لیک مرج جان فدای شیر او ** کش کشد این عشق و این شمشیر او 4005
But may the soul's pasture be the ransom for his (Love's) lion who is killed by this Love and his scimitar!
کشتنی به از هزاران زندگی ** سلطنت‌ها مرده‌ی این بندگی
(’Tis) a killing better than a thousand lives: (all) sovereignties are mortally enamoured of this servitude.
با کنایت رازها با هم‌دگر ** پست گفتندی به صد خوف و حذر
They (the princes) were telling each other their secrets allusively in low tones with a hundred fears and precautions.
راز را غیر خدا محرم نبود ** آه را جز آسمان هم‌دم نبود
None but God was the confidant of their secret, their sighs were breathed to Heaven alone.
اصطلاحاتی میان هم‌دگر ** داشتندی بهر ایراد خبر
They were using certain mystical terms among themselves in order to convey information.
زین لسان الطیر عام آموختند ** طمطراق و سروری اندوختند 4010
The vulgar have learned this birds' language and (by means of it) have acquired prestige and authority.
صورت آواز مرغست آن کلام ** غافلست از حال مرغان مرد خام
That terminology is (only) the image (imitation) of the bird's voice: the uninitiated man is ignorant of the (inward) state of the birds.
کو سلیمانی که داند لحن طیر ** دیو گرچه ملک گیرد هست غیر
Where is the Solomon who knows the birds' song? The demon, though he seize the kingdom (of Solomon), is an alien.
دیو بر شبه سلیمان کرد ایست ** علم مکرش هست و علمناش نیست
The demon in the likeness of Solomon stood (in Solomon's place): he knows how to deceive, but he does not possess (the knowledge denoted by the words) we have been taught.
چون سلیمان از خدا بشاش بود ** منطق الطیری ز علمناش بود
Inasmuch as Solomon was rejoiced exceedingly by (the favour of) God, he had a birds' language (derived) from we have been taught.
تو از آن مرغ هوایی فهم کن ** که ندیدستی طیور من لدن 4015
Understand that you are a bird of the (common) air because you have not beheld the esoteric birds.
جای سیمرغان بود آن سوی قاف ** هر خیالی را نباشد دست‌باف
The home of the Símurghs is beyond (Mt) Qáf: it is not (like) a hand-loom (easily accessible) to any imagination,
جز خیالی را که دید آن اتفاق ** آنگهش بعدالعیان افتد فراق
But only to the imagination that beholds it by chance and then, after the vision, is parted (from it)—
نه فراق قطع بهر مصلحت ** که آمنست از هر فراق آن منقبت
Not a parting that involves severance, (but a parting) for a wise purpose; for that high estate is secure from every (real) parting.
بهر استبقاء آن روحی جسد ** آفتاب از برف یک‌دم درکشد
In order to preserve the spiritual body the (Divine) Sun for a time withdraws (His beams) from the snow.
بهر جان خویش جو زیشان صلاح ** هین مدزد از حرف ایشان اصطلاح 4020
Seek good for thy soul from them (who have attained unto God): beware, do not steal mystical expressions from their language.
آن زلیخا از سپندان تا به عود ** نام جمله چیز یوسف کرده بود
Zalíkhá had applied to Joseph the name of everything, from rue-seed to aloeswood.
نام او در نامها مکتوم کرد ** محرمان را سر آن معلوم کرد
She concealed his name in (all other) names and made the inner meaning thereof known to (none but her) confidants.
چون بگفتی موم ز آتش نرم شد ** این بدی کان یار با ما گرم شد
When she said, “The wax is softened by the fire,” this meant, “My beloved is very fond of me.”
ور بگفتی مه برآمد بنگرید ** ور بگفتی سبز شد آن شاخ بید
And if she said, “Look, the moon is risen”; or if she said, “The willow-bough is green (with new leaves)”;
Or if she said, “The loaves have no salt (savour)”; or if she said, “The heavenly sphere is going round in the contrary direction”;
ور بگفتی که به درد آمد سرم ** ور بگفتی درد سر شد خوشترم
Or if she said, “My head aches”; or if she said, “My headache is better”—
گر ستودی اعتناق او بدی ** ور نکوهیدی فراق او بدی
If she praised, ’twas his (Joseph's) caresses (that she meant); and if she blamed, ’twas separation from him (that she meant).
صد هزاران نام گر بر هم زدی ** قصد او و خواه او یوسف بدی
If she piled up a hundred thousand names, her meaning and intention was always Joseph.
گرسنه بودی چو گفتی نام او ** می‌شدی او سیر و مست جام او
Were she hungry, as soon as she spoke his name she would be filled (with spiritual food) and intoxicated by his cup.
تشنگیش از نام او ساکن شدی ** نام یوسف شربت باطن شدی 4035
Her thirst would be quenched by his name: the name of Joseph was a sherbet to her soul;
ور بدی دردیش زان نام بلند ** درد او در حال گشتی سودمند
And if she were in pain, her pain would immediately be turned into profit by that exalted name.
وقت سرما بودی او را پوستین ** این کند در عشق نام دوست این
In cold weather it was a fur to her. This, this (is what) the Beloved's name can do (when one is) in love.
عام می‌خوانند هر دم نام پاک ** این عمل نکند چو نبود عشقناک
The vulgar are always pronouncing the Holy Name, (but) it does not do this work (for them) since they are not endowed with (true) love.
آنچ عیسی کرده بود از نام هو ** می‌شدی پیدا ورا از نام او
That (miracle) which Jesus had wrought by (pronouncing) the Name of Hú (God) was manifested to her through the name of him (Joseph).
چونک با حق متصل گردید جان ** ذکر آن اینست و ذکر اینست آن 4040
When the soul has been united with God, to speak of that (God) is (to speak of) this (soul), and to speak of this (soul) is (to speak of) that (God).
خالی از خود بود و پر از عشق دوست ** پس ز کوزه آن تلابد که دروست
She was empty of self and filled with love for her friend (Joseph), and (as the proverb says), “A pot drips what is in it.”
خنده بوی زعفران وصل داد ** گریه بوهای پیاز آن بعاد
The scent of the saffron of union produces (happy) laughter; the smell of the onion of absence (produces) tears.
هر یکی را هست در دل صد مراد ** این نباشد مذهب عشق و وداد
Every (other) one has in his heart a hundred objects of desire, (but) this is not the way of love and fondness.
یار آمد عشق را روز آفتاب ** آفتاب آن روی را هم‌چون نقاب
Love's sun in the day-time is the (Face of the) Beloved: the sun is as a veil over that Face.
آنک نشناسد نقاب از روی یار ** عابد الشمس است دست از وی بدار 4045
He that does not know (distinguish) the veil from the Face of the Beloved is a sun-worshipper: keep thy hand off (keep thyself aloof) from him.
روز او و روزی عاشق هم او ** دل همو دلسوزی عاشق هم او
He is both the lover's day and daily bread, He is both the lover's heart and heart-burning.
ماهیان را نقد شد از عین آب ** نان و آب و جامه و دارو و خواب
(God's) fishes receive directly from the Essence of the Water their bread and water and clothes and drugs and sleep.
هم‌چو طفلست او ز پستان شیرگیر ** او نداند در دو عالم غیر شیر
He (the lover) is like a child getting milk from the breast: he knows nothing in the two worlds except the milk.
طفل داند هم نداند شیر را ** راه نبود این طرف تدبیر را
The child knows the milk and yet he does not know it: (intellectual) consideration has no means of entrance here.
گیج کرد این گردنامه روح را ** تا بیابد فاتح و مفتوح را 4050
This circular (issued by Love) made the spirit crazy to find (both) the Opener and that which is opened (by Him).
گیج نبود در روش بلک اندرو ** حاملش دریا بود نه سیل و جو
It (the spirit) is not crazy in going (on that quest); nay, (for) ’tis the Sea within it that bears it along, not a torrent or a river.
چون بیابد او که یابد گم شود ** هم‌چو سیلی غرقه‌ی قلزم شود
How should it (the spirit) find (God)? He that finds (God) becomes lost (in Him): like a torrent he is absorbed in the Ocean.
دانه گم شد آنگهی او تین بود ** تا نمردی زر ندادم این بود
The seed is lost (in the earth): (only) then does it become a fig-tree. This is (the meaning of) “I did not give (you) the money till you died.”
بعد مکث ایشان متواری در بلاد چین در شهر تختگاه و بعد دراز شدن صبر بی‌صبر شدن آن بزرگین کی من رفتم الوداع خود را بر شاه عرضه کنم اما قدمی تنیلنی مقصودی او القی راسی کفادی ثم یا پای رساندم به مقصود و مراد یا سر بنهم هم‌چو دل از دست آن‌جا و نصیحت برادران او را سود ناداشتن یا عاذل العاشقین دع فة اضلها الله کیف ترشدها الی آخره
How, after they had stayed in hiding and tarried patiently for a long while in the capital of China, where the Emperor was enthroned, the eldest (brother) lost patience and said, “Farewell! I will go and present myself to the King. Either my feet will bring me to the object of my quest, or I will lose my head there as (I have already lost) my heart”— (The Persian translation of this Arabic verse is): “Either my feet will bring me to the object of my quest and desire, or I will give away my head there as (I have given away) my heart”— and how the good advice of his brothers was of no avail. “O thou that chidest those in love, let them alone! How shouldst thou direct a band which God has led astray?” And so forth.
آن بزرگین گفت ای اخوان من ** ز انتظار آمد به لب این جان من
The eldest (brother) said, “O my brethren, from waiting (so long) this soul of mine is on the verge (of leaving my body).