I am complaining of the Soul of the soul, (but in truth) I am not complaining: I am (only) relating.
من ز جان جان شکایت میکنم ** من نیم شاکی روایت میکنم
My heart is saying, “I am tormented by Him,” and I have (long) been laughing at its poor pretence.
دل همیگوید کز او رنجیدهام ** وز نفاق سست میخندیدهام
Do (me) right, O glory of the righteous, O Thou who art the dais, and I the threshold of Thy door!
راستی کن ای تو فخر راستان ** ای تو صدر و من درت را آستان
Where are threshold and dais in reality? In the quarter where our Beloved is, where are “we” and “I”?
آستان و صدر در معنی کجاست ** ما و من کو آن طرف کان یار ماست
O Thou whose soul is free from “we” and “I,” O Thou who art the subtle essence of the spirit in man and woman,1785
ای رهیده جان تو از ما و من ** ای لطیفهی روح اندر مرد و زن
When man and woman become one, Thou art that One; when the units are wiped out, lo, Thou art that (Unity).
مرد و زن چون یک شود آن یک تویی ** چون که یک جا محو شد آنک تویی
Thou didst contrive this “I” and “we” in order that Thou mightst play the game of worship with Thyself,
این من و ما بهر آن بر ساختی ** تا تو با خود نرد خدمت باختی
That all “I's” and “thou's” should become one soul and at last should be submerged in the Beloved.
تا من و توها همه یک جان شوند ** عاقبت مستغرق جانان شوند
All this is (true), and do Thou come, O Giver of the command, O Thou who transcendest “Come” and (all) speech!
این همه هست و بیا ای امر کن ** ای منزه از بیان و از سخن
The body can see Thee (only) in bodily fashion: it fancies (pictures to itself) Thy sadness or laughter.1790
جسم جسمانه تواند دیدنت ** در خیال آرد غم و خندیدنت
Do not say that the heart that is bound (conditioned) by (such bodily attributes as) sadness and laughter is worthy of seeing Thee (as Thou really art).
دل که او بستهی غم و خندیدن است ** تو مگو کاو لایق آن دیدن است
He who is bound by sadness and laughter is living by means of these two borrowed (transient and unreal) things.
آن که او بستهی غم و خنده بود ** او بدین دو عاریت زنده بود
In the verdant garden of Love, which is without end, there are many fruits besides sorrow and joy.
باغ سبز عشق کاو بیمنتهاست ** جز غم و شادی در او بس میوههاست
Love is higher than these two states of feeling: without spring and without autumn it is (ever) green and fresh.
عاشقی زین هر دو حالت برتر است ** بیبهار و بیخزان سبز و تر است
Pay the tithe on Thy fair face, O Beauteous One: relate the story of the soul that is rent in pieces,1795
ده زکات روی خوب ای خوب رو ** شرح جان شرحه شرحه باز گو
For by the coquetry of a glance One who is given to glancing amorously has branded my heart anew.
کز کرشم غمزهی غمازهای ** بر دلم بنهاد داغی تازهای
I absolved Him if He shed my blood: I was saying, “It is lawful (I absolve Thee),” and He was fleeing (from me).
من حلالش کردم از خونم بریخت ** من همیگفتم حلال او میگریخت
Since Thou art fleeing from the lament of those who are (as) dust, why pourest Thou sorrow on the hearts of the sorrowful?
چون گریزانی ز نالهی خاکیان ** غم چه ریزی بر دل غمناکیان
O Thou, whom every dawn that shone from the East found overflowing (with abundant grace) like the bright fountain (of the sun),
ای که هر صبحی که از مشرق بتافت ** همچو چشمهی مشرقت در جوش یافت
How didst Thou give (nothing but) evasion to Thy frenzied lover, O Thou the sugar of whose lips hath no price?1800
چون بهانه دادی این شیدات را ** ای بهانه شکر لبهات را
O Thou who art a new soul to the old world, hear the cry (that comes) from my body (which is) without soul and heart.
ای جهان کهنه را تو جان نو ** از تن بیجان و دل افغان شنو
Leave the tale of the Rose! For God's sake set forth the tale of the Nightingale that is parted from the Rose!
شرح گل بگذار از بهر خدا ** شرح بلبل گو که شد از گل جدا
Our emotion is not caused by grief and joy, our consciousness is not related to fancy and imagination.
از غم و شادی نباشد جوش ما ** با خیال و وهم نبود هوش ما
There is another state (of consciousness), which is rare: do not thou disbelieve, for God is very mighty.
حالتی دیگر بود کان نادر است ** تو مشو منکر که حق بس قادر است
Do not judge from the (normal) state of man, do not abide in wrong-doing and in well-doing.1805
تو قیاس از حالت انسان مکن ** منزل اندر جور و در احسان مکن