زهره کی بود یا عطارد یا شهاب ** کو برون آید به پیش آفتاب 2135
Who is Venus or Mercury or a meteor that they should come forth in the presence of the sun?
گر ز دلق و پوستین بگذشتمی ** کی چنین تخم ملامت کشتمی
If I had omitted (to look at) the cloak and sheepskin, how should I have sown such seeds of blame?
قفل کردن بر در حجره چه بود ** در میان صد خیالیی حسود
What was the (use of) putting a lock on the door of the chamber amidst a hundred envious persons addicted to false imagination?
دست در کرده درون آب جو ** هر یکی زیشان کلوخ خشک‌جو
Every one of them, having put his hand into the river-water, seeks (to find there) a dry sod.
پس کلوخ خشک در جو کی بود ** ماهیی با آب عاصی کی شود
How, then, should there be a dry sod in the river? How should a fish become disobedient to the sea?
بر من مسکین جفا دارند ظن ** که وفا را شرم می‌آید ز من 2140
They impute iniquity to poor me, before whom loyalty (itself) is ashamed.”
گر نبودی زحمت نامحرمی ** چند حرفی از وفا واگفتمی
Were it not for the trouble caused by a person unfamiliar (with my meaning), I would have spoken a few words concerning loyalty;
چون جهانی شبهت و اشکال‌جوست ** حرف می‌رانیم ما بیرون پوست
(But) since a world (multitude of people) is seeking (to raise) doubt and difficulty, we will let the discourse run beyond the skin.
گر تو خود را بشکنی مغزی شوی ** داستان مغز نغزی بشنوی
If you break your (material) self, you will become a kernel and will hear the tale of a goodly kernel.
جوز را در پوستها آوازهاست ** مغز و روغن را خود آوازی کجاست
The voices of walnuts are in their skins (shells): where, indeed, is any voice in the kernel and the oil?
دارد آوازی نه اندر خورد گوش ** هست آوازش نهان در گوش نوش 2145
It (the kernel) has a voice, (but one that is) not suited to the (bodily) ear: its voice is hidden in the ear of ecstasy.
گرنه خوش‌آوازی مغزی بود ** ژغژغ آواز قشری کی شنود
Were it not for the sweetness of a kernel's voice, who would listen to the rattling voice of a walnut-shell?
ژغژغ آن زان تحمل می‌کنی ** تا که خاموشانه بر مغزی زنی
You endure the rattling of it (only) in order that you may silently come into touch with a kernel.
چند گاهی بی‌لب و بی‌گوش شو ** وانگهان چون لب حریف نوش شو
Be without lip and without ear for a while, and then, like the lip, be the companion of honey.
چند گفتی نظم و نثر و راز فاش ** خواجه یک روز امتحان کن گنگ باش
How long have you been uttering poetry and prose and (proclaiming) mysteries! O master, try the experiment and, for one day, be dumb!
حکایت در تقریر این سخن کی چندین گاه گفت ذکر را آزمودیم مدتی صبر و خاموشی را بیازماییم
Story in confirmation of the saying, “We have tried speech and talk all this time: (now) for a while let us. try self-restraint and silence.”
چند پختی تلخ و تیز و شورگز ** این یکی بار امتحان شیرین بپز 2150
How long have you been cooking (things) sour and acid and (like the fruit of) the white tamarisk? For this one time make an experiment and cook sweets.
آن یکی را در قیامت ز انتباه ** در کف آید نامه‌ی عصیان سیاه
On waking at the Resurrection, there is put into the hands of a (wicked) man the scroll of his sins: (it will be) black,
سرسیه چون نامه‌های تعزیه ** پر معاصی متن نامه و حاشیه
Headed with black, as letters of mourning; the body and margin of the scroll completely filled with (his) sins—
جمله فسق و معصیت بد یک سری ** هم‌چو دارالحرب پر از کافری
The whole (of it) wickedness and sin from end to end, full of infidelity, like the land of war.
آنچنان نامه‌ی پلید پر وبال ** در یمین ناید درآید در شمال
Such a foul and noxious scroll does not come into the right hand; it comes into the left hand.
خود همین‌جا نامه‌ی خود را ببین ** دست چپ را شاید آن یا در یمین 2155
Here also (in this world) regard your scroll (the record of your actions), (and consider) whether it fits the left hand or the right.
موزه‌ی چپ کفش چپ هم در دکان ** آن چپ دانیش پیش از امتحان
In the (bootmaker's) shop, can you know before trying (them) on that the left boot or shoe belongs to the left (foot)?
چون نباشی راست می‌دان که چپی ** هست پیدا نعره‌ی شیر و کپی
When you are not “right,” know that you are “left”; the cries of a lion and an ape are distinct (from one another).
آنک گل را شاهد و خوش‌بو کند ** هر چپی را راست فضل او کند
He (God) who makes the rose lovely and sweet-scented—His bounty makes every “left” to be “right.”
هر شمالی را یمینی او دهد ** بحر را ماء معینی او دهد
He bestows “rightness” on every one belonging to the “left” He bestows a(fresh) running water on the (salt) sea.
گر چپی با حضرت او راست باش ** تا ببینی دست‌برد لطفهاش 2160
If you are “left,” be “right” (in perfect harmony) with His Lordship, that you may see His mercies prevail (over His wrath).
تو روا داری که این نامه‌ی مهین ** بگذرد از چپ در آید در یمین
Do you think it allowable that this vile scroll (of yours) should pass from the left hand and come into the right?
این چنین نامه که پرظلم و جفاست ** کی بود خود درخور اندر دست راست
How indeed should a scroll like this, which is full of iniquity and injury, be fit (to place) in the right hand?
در بیان کسی کی سخنی گوید کی حال او مناسب آن سخن و آن دعوی نباشد چنان که کفره و لن سالتهم من خلق السموات والارض لیقولن الله خدمت بت سنگین کردن و جان و زر فدای او کردن چه مناسب باشد با جانی کی داند کی خالق سموات و ارض و خلایق الهیست سمیعی بصیری حاضری مراقبی مستولی غیوری الی آخره
Explaining the case of a person who makes a statement when his behaviour is not consistent with that statement and profession, like the infidels (of whom God hath said): “and if thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth they will surely say, ‘Allah.’” How is the worship of a stone idol and the sacrifice of life and wealth for its sake appropriate to a soul which knows that the creator of heaven and earth and (all) created beings is a God, all-hearing, all-seeing, omnipresent, all-observing, all dominating, jealous, etc.?
زاهدی را یک زنی بد بس غیور ** هم بد او را یک کنیزک هم‌چو حور
A certain ascetic had a very jealous wife: he also had a maid-servant (beautiful) as a houri.
The wife used to watch her husband jealously and not let him be alone with the maid.
مدتی زن شد مراقب هر دو را ** تاکشان فرصت نیفتد در خلا 2165
For a long time the wife watched them both, lest an opportunity should occur for their being alone (together)—
تا در آمد حکم و تقدیر اله ** عقل حارس خیره‌سر گشت و تباه
Until the decree and fore-ordainment of God arrived: (then) the watchman, Reason, became giddy-headed and good-for-nothing.
حکم و تقدیرش چو آید بی‌وقوف ** عقل کی بود در قمر افتد خسوف
When His decree and fore-ordainment arrives unawares, who is Reason? Eclipse overtakes (even) the moon.
بود در حمام آن زن ناگهان ** یادش آمد طشت و در خانه بد آن
The wife was at the (public) bath: suddenly she remembered the wash-basin and (that) it was (had been left) at home.
با کنیزک گفت رو هین مرغ‌وار ** طشت سیمین را ز خانه‌ی ما بیار
She said to the maid, “Hark, go like a bird and fetch the silver basin from our house.”
آن کنیزک زنده شد چون این شنید ** که به خواجه این زمان خواهد رسید 2170
On hearing this, the maid came to life, for (she knew that) now she would obtain (a meeting with) the master,
خواجه در خانه‌ست و خلوت این زمان ** پس دوان شد سوی خانه شادمان
(Since) the master was then at home and alone. So she ran joyously to the house.
عشق شش ساله کنیزک را بد این ** که بیابد خواجه را خلوت چنین
For six years the maid had been longing to find the master alone like this.
گشت پران جانب خانه شتافت ** خواجه را در خانه در خلوت بیافت
She flew off and hastened towards the house: she found the master at home and alone.
هر دو عاشق را چنان شهوت ربود ** که احتیاط و یاد در بستن نبود
Desire took possession of both the lovers so (mightily) that they had no care or thought of bolting the door.
هر دو با هم در خزیدند از نشاط ** جان به جان پیوست آن دم ز اختلاط 2175
Ambo summa alacritate coierunt: copulatis corporibus anima cum anima conjuncta est. [Both moved toward one another from joy; by means of (bodily) copulation, soul joined to soul (in) that moment.]
یاد آمد در زمان زن را که من ** چون فرستادم ورا سوی وطن
Then the wife recollected (and said to herself), “Why did I send her (back) to the house?
پنبه در آتش نهادم من به خویش ** اندر افکندم قج نر را به میش
I have set the cotton on fire with my own hand, I have put the lusty ram to the ewe.”
گل فرو شست از سر و بی‌جان دوید ** در پی او رفت و چادر می‌کشید
She washed off the clay (soap) from her head and ran, beside herself (with anxiety): she went in pursuit of her (the maid), drawing the chádar (over her head as she ran).
آن ز عشق جان دوید و این ز بیم ** عشق کو و بیم کو فرقی عظیم
The former (the maid) ran because of the love in her soul, and the latter (the wife) because of fear. What is fear in comparison with love? (There is) a great difference.
سیر عارف هر دمی تا تخت شاه ** سیر زاهد هر مهی یک روزه راه 2180
The mystic's progress is (an ascension) at every moment to the throne of the (Divine) King; the ascetic's progress is one day's journey every month.
گرچه زاهد را بود روزی شگرف ** کی بود یک روز او خمسین الف
Although, for the ascetic, one day is of great value, (yet) how should his one day be (equal to) fifty thousand (years)?
قدر هر روزی ز عمر مرد کار ** باشد از سال جهان پنجه هزار
The length of every day in the life of the adept is fifty thousand of the years of the world.
عقلها زین سر بود بیرون در ** زهره‌ی وهم ار بدرد گو بدر
Intellects are excluded from this mystery: if the heart of Imagination burst, let it burst!
ترس مویی نیست اندر پیش عشق ** جمله قربانند اندر کیش عشق
In the sight of Love, fear is not (so much as) a single hair: in the law of Love, all things (else) are (offered) as a sacrifice.