In these conditions Majnún remained going to and fro for years on a three days' journey.
در سه روزه ره بدین احوالها ** ماند مجنون در تردد سالها
He said, “O camel, since we both are lovers, therefore we two contraries are unsuitable fellow-travellers.
گفت ای ناقه چو هر دو عاشقیم ** ما دو ضد پس همره نالایقیم
Thy affection and toggle (propensity) are not in accord with me: it behoves (me) to choose parting from thy companionship.”
نیستت بر وفق من مهر و مهار ** کرد باید از تو صحبت اختیار
These two fellow-travellers (the reason and the flesh) are brigands waylaying each other: lost is the spirit that does not dismount from the body.
این دو همره یکدگر را راه‌زن ** گمره آن جان کو فرو ناید ز تن
The spirit, because of separation from the highest Heaven, is in a (great) want; the body, on account of passion for the thorn-shrub (of sensual pleasure), is like a she-camel.1545
جان ز هجر عرش اندر فاقه‌ای ** تن ز عشق خاربن چون ناقه‌ای
The spirit unfolds its wings (to fly) upwards; the body has stuck its claws in the earth.
جان گشاید سوی بالا بالها ** در زده تن در زمین چنگالها
“So long as thou art with me, O thou who art mortally enamoured of thy home, then my spirit will remain far from Laylá.
تا تو با من باشی ای مرده‌ی وطن ** پس ز لیلی دور ماند جان من
From experiences of this kind my life-time, for many years, has gone (to waste), like (that of) the people of Moses in the desert.
روزگارم رفت زین گون حالها ** هم‌چو تیه و قوم موسی سالها
This journey to union was (only) a matter of two steps: because of thy noose I have remained sixty years on the way.
خطوتینی بود این ره تا وصال ** مانده‌ام در ره ز شستت شصت سال
The way is near (not far), but I have tarried very late: I have become sick of this riding, sick, sick.”1550
راه نزدیک و بماندم سخت دیر ** سیر گشتم زین سواری سیرسیر