بر امید کف چون دریای تو ** بر وظیفه دادن و ایفای تو
In hope of thy (open) hand as (bountiful as) the ocean and (in reliance) upon thy giving (me) a stipend and discharging (my obligations) in full,
وام کردم نه هزار از زر گزاف ** تو کجایی تا شود این درد صاف
I recklessly incurred debts (amounting to) nine thousand pieces of gold: where art thou, that these dregs may become clear?
تو کجایی تا که خندان چون چمن ** گویی بستان آن و ده چندان ز من 3300
Where art thou, that laughing like the (verdant) garden thou mayst say, ‘Receive that (sum) and ten times as much from me’?
تو کجایی تا مرا خندان کنی ** لطف و احسان چون خداوندان کنی
Where art thou, that thou mayst make me laughing (flourishing) and show favour and beneficence as lords (are wont to do)?
تو کجایی تا بری در مخزنم ** تا کنی از وام و فاقه آمنم
Where art thou, that thou mayst take me into thy treasury and make me secure from debt and poverty?—
من همی‌گویم بس و تو مفضلم ** گفته کین هم گیر از بهر دلم
(Whilst) I am saying continually, ‘Enough!’ and thou, my bounteous friend, replying, ‘Accept this too for my heart's sake.’
چون همی‌گنجد جهانی زیر طین ** چون بگنجد آسمانی در زمین
How can a world (microcosm) be contained under the clay (of the body)? How should a Heaven be contained in the earth?
حاش لله تو برونی زین جهان ** هم به وقت زندگی هم این زمان 3305
God forfend! Thou art beyond this world both in thy lifetime and at the present hour.
در هوای غیب مرغی می‌پرد ** سایه‌ی او بر زمینی می‌زند
A bird is flying in the atmosphere of the Unseen: its shadow falls on a piece of earth.
جسم سایه‌ی سایه‌ی سایه‌ی دلست ** جسم کی اندر خور پایه‌ی دلست
The body is the shadow of the shadow of the shadow of the heart: how is the body worthy of the (lofty) rank of the heart?
مرد خفته روح او چون آفتاب ** در فلک تابان و تن در جامه خواب
A man lies asleep: his spirit is shining in Heaven, like the sun, while his body is in bed.
جان نهان اندر خلا هم‌چون سجاف ** تن تقلب می‌کند زیر لحاف
His spirit is hidden in the Void, like the fringe (sewn inside a garment): his body is turning to and fro beneath the coverlet.
روح چون من امر ربی مختفیست ** هر مثالی که بگویم منتفیست 3310
Since the spirit, being from the command of my Lord, is invisible, every similitude that I may utter (concerning it) is denying (the truth of the description).
ای عجب کو لعل شکربار تو ** وان جوابات خوش و اسرار تو
Oh, where, I wonder, is thy sugar-shedding ruby (lip) and those sweet replies and mysteries of thine?
ای عجب کو آن عقیق قندخا ** آن کلید قفل مشکل‌های ما
Oh, where, I wonder, is that candy-chewing cornelian (lip), the key to the lock of our perplexities?
ای عجب کو آن دم چون ذوالفقار ** آنک کردی عقل‌ها را بی‌قرار
Oh, where, I wonder, is that breath (keen) as Dhu ’l-faqár, that used to make our understandings distraught?
چند هم‌چون فاخته کاشانه‌جو ** کو و کو و کو و کو و کو و کو
How long, like a ringdove seeking her nest, (shall I cry) ‘where (kú) and where and where and where and where and where?’
کو همان‌جا که صفات رحمتست ** قدرتست و نزهتست و فطنتست 3315
Where (is he now)? In the place where are the Attributes of (Divine) Mercy, and (the Divine) Power and Transcendence, and (celestial) Intelligence.
کو همان‌جا که دل و اندیشه‌اش ** دایم آن‌جا بد چو شیر و بیشه‌اش
Where (is he now)? In the same place where his heart and thought always dwelt, like the lion in his jungle.
کو همان‌جا که امید مرد و زن ** می‌رود در وقت اندوه و حزن
Where (is he now)? In that place whither the hope of (every) man and woman turns in the hour of anguish and sorrow.
کو همان‌جا که به وقت علتی ** چشم پرد بر امید صحتی
Where (is he now)? In the place to which in time of illness the eye takes wing in hope of (regaining) health—
آن طرف که بهر دفع زشتیی ** باد جویی بهر کشت و کشتیی
In that quarter where, in order to avert a calamity, you seek wind for (winnowing) the corn or (speeding) a ship (on its way);
آن طرف که دل اشارت می‌کند ** چون زبان یا هو عبارت می‌کند 3320
In that quarter which is signified by the heart when the tongue utters the expression ‘Yá Hú.’
او مع‌الله است بی کو کو همی ** کاش جولاهانه ماکو گفتمی
He is always with God (and) beyond ‘where? where?’ (kú, kú). Would that like weavers I might have said má kú!
عقل ما کو تا ببیند غرب و شرق ** روح‌ها را می‌زند صد گونه برق
Where is our reason, that it should (be able to) perceive the spiritual West and East (the universal Divine epiphany) flashing forth a hundred kinds of splendour?