O Thou who art beyond my conception and utterance, dust be on the head of me and my similes!
ای برون از وهم و قال و قیل من ** خاک بر فرق من و تمثیل من
Thy servant cannot refrain from depicting Thy beauty: every moment he says to Thee, “May my soul be Thy carpet!”
بنده نشکیبد ز تصویر خوشت ** هر دمت گوید که جانم مفرشت
(He is) like the shepherd who used to say, “O God, come to Thy shepherd and lover,3320
همچو آن چوپان که میگفت ای خدا ** پیش چوپان و محب خود بیا
That I may seek out the lice in Thy smock and stitch Thy shoon and kiss Thy skirt.”
تا شپش جویم من از پیراهنت ** چارقت دوزم ببوسم دامنت
There was none equal to him in passion and love, but he fell short in glorification and (respectful) speech.
کس نبودش در هوا و عشق جفت ** لیک قاصر بود از تسبیح و گفت
His love pitched its tent on the sky: the (beloved) Soul became the dog (guardian) of that shepherd's tent.
عشق او خرگاه بر گردون زده ** جان سگ خرگاه آن چوپان شده
When the sea of Divine Love surged up, it struck upon his heart; it struck (only) upon your ear.
چونک بحر عشق یزدان جوش زد ** بر دل او زد ترا بر گوش 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.
حکایت جوحی کی چادر پوشید و در وعظ میان زنان نشست و حرکتی کرد زنی او را بشناخت کی مردست نعرهای زد
There was a preacher, very fine in his exposition, under whose pulpit a great number of men and women were assembled.3325
واعظی بد بس گزیده در بیان ** زیر منبر جمع مردان و زنان
Júhí went (to hear him): he got a chádar and veil and entered amongst the women without (his sex) being recognised.
رفت جوحی چادر و روبند ساخت ** در میان آن زنان شد ناشناخت
Someone asked the preacher secretly num pili in pube precibus sollennibus detrimentum faciant. [Some one asked the preacher secretly, “Are pubic hairs a deficiency in (doing) the ritual prayer?”]
سایلی پرسید واعظ را به راز ** موی عانه هست نقصان نماز