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;

لیک شیرینی و لذات مقر ** هست بر اندازه‌ی رنج سفر

But the sweetness and delights of the resting-place are in proportion to the pain of the journey.

آنگه ا ز شهر و ز خویشان بر خوری ** کز غریبی رنج و محنتها بری

(Only) then wilt thou enjoy thy (native) town and thy kinsfolk when thou sufferest pains and tribulations from exile.’”

تمثیل گریختن مومن و بی‌صبری او در بلا به اضطراب و بی‌قراری نخود و دیگر حوایج در جوش دیگ و بر دویدن تا بیرون جهند

Comparison of the true believer's fleeing (from tribulation) and his impatience in affliction to the agitation and restlessness of chick-peas and other pot-herbs when boiling in the pot, and to their running upwards in order to jump out.

بنگر اندر نخودی در دیگ چون ** می‌جهد بالا چو شد ز آتش زبون

Look at a chickpea in the pot, how it leaps up when it is subjected to the fire.

هر زمان نخود بر آید وقت جوش ** بر سر دیگ و برآرد صد خروش 4160

At the time of its being boiled, the chickpea comes up continually to the top of the pot and raises a hundred cries,

که چرا آتش به من در می‌زنی ** چون خریدی چون نگونم می‌کنی

Saying, “Why are you setting the fire on me? Since you bought (and approved) me, how are you turning me upside down?”

می‌زند کفلیز کدبانو که نی ** خوش بجوش و بر مجه ز آتش‌کنی

The housewife goes on hitting it with the ladle. “No!” says she: “boil nicely and don't jump away from one who makes the fire.

زان نجوشانم که مکروه منی ** بلک تا گیری تو ذوق و چاشنی

I do not boil you because you are hateful to me: nay, ’tis that you may get taste and savour,

تا غذی گردی بیامیزی بجان ** بهرخواری نیستت این امتحان

So that you may become nutriment and mingle with the (vital) spirit: this affliction of yours is not on account of (your) being despised.

آب می‌خوردی به بستان سبز و تر ** بهراین آتش بدست آن آب خور 4165

You, when green and fresh, were drinking water in the garden: that water-drinking was for the sake of this fire.”

رحمتش سابق بدست از قهر زان ** تا ز رحمت گردد اهل امتحان

His (God's) mercy is prior to His wrath, to the end that by (God's) mercy he (the afflicted person) may suffer affliction.

رحمتش بر قهر از آن سابق شدست ** تا که سرمایه‌ی وجود آید بدست

His (God's) mercy (eternally) preceded His wrath in order that the stock-in-trade, (which is) existence, should come to hand (be acquired);

زانک بی‌لذت نروید لحم و پوست ** چون نروید چه گدازد عشق دوست

For, without pleasure, flesh and skin do not grow; and unless they grow, what shall the love of the Friend consume?

زان تقاضا گر بیاید قهرها ** تا کنی ایثار آن سرمایه را

If, because of that requirement, acts of wrath come to pass, to the end that you may give up that stock-in-trade,

باز لطف آید برای عذر او ** که بکردی غسل و بر جستی ز جو 4170

(Yet) again (afterwards) the Grace (of God) will come in order to excuse it (the act of wrath), saying, “(Now) thou hast washed thyself (clean) and hast leaped forth from the river (of tribulation).”

گوید ای نخود چریدی در بهار ** رنج مهمان تو شد نیکوش دار

She (the housewife) says, “O chickpea, thou didst feed in the springtime: (now) Pain has become thy guest: entertain him well,

تا که مهمان باز گردد شکر ساز ** پیش شه گوید ز ایثار تو باز

That the guest may return (home), giving thanks (for his entertainment), and may relate thy generosity in the presence of the King,

تا به جای نعمتت منعم رسد ** جمله نعمتها برد بر تو حسد

So that the Bestower of favour may come to thee instead of the favour, and that all favours may envy thee.

من خلیلم تو پسر پیش بچک ** سر بنه انی ارانی اذبحک

I am Khalíl (Abraham), and thou art my son: lay thy head before the knife:lo, I see (in a dream) that I shall sacrifice thee.

سر به پیش قهر نه دل بر قرار ** تا ببرم حلقت اسمعیل‌وار 4175

Lay thy head before (my) wrath, with heart unmoved, that I may cut thy throat, like (that of) Ismá‘íl (Ishmael).