من ز شیرینی نشستم رو ترش ** من ز بسیاری گفتارم خمش1760
By reason of (inward) sweetness I sit with sour face: from fullness of speech I am silent,
تا که شیرینی ما از دو جهان ** در حجاب رو ترش باشد نهان
That in the mask of sour-facedness my sweetness may be kept hidden from the two worlds.
تا که در هر گوش ناید این سخن ** یک همیگویم ز صد سر لدن
In order that this subject may not come to every ear, I am telling (only) one out of a hundred esoteric mysteries.
تفسیر قول حکیم: به هرچ از راه وامانی چه کفر آن حرف و چه ایمان به هرچ از دوست دور افتی چه زشت آن نقش و چه زیبا در معنی قوله علیه السلام إن سعدا لغیو ر و أنا أغیر من سعد و الله أغیر منی و من غیرته حرم الفواحش ما ظهر منها و ما بطن
Commentary on the saying of the Hakím (Saná’í): “Any thing that causes thee to be left behind on the Way, what matter whether it be infidelity or faith? Any form that causes thee to fall far from the Beloved, what matter whether it be ugly or beautiful?”—and (a discourse) on the meaning of the words of the Prophet, on whom be peace: “Verily, Sa‘d is jealous, and I am more jealous than Sa‘d, and Allah is more jealous than I; and because of His jealousy He hath forbidden foul actions both outward and inward.
جمله عالم ز آن غیور آمد که حق ** برد در غیرت بر این عالم سبق
The whole world became jealous because God is superior to all the world in jealousy.
او چو جان است و جهان چون کالبد ** کالبد از جان پذیرد نیک و بد
He is like the spirit, and the world is like the body: the body receives from the spirit (both) good and evil.
هر که محراب نمازش گشت عین ** سوی ایمان رفتنش میدان تو شین1765
Any one whose prayer-niche is turned to the (mystical) revelation, do thou regard his going (back) to (the traditional) faith as shameful.
هر که شد مر شاه را او جامهدار ** هست خسران بهر شاهش اتجار
Any one who has become Master of the robes to the King, it is loss for him to traffic on the King's behalf.
هر که با سلطان شود او همنشین ** بر درش بودن بود حیف و غبین
Any one who becomes the intimate friend of the Sultan, it is an injury and swindle (for him) to sit at his door.
دستبوسش چون رسید از پادشاه ** گر گزیند بوس پا باشد گناه
When (the privilege of) kissing the (King's) hand has been bestowed on him by the King, it is a sin if he prefers to kiss the (King's) foot.
گر چه سر بر پا نهادن خدمت است ** پیش آن خدمت خطا و زلت است
Although to lay the head on the (King's) foot is an act of obeisance, (yet) compared with the former act of obeisance it is a fault and backsliding.
شاه را غیرت بود بر هر که او ** بو گزیند بعد از آن که دید رو1770
The King is jealous of any one who, after having seen the face, prefers the (mere) scent.
غیرت حق بر مثل گندم بود ** کاه خرمن غیرت مردم بود
To speak in parables, God's jealousy is the wheat, (while) men's jealousy is the straw in the stack.
اصل غیرتها بدانید از اله ** آن خلقان فرع حق بیاشتباه
Know that the root of (all) jealousies is in God: those of mankind are an offshoot from God, without resemblance (being implied).
شرح این بگذارم و گیرم گله ** از جفای آن نگار ده دله
I will leave the explanation of this and will begin to complain of the cruelty of that fickle Beauty.
نالم ایرا نالهها خوش آیدش ** از دو عالم ناله و غم بایدش
I wail because wailings are pleasant to Him: He wants from the two worlds wailing and grief.
چون ننالم تلخ از دستان او ** چون نیم در حلقهی مستان او1775
How should I not wail bitterly on account of His deceit, since I am not in the circle of those intoxicated with Him?
چون نباشم همچو شب بیروز او ** بیوصال روی روز افروز او
How shall I not be like night, without His day and without the favour of His day-illuming countenance?
ناخوش او خوش بود در جان من ** جان فدای یار دل رنجان من
His unsweetness is sweet in my soul: may my soul be sacrificed to the Beloved who grieves my heart!
عاشقم بر رنج خویش و درد خویش ** بهر خشنودی شاه فرد خویش
I am in love with my grief and pain for the sake of pleasing my peerless King.
خاک غم را سرمه سازم بهر چشم ** تا ز گوهر پر شود دو بحر چشم
I make the dust of sorrow a salve for mine eye, that the two seas of mine eyes may be filled with pearls.
اشک کان از بهر او بارند خلق ** گوهر است و اشک پندارند خلق1780
The tears which people shed for His sake are pearls—and people think they are tears.
من ز جان جان شکایت میکنم ** من نیم شاکی روایت میکنم
I am complaining of the Soul of the soul, (but in truth) I am not complaining: I am (only) relating.
دل همیگوید کز او رنجیدهام ** وز نفاق سست میخندیدهام
My heart is saying, “I am tormented by Him,” and I have (long) been laughing at its poor pretence.
راستی کن ای تو فخر راستان ** ای تو صدر و من درت را آستان
Do (me) right, O glory of the righteous, O Thou who art the dais, and I the threshold of Thy door!
آستان و صدر در معنی کجاست ** ما و من کو آن طرف کان یار ماست
Where are threshold and dais in reality? In the quarter where our Beloved is, where are “we” and “I”?
ای رهیده جان تو از ما و من ** ای لطیفهی روح اندر مرد و زن1785
O Thou whose soul is free from “we” and “I,” O Thou who art the subtle essence of the spirit in man and woman,
مرد و زن چون یک شود آن یک تویی ** چون که یک جا محو شد آنک تویی
When man and woman become one, Thou art that One; when the units are wiped out, lo, Thou art that (Unity).
این من و ما بهر آن بر ساختی ** تا تو با خود نرد خدمت باختی
Thou didst contrive this “I” and “we” in order that Thou mightst play the game of worship with Thyself,
تا من و توها همه یک جان شوند ** عاقبت مستغرق جانان شوند
That all “I's” and “thou's” should become one soul and at last should be submerged in the Beloved.
این همه هست و بیا ای امر کن ** ای منزه از بیان و از سخن
All this is (true), and do Thou come, O Giver of the command, O Thou who transcendest “Come” and (all) speech!
جسم جسمانه تواند دیدنت ** در خیال آرد غم و خندیدنت1790
The body can see Thee (only) in bodily fashion: it fancies (pictures to itself) Thy sadness or laughter.
دل که او بستهی غم و خندیدن است ** تو مگو کاو لایق آن دیدن است
Do not say that the heart that is bound (conditioned) by (such bodily attributes as) sadness and laughter is worthy of seeing Thee (as Thou really art).
آن که او بستهی غم و خنده بود ** او بدین دو عاریت زنده بود
He who is bound by sadness and laughter is living by means of these two borrowed (transient and unreal) things.
باغ سبز عشق کاو بیمنتهاست ** جز غم و شادی در او بس میوههاست
In the verdant garden of Love, which is without end, there are many fruits besides sorrow and joy.
عاشقی زین هر دو حالت برتر است ** بیبهار و بیخزان سبز و تر است
Love is higher than these two states of feeling: without spring and without autumn it is (ever) green and fresh.
ده زکات روی خوب ای خوب رو ** شرح جان شرحه شرحه باز گو1795
Pay the tithe on Thy fair face, O Beauteous One: relate the story of the soul that is rent in pieces,
کز کرشم غمزهی غمازهای ** بر دلم بنهاد داغی تازهای
For by the coquetry of a glance One who is given to glancing amorously has branded my heart anew.
من حلالش کردم از خونم بریخت ** من همیگفتم حلال او میگریخت
I absolved Him if He shed my blood: I was saying, “It is lawful (I absolve Thee),” and He was fleeing (from me).
چون گریزانی ز نالهی خاکیان ** غم چه ریزی بر دل غمناکیان
Since Thou art fleeing from the lament of those who are (as) dust, why pourest Thou sorrow on the hearts of the sorrowful?
ای که هر صبحی که از مشرق بتافت ** همچو چشمهی مشرقت در جوش یافت
O Thou, whom every dawn that shone from the East found overflowing (with abundant grace) like the bright fountain (of the sun),
چون بهانه دادی این شیدات را ** ای بهانه شکر لبهات را1800
How didst Thou give (nothing but) evasion to Thy frenzied lover, O Thou the sugar of whose lips hath no price?
ای جهان کهنه را تو جان نو ** از تن بیجان و دل افغان شنو
O Thou who art a new soul to the old world, hear the cry (that comes) from my body (which is) without soul and heart.
شرح گل بگذار از بهر خدا ** شرح بلبل گو که شد از گل جدا
Leave the tale of the Rose! For God's sake set forth the tale of the Nightingale that is parted from the Rose!
از غم و شادی نباشد جوش ما ** با خیال و وهم نبود هوش ما
Our emotion is not caused by grief and joy, our consciousness is not related to fancy and imagination.
حالتی دیگر بود کان نادر است ** تو مشو منکر که حق بس قادر است
There is another state (of consciousness), which is rare: do not thou disbelieve, for God is very mighty.
تو قیاس از حالت انسان مکن ** منزل اندر جور و در احسان مکن1805
Do not judge from the (normal) state of man, do not abide in wrong-doing and in well-doing.
جور و احسان رنج و شادی حادث است ** حادثان میرند و حقشان وارث است
Wrong-doing and well-doing, grief and joy, are things that come into existence; those who come into existence die; God is their heir.
صبح شد ای صبح را پشت و پناه ** عذر مخدومی حسام الدین بخواه
’Tis dawn. O Thou who art the Dawn of the dawn and its Refuge, ask pardon (for me) of my Lord Husámu’ddín!
عذر خواه عقل کل و جان تویی ** جان جان و تابش مرجان تویی
Thou art He who asketh pardon of the Universal Mind and Soul, Thou art the Soul of the soul and the Splendour of the coral.
تافت نور صبح و ما از نور تو ** در صبوحی با می منصور تو
The light of dawn has shone forth, and from Thy light we are engaged in drinking the morning-drink with the wine of Thy Mansúr.