ازینها دوختست

(I thought), ‘What kind of candles are these (that) He hath lighted, so that the eyes of His creatures are screened from them?’

خلق جویان چراغی گشته بود ** پیش آن شمعی که بر مه می‌فزود

The people had gone to seek a lamp in the presence of that (sevenfold) candle which was surpassing the moon (in splendour).

چشم‌بندی بد عجب بر دیده‌ها ** بندشان می‌کرد یهدی من یشا 1990

Wonderful! There was a bandage over their eyes: they were bound by (the Divine destiny implied in the text) He guideth aright those whom He will.

شدن آن هفت شمع بر مثال یک شمع

How the seven candles became what seemed like one candle.

باز می‌دیدم که می‌شد هفت یک ** می‌شکافد نور او جیب فلک

Then I saw the seven (candles) become one, its light cleaving the bosom (rim) of the sky.

باز آن یک بار دیگر هفت شد ** مستی و حیرانی من زفت شد

Then again that one became seven once more: my intoxication and bewilderment waxed mighty.

اتصالاتی میان شمعها ** که نیاید بر زبان و گفت ما

(There were) such connexions between the candles as may not come (may not be uttered) on my tongue and (in) my speech.

آنک یک دیدن کند ادارک آن ** سالها نتوان نمودن از زبان

That which one look perceives, ’tis impossible during years to show it forth by the tongue.

آنک یک دم بیندش ادراک هوش ** سالها نتوان شنودن آن بگوش 1995

That which intellectual apprehension sees in one moment, ’tis impossible during years to hear it by the ear.

چونک پایانی ندارد رو الیک ** زانک لا احصی ثناء ما علیک

Since it hath no end, go (back) to thyself, for (as the Prophet aid), ‘I cannot reckon (worthy) any praise of Thee.’

پیشتر رفتم دوان کان شمعها ** تا چه چیزست از نشان کبریا

I advanced farther, running (and marvelling) what thing those candles are (which are one) of the signs of the Divine Majesty.

می‌شدم بی خویش و مدهوش و خراب ** تا بیفتادم ز تعجیل و شتاب

(Thus) I was going, beside myself and dumbfounded and deranged, till I fell down from making haste and speed.

ساعتی بی‌هوش و بی‌عقل اندرین ** اوفتادم بر سر خاک زمین

In this (state), senseless and witless, I lay fallen awhile upon the dust of the earth.