The sea of the body is dashing against the sea of the heart, (but) between them is a barrier which they shall not cross.
بحر تن بر بحر دل بر هم زنان ** در میانشان برزخ لا یبغیان
Whether you be straight (righteous) or crooked, always creep forwards to Him; do not creep backwards.
گر تو باشی راست ور باشی تو کژ ** پیشتر میغژ بدو واپس مغژ
If in the presence of kings there be danger to life, yet they that aspire cannot refrain from (presence with) Him.
پیش شاهان گر خطر باشد به جان ** لیک نشکیبد از او با همتان
Since the King is sweeter than sugar, ’tis better that life should go (as a sacrifice) to (that) sweetness.
شاه چون شیرینتر از شکر بود ** جان به شیرینی رود خوشتر بود
O blamer (of lovers), safety be thine! O seeker of safety, thou art infirm.1375
ای ملامت گر سلامت مر ترا ** ای سلامت جو تویی واهی العری
My soul is a furnace: it is happy with the fire: ’tis enough for the furnace that it is the fire's house.
جان من کوره ست با آتش خوش است ** کوره را این بس که خانهی آتش است
For Love, as (for) the furnace, there is something to be burned: any one that is blind to this is not a furnace.
همچو کوره عشق را سوزیدنی است ** هر که او زین کور باشد کوره نیست
When the provision of unprovidedness has become your provision, you have gained life everlasting, and death is gone.
برگ بیبرگی ترا چون برگ شد ** جان باقی یافتی و مرگ شد
When the pain (of love) has begun to increase your (spiritual) joy, roses and lilies have taken possession of the garden of your soul.
چون ترا غم شادی افزودن گرفت ** روضهی جانت گل و سوسن گرفت
That which is the dread of others is your safety (safeguard): the duck is (made) strong by the river, the domestic fowl weak.1380
آن چه خوف دیگران آن امن تست ** بط قوی از بحر و مرغ خانه سست
Once more have I become mad, O Physician! Once more have I become frenzied, O Beloved!
باز دیوانه شدم من ای طبیب ** باز سودایی شدم من ای حبیب
The rings (links) of Thy chain are multiform: every single ring gives a different madness.
حلقههای سلسلهی تو ذو فنون ** هر یکی حلقه دهد دیگر جنون
The gift of every ring is (consists in) different forms: therefore I have a different madness at every moment.
داد هر حلقه فنونی دیگر است ** پس مرا هر دم جنونی دیگر است
So “Madness is of different forms”—this has become a proverb; especially (is it true) as regards the chain of this most glorious Prince.
پس فنون باشد جنون این شد مثل ** خاصه در زنجیر این میر اجل
Such a madness has broken the bonds (of my reason) that all madmen would give me admonition.1385
آن چنان دیوانگی بگسست بند ** که همه دیوانگان پندم دهند
How friends came to the madhouse for Dhu ’l-Nún—may God sanctify his honoured spirit!
آمدن دوستان به بیمارستان جهت پرسش ذو النون مصری
It so happened to Dhu ’l-Nún the Egyptian that a new agitation and madness was born within him.
این چنین ذو النون مصری را فتاد ** کاندر او شور و جنونی نو بزاد
His agitation became so great that salt (bitterness) from it was reaching (all) hearts up to above the sky.
شور چندان شد که تا فوق فلک ** میرسید از وی جگرها را نمک
Beware, O (thou of) salty soil, do not put thy agitation beside (in comparison with) the agitation of the holy lords (saints).
هین منه تو شور خود ای شوره خاک ** پهلوی شور خداوندان پاک
The people could not endure his madness: his fire was carrying off their beards.
خلق را تاب جنون او نبود ** آتش او ریشهاشان میربود
When (that) fire fell on the beards of the vulgar, they bound him and put him in a prison.1390
چون که در ریش عوام آتش فتاد ** بند کردندش به زندانی نهاد
There is no possibility of pulling back this rein, though the vulgar be distressed by this way.
نیست امکان واکشیدن این لگام ** گر چه زین ره تنگ میآیند عام
These (spiritual) kings have seen (themselves in) danger of their lives from the vulgar; for this multitude are blind, and the kings (are) without (a visible) mark.
دیده این شاهان ز عامه خوف جان ** کاین گره کورند و شاهان بینشان
When authority is in the hands of profligates, (a) Dhu ’l-Nún is inevitably in prison.
چون که حکم اندر کف رندان بود ** لاجرم ذو النون در زندان بود
The great king rides alone! Such a unique pearl in the hands of children!
یک سواره میرود شاه عظیم ** در کف طفلان چنین در یتیم
What pearl? (Nay), the Sea hidden in a drop, a Sun concealed in a mote.1395
در چه دریا نهان در قطرهای ** آفتابی مخفی اندر ذرهای