(The command) come against your will is for him that has become a blind follower (of religion); come willingly is for him that is moulded of sincerity.
این محب حق ز بهر علتی ** و آن دگر را بی غرض خود خلتی
The former loves God for the sake of some (secondary) cause, while the other hath indeed a pure disinterested love.
این محب دایه لیک از بهر شیر ** و آن دگر دل داده بهر این ستیر
The former loves the Nurse, but for the sake of the milk, while the other has given his heart for the sake of this Veiled One.
طفل را از حسن او آگاه نه ** غیر شیر او را ازو دلخواه نه
The child (the blind follower) hath no knowledge of Her beauty: he hath no desire of Her in his heart except for milk,
و آن دگر خود عاشق دایه بود ** بی غرض در عشق یک‌رایه بود
While the other is, truly, the lover of the Nurse: he is disinterested, single-minded in (passionate) love.
پس محب حق باومید و بترس ** دفتر تقلید می‌خواند بدرس4595
Hence he that loves God because of hope and fear reads studiously the book of blind conformity,
و آن محب حق ز بهر حق کجاست ** که ز اغراض و ز علتها جداست
While he that loves God for God's sake—where is he? for he is apart from (all) self-interests and (secondary) causes.
گر چنین و گر چنان چون طالبست ** جذب حق او را سوی حق جاذبست
Whether he be like this or like that, inasmuch as he is a seeker (of God), God's attraction is drawing him towards God.
گر محب حق بود لغیره ** کی ینال دائما من خیره
Whether he love God for something other than He, that he may continually partake of His good,
یا محب حق بود لعینه ** لاسواه خائفا من بینه
Or whether he love God for His very Self, for naught besides Him, in fear of separation from Him—
هر دو را این جست و جوها زان سریست ** این گرفتاری دل زان دلبریست4600
The quests and seekings of both (these lovers) are from that Source: this captivation of the heart is from that Heart-ravisher.
جذب معشوق عاشق را من حیث لا یعمله العاشق و لا یرجوه و لا یخطر بباله و لا یظهر من ذلک الجذب اثر فی العاشق الا الخوف الممزوج بالیاس مع دوام الطلب
How the Beloved attracts the lover in such wise that the lover neither knows it nor hopes for it, nor does it occur to his mind, nor does any trace of that attraction appear in the lover except the fear that is mingled with despair, though he still perseveres in the quest.
آمدیم اینجا که در صدر جهان ** گر نبودی جذب آن عاشق نهان
We came to this point (in the tale), that if the attraction of that lover had not been hidden in the Sadr-i Jahán,
ناشکیباکی بدی او از فراق ** کی دوان باز آمدی سوی وثاق
How would he (the lover) have been impatient of separation, and how would he have come running back to his home?
میل معشوقان نهانست و ستیر ** میل عاشق با دو صد طبل و نفیر
The desire of loved ones is hidden and veiled; the desire of the lover is (accompanied) with a hundred drums and trumpets.
یک حکایت هست اینجا ز اعتبار ** لیک عاجز شد بخاری ز انتظار
Here is (the place for) a story (worthy) of consideration, but the man of Bukhárá has become desperate from waiting expectantly;
ترک آن کردیم کو در جست و جوست ** تاکه پیش از مرگ بیند روی دوست4605
(So) we omit it, for he is (engaged) in search and seeking, that before death he may see the face of his beloved,
تا رهد از مرگ تا یابد نجات ** زانک دید دوستست آب حیات
To the end that he may escape from death and gain deliverance, because the sight of the beloved is the Water of Life.
هر که دید او نباشد دفع مرگ ** دوست نبود که نه میوه‌ستش نه برگ
Any one the sight of whom does not repel death is not the beloved, for he hath neither fruit nor leaf.
کار آن کارست ای مشتاق مست ** کاندر آن کار ار رسد مرگت خوشست
The (essential) matter, O intoxicated longing lover, is that matter in which death, if it thee, is sweet.
شد نشان صدق ایمان ای جوان ** آنک آید خوش ترا مرگ اندر آن
O youth, the token of sincerity of faith is that (matter) in which death comes sweet to thee.