ای هزاران جبرئیل اندر بشر ** ای مسیحان نهان در جوف خر
O thou who art a thousand Gabriels in (the form of) man, O thou who art (many) Messiahs inside the ass (of Jesus),
ای هزاران کعبه پنهان در کنیس ** ای غلط‌انداز عفریت و بلیس 4585
O thou who art a thousand Ka‘bas concealed in a church, O thou who causest ‘ifrít and devil to fall into error,
سجده‌گاه لامکانی در مکان ** مر بلیسان را ز تو ویران دکان
Thou art the spaceless Object of worship in space: the devils have their shop destroyed by thee,
که چرا من خدمت این طین کنم ** صورتی را نم لقب چون دین کنم
(For they say), “How should I pay homage to this clay? How should I bestow on a (mere) form a title signifying (my) obedience (adoration)?”
نیست صورت چشم را نیکو به مال ** تا ببینی شعشعه‌ی نور جلال
He is not the form (in which he appears): rub thine eye well, that thou mayst behold (in him) the radiance of the light of (Divine) glory!
باز آمدن به شرح قصه‌ی شاه‌زاده و ملازمت او در حضرت شاه
Resuming the explanation of the Story of the (eldest) prince and his constant attendance at the court of the King.
شاه‌زاده پیش شه حیران این ** هفت گردون دیده در یک مشت طین
The prince in the presence of the King was bewildered by this (mystery): he beheld the Seven Heavens in a handful of clay.
هیچ ممکن نه ببحثی لب گشود ** لیک جان با جان دمی خامش نبود 4590
Nowise was it possible (for him) to open his lips in discussion, but never for a moment did soul cease to converse with soul.
آمده در خاطرش کین بس خفیست ** این همه معنیست پس صورت ز چیست
It came into his mind that ’twas exceedingly mysterious— “all this is reality: whence, then, comes the form (appearance)?”
صورتی از صورتت بیزار کن ** خفته‌ای هر خفته را بیدار کن
(’Tis) a form that frees thee from (the illusion of) form, a sleeper that awakens every one who is asleep (to the Truth).
آن کلامت می‌رهاند از کلام ** وان سقامت می‌جهاند از سقام
The words (spoken by him) deliver (thee) from words (of idle disputation), and the sickness (of love inspired by him) lets thee escape from the sickness (of sensuality).
پس سقام عشق جان صحتست ** رنجهااش حسرت هر راحتست
Therefore the sickness of love is the (very) soul of health: its pains are the envy of every pleasure.
ای تن اکنون دست خود زین جان بشو ** ور نمی‌شویی جز این جانی بجو 4595
O body, now wash thy hands of this (animal) soul, or if thou wilt not wash (thy hands of it), seek another soul than this!
حاصل آن شه نیک او را می‌نواخت ** او از آن خورشید چون مه می‌گداخت
In short, the King cherished him (the prince) fondly, and in (the beams of) that Sun he was melting away like the moon.
آن گداز عاشقان باشد نمو ** هم‌چو مه اندر گدازش تازه‌رو
The melting (wasting) away of lovers is (the cause of their spiritual) growth: like the moon, he (the lover) hath a fresh (shining) face whilst he is melting away.
جمله رنجوران دوا دارند امید ** نالد این رنجور کم افزون کنید
All the sick hope to be cured, but this sick one sobs, crying, “Increase my sickness!
خوش‌تر از این سم ندیدم شربتی ** زین مرض خوش‌تر نباشد صحتی
I have found no drink sweeter than this poison: no state of health can be sweeter than this disease.
No act of piety can be better than this sin: years in comparison with this moment are (but) an hour.”
مدتی بد پیش این شه زین نسق ** دل کباب و جان نهاده بر طبق
In this fashion he remained with this King for a long while, his heart (roasted like) kabáb and his soul laid on the tray (of self-devotion).
گفت شه از هر کسی یک سر برید ** من ز شه هر لحظه قربانم جدید
He said, “The King beheads every one once, (but) I am sacrificed anew by the King at every instant.
من فقیرم از زر از سر محتشم ** صد هزاران سر خلف دارد سرم
I am poor in gold, but rich in heads (lives): my head (life) hath a hundred heads to take its place.
با دو پا در عشق نتوان تاختن ** با یکی سر عشق نتوان باختن
No one can run in (the path of) Love with two feet: no one can play (the game of) Love with one head;
هر کسی را خود دو پا و یک‌سرست ** با هزاران پا و سر تن نادرست 4605
Yet every one has two feet and one head: the body with thousands of feet and heads is a rarity.”
زین سبب هنگامه‌ها شد کل هدر ** هست این هنگامه هر دم گرم‌تر
On this account all (other) combats are (fought) in vain, (while) this combat (of Love) grows hotter every moment.
معدن گرمیست اندر لامکان ** هفت دوزخ از شرارش یک دخان
The source of its heat lies beyond the realm of space: the seven Hells are (but) a smoke (rising) from the sparks of its fire.
در بیان آنک دوزخ گوید کی قنطره‌ی صراط بر سر اوست ای مومن از صراط زودتر بگذر زود بشتاب تا عظمت نور تو آتش ما را نکشد جز یا مومن فان نورک اطفاء ناری
Setting forth how Hell will say, when the Bridge Sirát is (laid) over it (at the Resurrection), “O believer, pass more quickly across the Sirát! Quick, make haste, lest the greatness of thy light put out my fire,” (according to the Tradition), “Pass, O believer, for lo, thy light hath extinguished my fire.”
زآتش عاشق ازین رو ای صفی ** می‌شود دوزخ ضعیف و منطقی
For this reason, O sincere man, Hell is enfeebled and extinguished by the fire of Love.
گویدش بگذر سبک ای محتشم ** ورنه ز آتش‌های تو مرد آتشم
It says to him (the believer), “Pass speedily, O respected one, or else my fire will be destroyed by thy flames.”
کفر که کبریت دوزخ اوست و بس ** بین که می‌پخساند او را این نفس 4610
Behold how this breath (of Love) dissolves infidelity, which alone is the brimstone of Hell!
زود کبریت بدین سودا سپار ** تا نه دوزخ بر تو تازد نه شرار
Quickly entrust thy brimstone to this passion (of Love), in order that neither Hell nor (even) its sparks may assail thee.
گویدش جنت گذر کن هم‌چو باد ** ورنه گردد هر چه من دارم کساد
Paradise (too) says to him, “Pass like the wind, or else all that I possess will become unsalable;
که تو صاحب‌خرمنی من خوشه‌چین ** من بتی‌ام تو ولایت‌های چین
For thou art the owner of the (whole) stack, (while) I am (but) a gleaner: I am (but) an idol, (while) thou art (all) the provinces of China.”
هست لرزان زو جحیم و هم جنان ** نه مر این را نه مر آن را زو امان
Both Hell and Paradise are trembling in fear of him (the believer): neither the one nor the other feels safe from him.
رفت عمرش چاره را فرصت نیافت ** صبر بس سوزان بدت وجان بر نتافت 4615
His (the prince's) life sped away and he found no opportunity to cure (his passion): the waiting consumed him exceedingly and his soul could not endure it.
مدتی دندان‌کنان این می‌کشید ** نارسیده عمر او آخر رسید
For a long time, gnashing his teeth, he suffered this (agony): ere he attained, his life reached its end.
صورت معشوق زو شد در نهفت ** رفت و شد با معنی معشوق جفت
The form (appearance) of the Beloved vanished from him: he died and was united with the reality of the Beloved.
گفت لبسش گر ز شعر و ششترست ** اعتناق بی‌حجابش خوشترست
He said (to himself), “Though his raiment was of silk and Shushtar cloth, his unscreened embrace is sweeter.
من شدم عریان ز تن او از خیال ** می‌خرامم در نهایات الوصال
(Now) I am denuded of my body, and he of (the veil of) phantasy: I am advancing triumphantly in the consummation of union.”
این مباحث تا بدین‌جا گفتنیست ** هرچه آید زین سپس بنهفتنیست 4620
These topics may be discussed up to this point, (but) all that comes after this must be kept hid;
ور بگویی ور بکوشی صد هزار ** هست بیگار و نگردد آشکار
And if you would tell it and make a hundred thousand efforts, ’tis fruitless labour, for it will never become clear.
تا به دریا سیر اسپ و زین بود ** بعد ازینت مرکب چوبین بود
As far as the sea, ’tis a journey on horseback: after this you (must) have a wooden horse.
مرکب چوبین به خشکی ابترست ** خاص آن دریاییان را رهبرست
The wooden horse is no good on the dry land: it carries exclusively those who voyage on the sea.
این خموشی مرکب چوبین بود ** بحریان را خامشی تلقین بود
The wooden horse is this (mystical) silence: (this) silence gives instruction to the sea-folk.
هر خموشی که ملولت می‌کند ** نعره‌های عشق آن سو می‌زند 4625
Every (such) silent one who wearies you is (really) uttering shrieks of love Yonder.
تو همی‌گویی عجب خامش چراست ** او همی‌گوید عجب گوشش کجاست
You say, “I wonder why he is silent”; he says (to himself), “How strange! Where is his ear?
من ز نعره کر شدم او بی‌خبر ** تیزگوشان زین سمر هستند کر
I am deafened by the shrieks, (yet) he is unaware (of them).” The (apparently) sharp-eared are (in fact) deaf to this (mystical) converse.
آن یکی در خواب نعره می‌زند ** صد هزاران بحث و تلقین می‌کند
(For example), some one cries aloud in his dream and gives a hundred thousand discussions and communications,
این نشسته پهلوی او بی‌خبر ** خفته خود آنست و کر زان شور و شر
(While) this (other), sitting beside him, is unaware (of it): ’tis really he who is asleep and deaf to (all) that turmoil and tumult.
وان کسی کش مرکب چوبین شکست ** غرقه شد در آب او خود ماهیست 4630
And he whose wooden horse is shattered and sunk in the water (of the sea), he in sooth is the fish.
نه خموشست و نه گویا نادریست ** حال او را در عبارت نام نیست
He is neither silent nor speaking: he is a marvel: there is no name to describe his state.
نیست زین دو هر دو هست آن بوالعجب ** شرح این گفتن برونست از ادب
He does not belong to these two (categories), (and yet) that prodigy is (really) both: to explain this would transgress the limits of due reverence.
این مثال آمد رکیک و بی‌ورود ** لیک در محسوس ازین بهتر نبود
This comparison is poor and unsuccessful, but in the sensible (world) there was none better than this (to be found).
متوفی شدن بزرگین از شه‌زادگان و آمدن برادر میانین به جنازه‌ی برادر کی آن کوچکین صاحب‌فراش بود از رنجوری و نواختن پادشاه میانین را تا او هم لنگ احسان شد ماند پیش پادشاه صد هزار از غنایم غیبی و غنی بدو رسید از دولت و نظر آن شاه مع تقریر بعضه
The death of the eldest prince, and how the middle brother came to his funeral—for the youngest was confined to his bed by illness; and how the King treated the middle brother with great affection, so that he too was crippled (captivated) by his kindness; (and how) he remained with the King, and a hundred thousand spoils (precious gifts), from the unseen and visible worlds, were conferred upon him by the fortune and favour of the King; with an exposition of some part thereof.