عاشق رنج است نادان تا ابد ** خیز لا أقسم بخوان تا فی کبد

The ignorant man is in love with pain unto everlasting. Arise and read (in the Qur’án) I swear as far as (the words) in trouble.

از کبد فارغ بدم با روی تو ** وز زبد صافی بدم در جوی تو 1710

With thy face I was free from trouble, and in thy river I was unsoiled by froth.

این دریغاها خیال دیدن است ** وز وجود نقد خود ببریدن است‌‌

These cries of ‘Alas’ are (caused by) the phantasy (idea) of seeing (the Beloved) and (by) separation from my present existence.

غیرت حق بود و با حق چاره نیست ** کو دلی کز حکم حق صد پاره نیست‌‌

’Twas the jealousy of God, and there is no device against God: where is a heart that is not (shattered) in a hundred pieces by God's love?

غیرت آن باشد که او غیر همه ست ** آن که افزون از بیان و دمدمه ست‌‌

The jealousy (of God) is this, that He is other than all things, that He is beyond explanation and the noise of words.

ای دریغا اشک من دریا بدی ** تا نثار دل بر زیبا بدی‌‌

Oh, alas! Would that my tears were an ocean, that they might be strewn as an offering to the fair charmer!

طوطی من مرغ زیرکسار من ** ترجمان فکرت و اسرار من‌‌ 1715

My parrot, my clever-headed bird, the interpreter of my thought and inmost consciousness,

هر چه روزی داد و ناداد آیدم ** او ز اول گفته تا یاد آیدم‌‌

She has told me from the first, that I might remember it, whatsoever should come to me as my allotted portion of right and wrong.”

طوطیی کاید ز وحی آواز او ** پیش از آغاز وجود آغاز او

The parrot whose voice comes from (Divine) inspiration and whose beginning was before the beginning of existence—

اندرون تست آن طوطی نهان ** عکس او را دیده تو بر این و آن‌‌

That parrot is hidden within thee: thou hast seen the reflexion of her upon this and that (the things of the phenomenal world).

می‌‌برد شادیت را تو شاد از او ** می‌‌پذیری ظلم را چون داد از او

She takes away thy joy, and because of her thou art rejoicing: thou receivest injury from her as though it were justice.

ای که جان را بهر تن می‌‌سوختی ** سوختی جان را و تن افروختی‌‌ 1720

O thou who wert burning the soul for the body's sake, thou hast burned (destroyed) the soul and illumined (delighted) the body.

سوختم من سوخته خواهد کسی ** تا ز من آتش زند اندر خسی‌‌

I am burning (with love of God): does any one want tinder, let him set his rubbish ablaze with fire from me.

سوخته چون قابل آتش بود ** سوخته بستان که آتش کش بود

Inasmuch as tinder is combustible, take tinder that catches fire (readily).

ای دریغا ای دریغا ای دریغ ** کانچنان ماهی نهان شد زیر میغ‌‌

O alas, O alas, O alas that such a moon became hidden under the clouds!

چون زنم دم کاتش دل تیز شد ** شیر هجر آشفته و خون ریز شد

How should I utter a word?—for the fire in my heart is grown fierce, the lion of separation (from the Beloved) has become raging and blood-shedding.

آن که او هوشیار خود تند است و مست ** چون بود چون او قدح گیرد به دست‌‌ 1725

One that even when sober is violent and furious, how will it be when he takes the wine-cup in his hand?

شیر مستی کز صفت بیرون بود ** از بسیط مرغزار افزون بود

The furious Lion who is beyond description is too great for (cannot be contained in) the wide expanse of the meadow.

قافیه اندیشم و دل دار من ** گویدم مندیش جز دیدار من‌‌

I am thinking of rhymes, and my Sweetheart says to me, “Do not think of aught except vision of Me.

خوش نشین ای قافیه اندیش من ** قافیه‌‌ی دولت تویی در پیش من‌‌

Sit at thy ease, My rhyme-meditating (friend): in My presence thou art rhymed with (attached to) felicity.

حرف چه بود تا تو اندیشی از آن ** حرف چه بود خار دیوار رزان‌‌

What are words that thou shouldst think of them? What are words? Thorns in the hedge of the vineyard.

حرف و صوت و گفت را بر هم زنم ** تا که بی‌‌این هر سه با تو دم زنم‌‌ 1730

I will throw word and sound and speech into confusion, that without these three I may converse with thee.

آن دمی کز آدمش کردم نهان ** با تو گویم ای تو اسرار جهان‌‌

That word which I kept hidden from Adam I will speak to thee, O (thou who art the) consciousness of the world.

آن دمی را که نگفتم با خلیل ** و آن غمی را که نداند جبرئیل‌‌

(I will tell to thee) that word which I did not communicate to Abraham, and that pain (love) which Gabriel does not know.”

آن دمی کز وی مسیحا دم نزد ** حق ز غیرت نیز بی‌‌ما هم نزد

That word of which the Messiah (Jesus) breathed not a word God, from jealousy, did not utter even without má.

ما چه باشد در لغت اثبات و نفی ** من نه اثباتم منم بی‌‌ذات و نفی‌‌

What is má in language? Positive and negative. I am not positive, I am selfless and negated.

من کسی در ناکسی دریافتم ** پس کسی در ناکسی دربافتم‌‌ 1735

I found (true) individuality in non-individuality: therefore I wove (my) individuality into non-individuality.

جمله شاهان بنده‌‌ی بنده‌‌ی خودند ** جمله خلقان مرده‌‌ی مرده‌‌ی خودند

All kings are enslaved to their slaves, all people are dead (ready to die) for one who dies for them.

جمله شاهان پست، پست خویش را ** جمله خلقان مست، مست خویش را

All kings are prostrate before one who is prostrate before them, all people are intoxicated with (love for) one who is intoxicated with them.

می‌‌شود صیاد، مرغان را شکار ** تا کند ناگاه ایشان را شکار

The fowler becomes a prey to the birds in order that of a sudden he may make them his prey.

بی‌‌دلان را دلبران جسته به جان ** جمله معشوقان شکار عاشقان‌‌

Heart-ravishers (loved ones) seek with (all their) soul those who have lost their hearts (to them): all loved ones are the prey of (their) lovers.

هر که عاشق دیدی‌‌اش معشوق دان ** کو به نسبت هست هم این و هم آن‌‌ 1740

Whomsoever thou didst deem to be a lover, regard (him) as the loved one, for relatively he is both this and that.

تشنگان گر آب جویند از جهان ** آب جوید هم به عالم تشنگان‌‌

If they that are thirsty seek water from the world, (yet) water too seeks in the world them that are thirsty.

چون که عاشق اوست تو خاموش باش ** او چو گوشت می‌‌کشد تو گوش باش‌‌

Inasmuch as He is (thy) lover, do thou be silent: as He is pulling thine ear, be thou (all) ear.

بند کن چون سیل سیلانی کند ** ور نه رسوایی و ویرانی کند

Dam the torrent (of ecstasy) when it runs in flood; else it will work shame and ruin.

من چه غم دارم که ویرانی بود ** زیر ویران گنج سلطانی بود

What care I though ruin be (wrought)? Under the ruin there is a royal treasure.

غرق حق خواهد که باشد غرق‌‌تر ** همچو موج بحر جان زیر و زبر 1745

He that is drowned in God wishes to be more drowned, (while) his spirit (is tossed) up and down like the waves of the sea,

زیر دریا خوشتر آید یا زبر ** تیر او دل کش تر آید یا سپر

(Asking), “Is the bottom of the sea more delightful, or the top? Is His (the Beloved's) arrow more fascinating, or the shield?”

پاره کرده‌‌ی وسوسه باشی دلا ** گر طرب را باز دانی از بلا

O heart, thou art torn asunder by evil suggestion if thou recognise any difference between joy and woe.

گر مرادت را مذاق شکر است ** بی‌‌مرادی نه مراد دل بر است‌‌

Although the object of thy desire has the taste of sugar, is not absence of any object of desire (in thee) the object of the Beloved's desire?

هر ستاره‌‌ش خونبهای صد هلال ** خون عالم ریختن او را حلال‌‌

Every star of His is the blood-price of a hundred new moons: it is lawful for Him to shed the blood of the (whole) world.

ما بها و خونبها را یافتیم ** جانب جان باختن بشتافتیم‌‌ 1750

We gained the price and the blood-price: we hastened to gamble our soul away.

ای حیات عاشقان در مردگی ** دل نیابی جز که در دل بردگی‌‌

Oh, the life of lovers consists in death: thou wilt not win the (Beloved's) heart except in losing thine own.

من دلش جسته به صد ناز و دلال ** او بهانه کرده با من از ملال‌‌

I sought (to win) His heart with a hundred airs and graces, (but) He made excuses to me (put me off) in disdain.

گفتم آخر غرق تست این عقل و جان ** گفت رو رو بر من این افسون مخوان‌‌

I said, “After all, this mind and soul (of mine) are drowned in Thee.” “Begone,” said He, “begone! Do not chant these spells over Me (do not seek thus to beguile Me).

من ندانم آن چه اندیشیده‌‌ای ** ای دو دیده دوست را چون دیده‌‌ای‌‌

Do not I know what thought thou hast conceived? O thou who hast seen double, how hast thou regarded the Beloved?

ای گران جان خوار دیده ستی و را ** ز آن که بس ارزان خریده ستی و را 1755

O gross-spirited one, thou hast held Him in light esteem, because thou hast bought Him very cheaply.

هر که او ارزان خرد ارزان دهد ** گوهری طفلی به قرصی نان دهد

He that buys cheaply gives cheaply: a child will give a pearl for a loaf of bread.”

غرق عشقی‌‌ام که غرق است اندر این ** عشقهای اولین و آخرین‌‌

I am drowned in a love (so deep) that therein are drowned the first loves and the last.

مجملش گفتم نکردم ز آن بیان ** ور نه هم افهام سوزد هم زبان‌‌

I have told it summarily, I have not explained it (at length), otherwise both (my power of) causng (thee) to understand and (my) tongue (itself) would be consumed.