نیست باشد طعم خل چون می‌چشی ** هست اوقیه فزون چون برکشی3675
The flavour of the vinegar, when you taste (the sugar), is non-existent, (though) the ounce exists (as a) surplus when you weigh.
پیش شیری آهوی بیهوش شد ** هستی‌اش در هست او روپوش شد
In the presence of a lion a deer becomes senseless: her existence becomes a (mere) veil for his existence.
این قیاس ناقصان بر کار رب ** جوشش عشقست نه از ترک ادب
These analogies drawn by imperfect men concerning the action of the Lord are (like) the emotion of love, (they are) not from irreverence.
نبض عاشق بی ادب بر می‌جهد ** خویش را در کفه‌ی شه می‌نهد
The lover's pulse bounds up without reverence, he lays himself on the scale of the King's balance.
بی‌ادب‌تر نیست کس زو در جهان ** با ادب‌تر نیست کس زو در نهان
None is more irreverent than he in the world (outwardly); none is more reverent than he in secret (inwardly).
هم بنسبت دان وفاق ای منتجب ** این دو ضد با ادب با بی‌ادب3680
Know, O chosen one, that these two opposites also, “reverent” and “irreverent,” are reconciled by means of relation.
بی‌ادب باشد چو ظاهر بنگری ** که بود دعوی عشقش هم‌سری
He (the lover) is irreverent when you regard the outward aspect, for his claim of love is (involves) equality (with the Beloved);
چون به باطن بنگری دعوی کجاست ** او و دعوی پیش آن سلطان فناست
(But) when you regard the inward aspect, where is the claim? He and (his) claim are naughted in the presence of that Sultan.
مات زید زید اگر فاعل بود ** لیک فاعل نیست کو عاطل بود
Máta Zaydun (Zayd died): if Zayd is the agent (grammatical subject), (yet) he is not the agent, for he is defunct.
او ز روی لفظ نحوی فاعلست ** ورنه او مفعول و موتش قاتلست
He is the agent (only) in respect of the grammatical expression; otherwise, he is the one acted upon (the object of the action), and Death is his slayer.
فاعل چه کو چنان مقهور شد ** فاعلیها جمله از وی دور شد3685
What agent (is he), since he has been so overpowered and all the qualities of an agent have been removed from him?
قصه وکیل صدر جهان کی متهم شد و از بخارا گریخت از بیم جان باز عشقش کشید رو کشان کی کار جان سهل باشد عاشقان را
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán's Wakíl (minister), who fell under suspicion and fled from Bukhárá in fear of his life; then love drew him back irresistibly, for the matter of life is of small account to lovers.
در بخارا بنده‌ی صدر جهان ** متهم شد گشت از صدرش نهان
In Bukhárá the servant of the Sadr-i Jahán incurred suspicion and hid from his Sadr (prince).
مدت ده سال سرگردان بگشت ** گه خراسان گه کهستان گاه دشت
During ten years he roamed distractedly, now in Khurásán, now in the mountain-land, now in the desert.
از پس ده سال او از اشتیاق ** گشت بی‌طاقت ز ایام فراق
After ten years, through longing he became unable to endure the days of separation (from his beloved).
گفت تاب فرقتم زین پس نماند ** صبر کی داند خلاعت را نشاند
He said, “Henceforth I cannot bear to be parted (from him) any more: how can patience allay (the lover's) state of abandonment?”
از فراق این خاکها شوره بود ** آب زرد و گنده و تیره شود3690
From separation these soils are nitrous (barren), and water becomes yellow and stinking and dark;
The life-increasing wind (air) becomes unhealthy and pestilential; a fire turns to ashes and dust.
باغ چون جنت شود دار المرض ** زرد و ریزان برگ او اندر حرض
The orchard which resembled Paradise becomes the abode of disease, (with) its leaves yellow and dropping in decay.
عقل دراک از فراق دوستان ** همچو تیرانداز اشکسته کمان
The penetrating intellect, through separation from its friends, (becomes) like an archer whose bow is broken.
دوزخ از فرقت چنان سوزان شدست ** پیر از فرقت چنان لرزان شدست
From separation Hell has become so burning; from separation the old man has become so trembling.
گر بگویم از فراق چون شرار ** تا قیامت یک بود از صد هزار3695
If I should speak of separation, (which is) like sparks of fire, till the Resurrection, ’twould be (only) one (part) out of a hundred thousand.
پس ز شرح سوز او کم زن نفس ** رب سلم رب سلم گوی و بس
Therefore do not breathe (a word) in description of its burning: say only “Lord, save (me)! Lord, save (me)!”
هرچه از وی شاد گردی در جهان ** از فراق او بیندیش آن زمان
Everything by which you are rejoiced in the world—think at that time of the parting from it.
زانچ گشتی شاد بس کس شاد شد ** آخر از وی جست و همچون باد شد
Many a one has been gladdened by what made you glad: at last it escaped from him and became even as wind.
از تو هم بجهد تو دل بر وی منه ** پیش از آن کو بجهد از وی تو بجه
It will escape from you also: set not your heart upon it. Do you yourself escape from it before it escapes (from you).
پیدا شدن روح القدس بصورت آدمی بر مریم بوقت برهنگی و غسل کردن و پناه گرفتن بحق تعالی
The appearance of the Holy Spirit (Gabriel) in the shape of a man to Mary when she was undressed and washing herself, and how she took refuge with God.
همچو مریم گوی پیش از فوت ملک ** نقش را کالعوذ بالرحمن منک3700
Before the slipping away of your possessions, say to the form (of created things), like Mary, “(I take) refuge from thee with the Merciful (God).”
دید مریم صورتی بس جان‌فزا ** جان‌فزایی دلربایی در خلا
Mary in her chamber saw a form that gave increase of life— a life-increasing, heart-ravishing one.
پیش او بر رست از روی زمین ** چون مه وخورشید آن روح الامین
That trusted Spirit rose up before her from the face of the earth, like the moon and the sun.
از زمین بر رست خوبی بی‌نقاب ** آنچنان کز شرق روید آفتاب
Beauty unveiled rose up from the earth (in) such (splendour) as the sun rises from the East.
لرزه بر اعضای مریم اوفتاد ** کو برهنه بود و ترسید از فساد
A trembling came over Mary's limbs, for she was undressed and was afraid of evil.
صورتی که یوسف ار دیدی عیان ** دست از حیرت بریدی چو زنان3705
(’Twas) such a form that if Joseph had beheld it plainly, he would have cut his hand in amazement, like the (Egyptian) women.
همچو گل پیشش برویید آن ز گل ** چون خیالی که بر آرد سر ز دل
It blossomed from the earth like a rose before her—like a phantasy which lifts its head from the heart.
گشت بی‌خود مریم و در بی‌خودی ** گفت بجهم در پناه ایزدی
Mary became selfless (beside herself), and in her selflessness she said, “I will leap into the Divine protection,”
زانک عادت کرده بود آن پاک‌جیب ** در هزیمت رخت بردن سوی غیب
Because that pure-bosomed one had made a habit of betaking herself in flight to the Unseen.
چون جهان را دید ملکی بی‌قرار ** حازمانه ساخت زان حضرت حصار
Since she deemed the world a kingdom without permanence, she prudently made a fortress of that (Divine) Presence,
تا به گاه مرگ حصنی باشدش ** که نیابد خصم راه مقصدش3710
In order that in the hour of death she should have a stronghold which the Enemy would find no way to attack.
از پناه حق حصاری به ندید ** یورتگه نزدیک آن دز برگزید
She saw no better fortress than the protection of God: she chose her abiding-place near to that castle.
چون بدید آن غمزه‌های عقل‌سوز ** که ازو می‌شد جگرها تیردوز
When she beheld those amorous reason-destroying glances whereby hearts were ever being pierced (as) by arrows—
شاه و لشکر حلقه در گوشش شده ** خسروان هوش بیهوشش شده
King and army are enthralled by Him, the sovereigns of wit (intelligence) are made witless by Him;
صد هزاران شاه مملوکش برق ** صد هزاران بدر را داده به دق
Hundreds of thousands of kings are held in servitude by Him; hundreds of thousands of full-moons He hath given over to (love's) wasting fever;
زهره نی مر زهره را تا دم زند ** عقل کلش چون ببیند کم زند3715
Zuhra hath not the courage to breathe (a word); Universal Reason, when it sees Him, humbles itself.
من چگویم که مرا در دوخته‌ست ** دمگهم را دمگه او سوخته‌ست
What shall I say? for He has sealed my lips: His furnace has consumed the place (channel) of my breath.
دود آن نارم دلیلم من برو ** دور از آن شه باطل ما عبروا
“I am the smoke of that fire, I am the evidence for it”—far from that King be their false interpretation!
خود نباشد آفتابی را دلیل ** جز که نور آفتاب مستطیل
Verily, there is no evidence for a sun except the light of the lofty sun.
سایه کی بود تا دلیل او بود ** این بستش کع ذلیل او بود
Who (what) is the shadow that it should be an evidence for Him? ’Tis enough for it that it should be abased before Him.
این جلالت در دلالت صادقست ** جمله ادراکات پس او سابقست3720
This majesty (which I have attributed to Him) in (the matter of) evidence declares the truth: all perceptions are behind (Him), He is outstripping (them).
جمله ادراکات بر خرهای لنگ ** او سوار باد پران چون خدنگ
All perceptions are (mounted) on lame asses; He is mounted on the wind that flies like an arrow.
گر گریزد کس نیابد گرد شه ** ور گریزند او بگیرد پیش ره
If He flee, none (of them) finds the dust of the King; and if they flee, He bars the way in front (of them).
جمله ادراکات را آرام نی ** وقت میدانست وقت جام نی
All the perceptions are unquiet: it is the time for battle, not the time for the (festal) cup.
آن یکی وهمی چو بازی می‌پرد ** وآن دگر چون تیر معبر می‌درد
One perceptive faculty is flying like a falcon, while another, (swift) as an arrow, is tearing its place of passage;