- Every night Thou freest the spirits from the body's snare, and dost erase (the impressions on) the tablets (of the mind).
- هر شبی از دام تن ارواح را ** میرهانی میکنی الواح را
- The spirits are set free every night from this cage, independent, neither ruling nor ruled by anyone.
- میرهند ارواح هر شب زین قفس ** فارغان، نه حاکم و محکوم کس
- At night prisoners are unconscious of their prison, at night governors are unconscious of their power. 390
- شب ز زندان بیخبر زندانیان ** شب ز دولت بیخبر سلطانیان
- There is no sorrow, no thought of gain or loss, no fancy of this person or that person.
- نه غم و اندیشهی سود و زیان ** نه خیال این فلان و آن فلان
- This is the state of the ‘árif (gnostic), even without sleep: God said, (Thou wouldst deem them awake) whilst they slept. Shy not at this.
- حال عارف این بود بیخواب هم ** گفت ایزد هم رقود زین مرم
- He is asleep, day and night, to the affairs of the world, like a pen in the hand of the Lord's control.
- خفته از احوال دنیا روز و شب ** چون قلم در پنجهی تقلیب رب
- One who sees not the hand in the writing thinks (that) the act (of writing proceeds) from the pen by means of movement.
- آن که او پنجه نبیند در رقم ** فعل پندارد به جنبش از قلم
- He (God) hath shown forth some part of this state of the ‘árif, (inasmuch as) the intellect too is carried off (overtaken) by sleep of the senses. 395
- شمهای زین حال عارف وانمود ** خلق را هم خواب حسی در ربود
- Their souls are gone into the desert that is without description: their spirits and bodies are at rest;
- رفته در صحرای بیچون جانشان ** روحشان آسوده و ابدانشان
- And with a whistle thou leadest them back to the snare, leadest them all (back) to justice and to the judge.
- وز صفیری باز دام اندر کشی ** جمله را در داد و در داور کشی
- Like Isráfíl (Seraphiel), He (God) who causes the dawn to break brings them all from those lands (of spirit) into (the world of) form.
- فالق الإصباح اسرافیلوار ** جمله را در صورت آرد ز ان دیار
- He embodies the spirits divested (of body), He makes each body pregnant (laden) again (with actions and works).
- روحهای منبسط را تن کند ** هر تنی را باز آبستن کند
- He makes the steed of the souls bare of saddle: this is the inner meaning of “Sleep is the brother of Death”; 400
- اسب جانها را کند عاری ز زین ** سر النوم اخ الموت است این
- But in order that they may return in the daytime, He puts a long tether on their leg,
- لیک بهر آن که روز آیند باز ** بر نهد بر پایشان بند دراز
- So that in the daytime He may lead it back from that meadow and bring it from the pasture (to go) under the load.
- تا که روزش واکشد ز ان مرغزار ** وز چراگاه آردش در زیر بار
- Would that He had guarded this spirit as the Men of the Cave or as the Ark of Noah,
- کاش چون اصحاب کهف این روح را ** حفظ کردی یا چو کشتی نوح را
- That this mind and eye and ear might be delivered from the Flood of wakefulness and consciousness!
- تا از این طوفان بیداری و هوش ** وارهیدی این ضمیر چشم و گوش
- 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