پیر عشق تست نه ریش سپید ** دستگیر صد هزاران ناامید
The Elder is thy love, not (the owner of) a white beard. ‘Tis he (Love) that gives a helping hand to thousands who are in despair.
عشق صورتها بسازد در فراق ** نامصور سر کند وقت تلاق
In (the hour of) separation Love fashions forms (of phantasy); in the hour of union the Formless One puts forth his head,
که منم آن اصل اصل هوش و مست ** بر صور آن حسن عکس ما بدست
Saying, “I am the ultimate origin of sobriety and intoxication: the beauty in (all) forms is reflected from Me.
پرده‌ها را این زمان برداشتم ** حسن را بی‌واسطه بفراشتم
At this moment I have removed the veils: I have raised Beauty on high without intermediaries.
زانک بس با عکس من در بافتی ** قوت تجرید ذاتم یافتی 3280
Because thou hast been much occupied with My reflexion, thou hast gained the power to contemplate My essence denuded (of the forms by which it is veiled).
چون ازین سو جذبه‌ی من شد روان ** او کشش را می‌نبیند در میان
When My pull is set in motion (begins to be exerted) from this side, he (the Christian) does not see (is not conscious of) the priest intervening (between him and Me).”
مغفرت می‌خواهد از جرم و خطا ** از پس آن پرده از لطف خدا
(At that time) he is craving forgiveness for his sins and trespasses from the grace of God behind the veil.
چون ز سنگی چشمه‌ای جاری شود ** سنگ اندر چشمه متواری شود
When a fountain gushes from a rock, the rock disappears in the fountain.
کس نخواهد بعد از آن او را حجر ** زانک جاری شد از آن سنگ آن گهر
After that, no one calls it “stone,” seeing that such a pure substance has gushed forth from the rock.
کاسه‌ها دان این صور را واندرو ** آنچ حق ریزد بدان گیرد علو 3285
Know that these forms are (like) bowls and acquire excellence through that which God pours into them.
گفتن خویشاوندان مجنون را کی حسن لیلی باندازه‌ایست چندان نیست ازو نغزتر در شهر ما بسیارست یکی و دو و ده بر تو عرضه کنیم اختیار کن ما را و خود را وا رهان و جواب گفتن مجنون ایشان را
How the kinsfolk of Majnún said to him, “The beauty of Laylá is limited, it is not so very great: in our city there are many fairer than she. We will show unto thee one or two or ten: take thy choice, and deliver us (from reproach) and thyself (from affliction)”; and how Majnún answered them.
ابلهان گفتند مجنون را ز جهل ** حسن لیلی نیست چندان هست سهل
The fools in their ignorance said to Majnún, “The beauty of Laylá is not so very great, it is of slight account.
بهتر از وی صد هزاران دلربا ** هست هم‌چون ماه اندر شهر ما
There are thousands of moon-like sweethearts fairer than she in our city.”
گفت صورت کوزه است و حسن می ** می خدایم می‌دهد از نقش وی
He replied, “The (outward) form is a pot, and beauty is the wine: God is giving me wine from her form.
مر شما را سرکه داد از کوزه‌اش ** تا نباشد عشق اوتان گوش کش
He gave you vinegar from her pot, lest love of her should pull you by the ears.”
از یکی کوزه دهد زهر و عسل ** هر یکی را دست حق عز و جل 3290
The hand of God, the Almighty and Glorious, gives poison or honey to every one from the same pot.
کوزه می‌بینی ولیکن آب شراب ** روی ننماید به چشم ناصواب
Thou seest the pot, but the wine does not show itself to the wrong eye.
قاصرات الطرف باشد ذوق جان ** جز به خصم خود بنماید نشان
Spiritual experience is (like) the women who look modestly: it shows no sign but to its possessor.
قاصرات الطرف آمد آن مدام ** وین حجاب ظرفها هم‌چون خیام
That wine is (like) the women who look modestly, while these vessels screening it (from view) are like the tents.
هست دریا خیمه‌ای در وی حیات ** بط را لیکن کلاغان را ممات
The great river (too) is (like) a tent, wherein is life for the duck, but death for crows.
زهر باشد مار را هم قوت و برگ ** غیر او را زهر او دردست و مرگ 3295
Venom also is the snake's food and provision, (but) its venom is anguish and death to others.
صورت هر نعمتی و محنتی ** هست این را دوزخ آن را جنتی
The form of every blessing and affliction is a Hell to this one, a Paradise to that one.
پس همه اجسام و اشیا تبصرون ** واندرو قوتست و سم لاتبصرون
Therefore (though) ye see all bodies and things, and there is food and poison in them (all)—ye see (it) not.
هست هر جسمی چو کاسه و کوزه‌ای ** اندرو هم قوت و هم دلسوزه‌ای
Every body resembles a bowl or a pot, wherein is both food and a (cause of) heart-burning.
کاسه پیدا اندرو پنهان رغد ** طاعمش داند کزان چه می‌خورد
The bowl is visible, the plenty (contained) in it is hidden: (only) he who tastes it (the contents) knows what he is eating or drinking from it.
صورت یوسف چو جامی بود خوب ** زان پدر می‌خورد صد باده‌ی طروب 3300
The form of Joseph was like a beauteous cup: from it his father drank a hundred exhilarating wines.
باز اخوان را از آن زهراب بود ** کان دریشان خشم و کینه می‌فزود
Again, to his brethren (the draught they took) from it was poisoned water which was increasing in them anger and hatred.
باز از وی مر زلیخا را سکر ** می‌کشید از عشق افیونی دگر
Again, to Zalíkhá (the draught she took) from it was (sweet as) sugar: she was quaffing a different opiate from (the hand of) Love.
غیر آنچ بود مر یعقوب را ** بود از یوسف غذا آن خوب را
The nutriment which came from Joseph to that fair one was other than that which came to Jacob.
گونه‌گونه شربت و کوزه یکی ** تا نماند در می غیبت شکی
The sherbets are various, but the pot is one, in order that no doubt may remain in thee concerning the wine of the Unseen.
باده از غیبست و کوزه زین جهان ** کوزه پیدا باده در وی بس نهان 3305
The wine belongs to the Unseen, the pot to this world: the pot is apparent, the wine in it is very hidden:
بس نهان از دیده‌ی نامحرمان ** لیک بر محرم هویدا و عیان
Very hidden from the eyes of the uninitiated, but manifest and evident to the adept.
یا الهی سکرت ابصارنا ** فاعف عنا اثقلت اوزارنا
O my God, our eyes have been intoxicated. Forgive us: our burdens have been made heavy.
یا خفیا قد ملات الخافقین ** قد علوت فوق نور المشرقین
O concealed One who hast filled (the world) from East to West (with Thy radiance) and art exalted above the light of the Orient and the Occident,
انت سر کاشف اسرارنا ** انت فجر مفجر انهارنا
Thou art an inmost Ground of consciousness revealing our inmost thoughts, Thou art a bursting (Force) that causes our (dammed-up) rivers to burst forth.
یا خفی الذات محسوس العطا ** انت کالماء و نحن کالرحا 3310
O Thou whose Essence is hidden while Thy gifts are sensible, Thou art as the water and we as the millstone.
انت کالریح و نحن کالغبار ** تختفی الریح و غبراها جهار
Thou art as the wind and we as the dust: the wind is hidden while the dust blown by it is plainly visible.
تو بهاری ما چو باغ سبز خوش ** او نهان و آشکارا بخششش
Thou art the Spring, we are fair as the verdant orchard: it (the Spring) is hidden while its bounty is manifest.
تو چو جانی ما مثال دست و پا ** قبض و بسط دست از جان شد روا
Thou art as the spirit, we are like hand and foot: the closing and opening of the hand is due to the spirit.
تو چو عقلی ما مثال این زبان ** این زبان از عقل دارد این بیان
Thou art as the reason, we are like this tongue: this tongue hath its (power of) expression from the reason.
تو مثال شادی و ما خنده‌ایم ** که نتیجه‌ی شادی فرخنده‌ایم 3315
Thou art like the joy, and we are the laughter, for we are the result of (Thy) blessed joy.
جنبش ما هر دمی خود اشهدست ** که گواه ذوالجلال سرمدست
(All) our movement (action) is really a continual profession of faith which bears witness to the Eternal Almighty One.
گردش سنگ آسیا در اضطراب ** اشهد آمد بر وجود جوی آب
The turning of the millstone in agitation is a profession of faith in the existence of the waterbrook.
ای برون از وهم و قال و قیل من ** خاک بر فرق من و تمثیل من
O Thou who art beyond my conception and utterance, dust be on the head of me and my similes!
بنده نشکیبد ز تصویر خوشت ** هر دمت گوید که جانم مفرشت
Thy servant cannot refrain from depicting Thy beauty: every moment he says to Thee, “May my soul be Thy carpet!”
هم‌چو آن چوپان که می‌گفت ای خدا ** پیش چوپان و محب خود بیا 3320
(He is) like the shepherd who used to say, “O God, come to Thy shepherd and lover,
تا شپش جویم من از پیراهنت ** چارقت دوزم ببوسم دامنت
That I may seek out the lice in Thy smock and stitch Thy shoon and kiss Thy skirt.”
کس نبودش در هوا و عشق جفت ** لیک قاصر بود از تسبیح و گفت
There was none equal to him in passion and love, but he fell short in glorification and (respectful) speech.
عشق او خرگاه بر گردون زده ** جان سگ خرگاه آن چوپان شده
His love pitched its tent on the sky: the (beloved) Soul became the dog (guardian) of that shepherd's tent.
چونک بحر عشق یزدان جوش زد ** بر دل او زد ترا بر گوش زد
When the sea of Divine Love surged up, it struck upon his heart; it struck (only) upon your ear.
حکایت جوحی کی چادر پوشید و در وعظ میان زنان نشست و حرکتی کرد زنی او را بشناخت کی مردست نعره‌ای زد
Story of Júhí, who put on a chádar, went to hear the sermon, seated himself amongst the women, and behaved in such a way that a certain woman knew he was a man and screamed.
واعظی بد بس گزیده در بیان ** زیر منبر جمع مردان و زنان 3325
There was a preacher, very fine in his exposition, under whose pulpit a great number of men and women were assembled.