تا توانی پا منه اندر فراق ** أبغض الأشیاء عندی الطلاق‏

So far as thou canst, do not set foot in separation: of (all) things the most hateful to Me is divorce.

هر کسی را سیرتی بنهاده‏ام ** هر کسی را اصطلاحی داده‏ام‏

I have bestowed on every one a (special) way of acting: I have given to every one a (peculiar) form of expression.

در حق او مدح و در حق تو ذم ** در حق او شهد و در حق تو سم‏

In regard to him it is (worthy of) praise, and in regard to thee it is (worthy of) blame: in regard to him honey, and in regard to thee poison.

ما بری از پاک و ناپاکی همه ** از گران جانی و چالاکی همه‏ 1755

I am independent of all purity and impurity, of all slothfulness and alacrity (in worshipping Me).

من نکردم امر تا سودی کنم ** بلکه تا بر بندگان جودی کنم‏

I did not ordain (Divine worship) that I might make any profit; nay, but that I might do a kindness to (My) servants.

هندوان را اصطلاح هند مدح ** سندیان را اصطلاح سند مدح‏

In the Hindoos the idiom of Hind (India) is praiseworthy; in the Sindians the idiom of Sind is praiseworthy.

من نگردم پاک از تسبیحشان ** پاک هم ایشان شوند و در فشان‏

I am not sanctified by their glorification (of Me); ’tis they that become sanctified and pearl-scattering (pure and radiant).

ما زبان را ننگریم و قال را ** ما روان را بنگریم و حال را

I look not at the tongue and the speech; I look at the spirit and the state (of feeling).

ناظر قلبیم اگر خاشع بود ** گر چه گفت لفظ ناخاضع رود 1760

I gaze into the heart (to see) whether it be lowly, though the words uttered be not lowly,

ز انکه دل جوهر بود گفتن عرض ** پس طفیل آمد عرض جوهر غرض‏

Because the heart is the substance, speech (only) the accident; so the accident is subservient, the substance is the (real) object.

چند ازین الفاظ و اضمار و مجاز ** سوز خواهم سوز با آن سوز ساز

How much (more) of these phrases and conceptions and metaphors? I want burning, burning: become friendly with that burning!

آتشی از عشق در جان بر فروز ** سربه‏سر فکر و عبارت را بسوز

Light up a fire of love in thy soul, burn thought and expression entirely (away)!

موسیا آداب دانان دیگرند ** سوخته جان و روانان دیگرند

O Moses, they that know the conventions are of one sort, they whose souls and spirits burn are of another sort.”

عاشقان را هر نفس سوزیدنی ست ** بر ده ویران خراج و عشر نیست‏ 1765

To lovers there is a burning (which consumes them) at every moment: tax and tithe are not (imposed) on a ruined village.

گر خطا گوید و را خاطی مگو ** گر بود پر خون شهید او را مشو

If he (the lover) speak faultily, do not call him faulty; and if the martyr be bathed in blood, do not wash him.

خون شهیدان را ز آب اولی‏تر است ** این خطا از صد ثواب اولی‏تر است‏

For martyrs, blood is better than water: this fault (committed by him) is better than a hundred right actions (of another).

در درون کعبه رسم قبله نیست ** چه غم ار غواص را پاچیله نیست‏

Within the Ka‘ba the rule of the qibla does not exist: what matter if the diver has no snow-shoes?

تو ز سر مستان قلاووزی مجو ** جامه چاکان را چه فرمایی رفو

Do not seek guidance from the drunken: why dost thou order those whose garments are rent in pieces to mend them?

ملت عشق از همه دینها جداست ** عاشقان را ملت و مذهب خداست‏ 1770

The religion of Love is apart from all religions: for lovers, the (only) religion and creed is—God.

لعل را گر مهر نبود باک نیست ** عشق در دریای غم غمناک نیست‏

If the ruby have not a seal (graven on it), ’tis no harm: Love in the sea of sorrow is not sorrowful.

وحی آمدن موسی را علیه السلام در عذر آن شبان‏

How the (Divine) revelation came to Moses, on whom be peace, excusing that shepherd.

بعد از آن در سر موسی حق نهفت ** رازهایی کان نمی‏آید به گفت‏

After that, God spake secretly in the inmost heart of Moses mysteries which cannot be spoken.

بر دل موسی سخنها ریختند ** دیدن و گفتن به هم آمیختند

Words were poured upon his heart: vision and speech were mingled together.

چند بی‏خود گشت و چند آمد به خود ** چند پرید از ازل سوی ابد

How oft did he become beside himself and how oft return to himself! How oft did he fly from eternity to everlastingness!

بعد از این گر شرح گویم ابلهی است ** ز انکه شرح این ورای آگهی است‏ 1775

If I should unfold (his tale) after this, ’tis foolishness (in me), because the explanation of this is beyond (our) understanding;

ور بگویم عقلها را بر کند ** ور نویسم بس قلمها بشکند

And if I should speak (thereof), ’twould root up (men's) minds; and if I should write (thereof), ’twould shatter many pens.

چون که موسی این عتاب از حق شنید ** در بیابان در پی چوپان دوید

When Moses heard these reproaches from God, he ran into the desert in quest of the shepherd.

بر نشان پای آن سر گشته راند ** گرد از پرده‏ی بیابان بر فشاند

He pushed on over the footprints of the bewildered man, he scattered dust from the skirt of the desert.

گام پای مردم شوریده خود ** هم ز گام دیگران پیدا بود

The footstep of a man distraught is, in truth, distinct from the footsteps of others:

یک قدم چون رخ ز بالا تا نشیب ** یک قدم چون پیل رفته بر وریب‏ 1780

(At) one step, (he moves) like the rook (straight) from top to bottom (of the chessboard); (at) one step he goes crossways, like the bishop;

گاه چون موجی بر افرازان علم ** گاه چون ماهی روانه بر شکم‏

Now lifting his crest like a wave; now going on his belly like a fish;

گاه بر خاکی نبشته حال خود ** همچو رمالی که رملی بر زند

Now writing (a description of) his state on some dust, like a geomancer who takes an omen by drawing lines (on earth or sand).

عاقبت دریافت او را و بدید ** گفت مژده ده که دستوری رسید

At last he (Moses) overtook and beheld him; the giver of glad news said, “Permission has come (from God).

هیچ آدابی و ترتیبی مجو ** هر چه می‏خواهد دل تنگت بگو

Do not seek any rules or method (of worship); say whatsoever your distressful heart desires.

کفر تو دین است و دینت نور جان ** ایمنی و ز تو جهانی در امان‏ 1785

Your blasphemy is (the true) religion, and your religion is the light of the spirit: you are saved, and through you a (whole) world is in salvation.

ای معاف یفعل الله ما یشاء ** بی‏محابا رو زبان را بر گشا

O you who are made secure by God doeth whatso He willeth, go, loose your tongue without regard (for what you say).”

گفت ای موسی از آن بگذشته‏ام ** من کنون در خون دل آغشته‏ام‏

He said, “O Moses, I have passed beyond that: I am now bathed in (my) heart's blood.

من ز سدره‏ی منتهی بگذشته‏ام ** صد هزاران ساله ز آن سو رفته‏ام‏

I have passed beyond the Lote-tree of the farthest bourn, I have gone a hundred thousand years' journey on the other side.

تازیانه بر زدی اسبم بگشت ** گنبدی کرد و ز گردون بر گذشت‏

Thou didst ply the lash, and my horse shied, made a bound, and passed beyond the sky.

محرم ناسوت ما لاهوت باد ** آفرین بر دست و بر بازوت باد 1790

May the Divine Nature be intimate with my human nature— blessings be on thy hand and on thine arm!

حال من اکنون برون از گفتن است ** این چه می‏گویم نه احوال من است‏

Now my state is beyond telling: this which I am telling is not my (real) state.”

نقش می‏بینی که در آیینه‏ای است ** نقش تست آن نقش آن آیینه نیست‏

You behold the image which is in a mirror: it is your (own) image, it is not the image of the mirror.

دم که مرد نایی اندر نای کرد ** در خور نای است نه در خورد مرد

The breath which the flute-player puts into the flute—does it belong to the flute? No, it belongs to the man (the flute-player).

هان و هان گر حمد گویی گر سپاس ** همچو نافرجام آن چوپان شناس‏

Take good heed! Whether you speak praise (of God) or thanksgiving, know that it is even as the unseemly (words) of that shepherd.

حمد تو نسبت بدان گر بهتر است ** لیک آن نسبت به حق هم ابتر است‏ 1795

Though your praise is better in comparison with that, yet in relation to God it too is maimed (feeble).

چند گویی چون غطا برداشتند ** کاین نبوده ست آن که می‏پنداشتند

How often will you say, when the lid has been raised, “This was not what they were thinking (it was)!”

این قبول ذکر تو از رحمت است ** چون نماز مستحاضه رخصت است‏

This acceptance (by God) of your praise is from (His) mercy: it is an indulgence (which He grants), like (the indulgence granted in the case of) the prayers of a woman suffering from menorrhagia.

با نماز او بیالوده ست خون ** ذکر تو آلوده‏ی تشبیه و چون‏

Her prayers are stained with blood; your praise is stained with assimilation and qualification.

خون پلید است و به آبی می‏رود ** لیک باطن را نجاستها بود

Blood is foul, and (yet) it goes (is washed away) by a (little) water; but the inward part (the inner man) hath impurities

کان به غیر آب لطف کردگار ** کم نگردد از درون مرد کار 1800

Which fail not (are not removed) from the interior (the heart) of the man of works except by the water of the grace of the Maker.

در سجودت کاش رو گردانی‏ای ** معنی سبحان ربی دانی‏ای‏

Would that in your bowing low in prayer you would turn your face (to attentive consideration) and apprehend the meaning of “Glory to my Lord!”