چون ببیند کاله‌ای در ربح بیش ** سرد گردد عشقش از کالای خویش

When he sees a piece of merchandise exceeding (his own) in profit, his fondness for his own goods becomes chilled;

گرم زان ماندست با آن کو ندید ** کاله‌های خویش را ربح و مزید

(For hitherto) he has remained enamoured of those, because he perceived no profit and advantage superior to his own goods.

همچنین علم و هنرها و حرف ** چون بدید افزون از آنها در شرف

Similarly, (in the case of) knowledge and accomplishments and trades: (a man is engrossed with them) since he has not seen (anything) superior to them in excellence.

تا به از جان نیست جان باشد عزیز ** چون به آمد نام جان شد چیز لیز 4110

Whilst nothing is better than life, life is precious; when a better appears, the name of life becomes a slippery (futile) thing.

لعبت مرده بود جان طفل را ** تا نگشت او در بزرگی طفل‌زا

The lifeless doll is as (dear as) life to the child until he has grown up to manhood.

این تصور وین تخیل لعبتست ** تا تو طفلی پس بدانت حاجتست

This imagination and fancy are (like) the doll: so long as you are (spiritually) a child, you have need of them;

چون ز طفلی رست جان شد در وصال ** فارغ از حس است و تصویر و خیال

(But) when the spirit has escaped from childishness, it is in union (with God): it is done with sense-perception and imagination and fancy.

نیست محرم تا بگویم بی‌نفاق ** تن زدم والله اعلم بالوفاق

There is no confidant (familiar with this mystery), that I should speak without insincerity (reserve). I will keep silence, and God best knoweth the (true) accord.

مال و تن برف‌اند ریزان فنا ** حق خریدارش که الله اشتری 4115

The goods (of this world) and the body are snow melting away to naught; (yet) God is their purchaser, for God hath purchased.

برفها زان از ثمن اولیستت ** که هیی در شک یقینی نیستت

The snows seem to you better than the price, because you are in doubt: you have no certainty (no sure faith),

وین عجب ظنست در تو ای مهین ** که نمی‌پرد به بستان یقین

And in you, O contemptible man, there is this marvellous opinion that does not fly to the garden of certainty.

هر گمان تشنه‌ی یقینست ای پسر ** می‌زند اندر تزاید بال و پر

O son, every opinion is thirsting for certainty and emulously flapping its wings (in quest thereof).

چون رسد در علم پس پر پا شود ** مر یقین را علم او بویا شود

When it attains to knowledge, then the wing becomes a foot, and its knowledge begins to scent certainty,

زانک هست اندر طریق مفتتن ** علم کمتر از یقین و فوق ظن 4120

For in the tested Way knowledge is inferior to certainty, but above opinion.

علم جویای یقین باشد بدان ** و آن یقین جویای دیدست و عیان

Know that knowledge is a seeker of certainty, and certainty is a seeker of vision and intuition.

اندر الهیکم بجو این را کنون ** از پس کلا پس لو تعلمون

Seek this (difference between knowledge and intuitive certainty) now, in (the Súra which begins with) Alhákum, after (the word) kallá and after (the words) lau ta‘lamún.

می‌کشد دانش ببینش ای علیم ** گر یقین گشتی ببینندی جحیم

Knowledge leads to vision, O knowing one: if it (knowledge) became (intuitive) certainty, they would see Hell.

دید زاید از یقین بی امتهال ** آنچنانک از ظن می‌زاید خیال

Vision is immediately born of certainty, just as fancy is born of opinion.

اندر الهیکم بیان این ببین ** که شود علم الیقین عین الیقین 4125

See in Alhákum the explanation of this, (namely), that the knowledge of certainty becomes the intuition of certainty.

از گمان و از یقین بالاترم ** وز ملامت بر نمی‌گردد سرم

“I am higher than opinion and certainty, and my head is not to be turned aside by blame.

چون دهانم خورد از حلوای او ** چشم‌روشن گشتم و بینای او

Since my mouth ate of His sweetmeat, I have become clear-eyed and a seer of Him.

پا نهم گستاخ چون خانه روم ** پا نلرزانم نه کورانه روم

I step boldly when I go (to my spiritual) home: I do not let my feet tremble, I do not walk like the blind.

آنچ گل را گفت حق خندانش کرد ** با دل من گفت و صد چندانش کرد

That which God said to the rose, and caused it to laugh (in full-blown beauty), He said to my heart, and made it a hundred times more (beautiful).

آنچ زد بر سرو و قدش راست کرد ** و آنچ از وی نرگس و نسرین بخورد 4130

(He bestowed on my heart) that which touched the cypress and made its stature straight, and that of which the narcissus and wild-rose partook;

آنچ نی را کرد شیرین جان و دل ** و آنچ خاکی یافت ازو نقش چگل

That which made sweet the soul and heart of the sugar-cane, and that from which the creature of earth gained the form of Chigil;

آنچ ابرو را چنان طرار ساخت ** چهره را گلگونه و گلنار ساخت

That which made the eyebrow so ravishing and made the face rose-coloured and (like) the pomegranate-flower;

مر زبان را داد صد افسون‌گری ** وانک کان را داد زر جعفری

(That which) gave a hundred enchantments to the tongue, and that which gave the (pure) gold of Ja‘far to the mine.

چون در زرادخانه باز شد ** غمزه‌های چشم تیرانداز شد

When the door of the Armoury was opened, the amorous glances became archers,

بر دلم زد تیر و سوداییم کرد ** عاشق شکر و شکرخاییم کرد 4135

And shot arrows at my heart and frenzied me and made me in love with thanksgiving and sugar-chewing.

عاشق آنم که هر آن آن اوست ** عقل و جان جاندار یک مرجان اوست

I am the lover of that One to whom every ‘that’ belongs: of (even) a single pearl of His the bodyguard is Intellect and Spirit.

من نلافم ور بلافم همچو آب ** نیست در آتش‌کشی‌ام اضطراب

I do not boast, or if I boast, (’tis only in appearance, for) like water, I have no trouble in quenching fire.

چون بدزدم چون حفیظ مخزن اوست ** چون نباشم سخت‌رو پشت من اوست

How should I steal when He is the keeper of the treasury? How should not I be hard-faced (bold and resolute)? He is my support.

هر که از خورشید باشد پشت گرم ** سخت رو باشد نه بیم او را نه شرم

Every one whose back is warmed by the Sun will be hard-faced: he will have neither dread nor shame.

همچو روی آفتاب بی‌حذر ** گشت رویش خصم‌سوز و پرده‌در 4140

His face has become foe-burning and veil-rending, like the face of the peerless Sun.

هر پیمبر سخت‌رو بد در جهان ** یکسواره کوفت بر جیش شهان

Every prophet was hard-faced in this world, and beat single-handed against the army of the kings,

رو نگردانید از ترس و غمی ** یک‌تنه تنها بزد بر عالمی

And did not avert his face from any fear or pain, (but) single and alone dashed against a (whole) world.

سنگ باشد سخت‌رو و چشم‌شوخ ** او نترسد از جهان پر کلوخ

The rock is hard-faced and bold-eyed: it is not afraid of the world that is full of brickbats;

کان کلوخ از خشت‌زن یک‌لخت شد ** سنگ از صنع خدایی سخت شد

For those brickbats were made solid by the brick-maker, (while) the rock was hardened by Divine art.

گوسفندان گر برونند از حساب ** ز انبهیشان کی بترسد آن قصاب 4145

If the sheep are beyond count, (yet) how should the butcher be afraid of their numerousness?

کلکم راع نبی چون راعیست ** خلق مانند رمه او ساعیست

‘Each of you is a shepherd’: the prophet is as the shepherd. The people are like the flock; he is the overseer.

از رمه چوپان نترسد در نبرد ** لیکشان حافظ بود از گرم و سرد

The shepherd is not afraid of the sheep in (his) contention (with them), but is their protector from hot and cold (from all calamities).

گر زند بانگی ز قهر او بر رمه ** دان ز مهرست آن که دارد بر همه

If he cry out in wrath against the flock, know ’tis from the love which he hath for them all.

هر زمان گوید به گوشم بخت نو ** که ترا غمگین کنم غمگین مشو

(My) new Fortune says (whispers) into my ear every moment, ‘I will make thee sorrowful, (but) be not sorrowful (on that account).

من ترا غمگین و گریان زان کنم ** تا کت از چشم بدان پنهان کنم 4150

I will make thee sorrowful and weeping, to the end that I may hide thee from the eyes of the wicked.

تلخ گردانم ز غمها خوی تو ** تا بگردد چشم بد از روی تو

I will cause thy temper to be soured with sorrows, in order that the evil eye may be averted from thy face.

نه تو صیادی و جویای منی ** بنده و افکنده‌ی رای منی

Thou art not (really) a hunter and seeker of Me; (nay), thou art My slave and prostrate before My providence.

حیله اندیشی که در من در رسی ** در فراق و جستن من بی‌کسی

Thou art thinking of devices whereby thou mayst attain unto Me: (both) in quitting and in seeking Me thou art helpless.

چاره می‌جوید پی من درد تو ** می‌شنودم دوش آه سرد تو

Thy anguish is seeking a means for (attaining unto) Me: I was hearkening yestereve to thy heavy sighs.

من توانم هم که بی این انتظار ** ره دهم بنمایمت راه گذار 4155

I am even able, without this waiting, to give (thee) access and show unto thee the way of passage,

تا ازین گرداب دوران وا رهی ** بر سر گنج وصالم پا نهی

That thou mayst be delivered from this whirlpool of Time and mayst set thy foot upon the treasure of union with Me;