Oh, in the world there is many a Man of the Cave beside you, before you, at this time:405
ای بسی اصحاب کهف اندر جهان ** پهلوی تو پیش تو هست این زمان
The Friend is with him, the Cave is in converse with him; but your eyes and ears are sealed, (so) what does it avail?
غار با او یار با او در سرود ** مهر بر چشم است و بر گوشت چه سود
Story of the Caliph's seeing Laylá.
قصه‌‌ی دیدن خلیفه لیلی را
The Caliph said to Laylá: “Art thou she by whom Majnún was distracted and led astray?
گفت لیلی را خلیفه کان توی ** کز تو مجنون شد پریشان و غوی
Thou art not superior to other fair ones.” “Be silent,” she replied, “since thou art not Majnún.”
از دگر خوبان تو افزون نیستی ** گفت خامش چون تو مجنون نیستی
Whosoever is awake (to the material world) is the more asleep (to the spiritual world); his wakefulness is worse than his sleep.
هر که بیدار است او در خواب‌‌تر ** هست بیداریش از خوابش بتر
When our soul is not awake to God, wakefulness is like closing our doors (to Divine influences).410
چون به حق بیدار نبود جان ما ** هست بیداری چو در بندان ما
All day long, from the buffets of phantasy and from (thoughts of) loss and gain and from fear of decline,
جان همه روز از لگدکوب خیال ** وز زیان و سود وز خوف زوال
There remains to it (the soul) neither joy nor grace and glory nor way of journeying to Heaven.
نی صفا می‌‌ماندش نی لطف و فر ** نی به سوی آسمان راه سفر
The one asleep (to spiritual things) is he who hath hope of every vain fancy and holds parley with it.
خفته آن باشد که او از هر خیال ** دارد اومید و کند با او مقال
Diabolum per somnum videt tanquam virginem caelestem, deinde propter libidinem effundit cum diabolo aquam (seminis). [During sleep, he sees (in a dream) a demon resembling a heavenly maiden (houri); then he pours forth (seminal) fluid out of lust (in imagined intercourse) with the demon.]
دیو را چون حور بیند او به خواب ** پس ز شهوت ریزد او با دیو آب