(That) you have given up your belongings and sleep and the (healthy) colour of your face, and sacrificed your head (life) and become as (thin as) a hair;
رختها دادی و خواب و رنگ رو ** سر فدا کردی و گشتی همچو مو
(That) you have sat—how often!—in the fire, like aloes-wood; that you have gone—how often!—to meet the sword, like a helmet.1685
چند در آتش نشستی همچو عود ** چند پیش تیغ رفتی همچو خود
A hundred thousand such acts of helplessness are habitual to lovers (of God), and (their number) cannot be reckoned.
زین چنین بیچارگیها صد هزار ** خوی عشاق است و ناید در شمار
After you have had this dream at night, the day breaks; through hope thereof your day becomes triumphant.
چون که شب این خواب دیدی روز شد ** از امیدش روز تو پیروز شد
You have turned your eye to left and right, (wondering) where is that sign and those tokens.
چشم گردان کردهای بر چپ و راست ** کان نشان و آن علامتها کجاست
You are trembling like a leaf (and saying), “Alas, if the day depart and the sign come not to pass!”
بر مثال برگ میلرزی که وای ** گر رود روز و نشان ناید به جای
You are running in street and market and into houses, like one that should lose a calf.1690
میدوی در کوی و بازار و سرا ** چون کسی کاو گم کند گوساله را
(Somebody asks), “Is it good (news), Sir? Why are you running to and fro? Who belonging to you is it that you have lost here?”
خواجه خیر است این دوادو چیستت ** گم شده اینجا که داری کیستت
“It is good (news),” you tell him, “but none may know my good (news) except myself.
گوییاش خیر است لیکن خیر من ** کس نشاید که بداند غیر من
If I tell it, lo, my sign is missed, and when the sign is missed, the hour of death is come.”
گر بگویم نک نشانم فوت شد ** چون نشان شد فوت وقت موت شد
You peer into the face of every rider: he says to you, “Do not look at me like a madman.”
بنگری در روی هر مرد سوار ** گویدت منگر مرا دیوانهوار
You say to him, “I have lost a friend; I have set out to seek him.1695
گوییاش من صاحبی گم کردهام ** رو به جستجوی او آوردهام
May thy fortune be lasting, O rider! Have pity on lovers and excuse (them).”
دولتت پاینده بادا ای سوار ** رحم کن بر عاشقان معذور دار
When you have made search (and your) looking has been in earnest—earnest endeavour does not fail: so the Tradition has come down (from the Prophet)—
چون طلب کردی به جد آمد نظر ** جد خطا نکند چنین آمد خبر
Suddenly comes a blessed rider; then he clasps you very closely to his breast.
ناگهان آمد سواری نیک بخت ** پس گرفت اندر کنارت سخت سخت
You become senseless and fall to vaunting (ecstatically); the ignorant (uninitiated) man says, “Here is fraud and hypocrisy.”
تو شدی بیهوش و افتادی به طاق ** بیخبر گفت اینت سالوس و نفاق
How does he see what this enthusiasm in him (the enraptured person) is? He knows not (who it is) with whom that is the sign of union.1700
او چه میبیند در او این شور چیست ** او نداند کان نشان وصل کیست
This sign concerns (only) him that has seen (before): how should the sign appear to the other one?
این نشان در حق او باشد که دید ** آن دگر را کی نشان آید پدید
Every moment that a sign was coming from Him, a (new) spirit was coming into that person's spirit.
هر زمان کز وی نشانی میرسید ** شخص را جانی به جانی میرسید
Water has reached the helpless fish. These signs are (those mentioned in the text) those are the signs of the Book.
ماهی بیچاره را پیش آمد آب ** این نشانها تلک آیات الکتاب
Hence the signs which are in the prophets are peculiar to (known exclusively by) him who is a friend (knower and lover of God).
پس نشانیها که اندر انبیاست ** خاص آن جان را بود کاو آشناست
This discourse remains imperfect and unsettled; I have no heart (understanding), I am out of my mind: excuse me.1705
این سخن ناقص بماند و بیقرار ** دل ندارم بیدلم معذور دار
How can any one number the motes, especially that one whose understanding has been transported by Love?
ذرهها را کی تواند کس شمرد ** خاصه آن کاو عشق عقل او ببرد
Shall I number the leaves of the garden? Shall I number the cries of the partridge and the crow?
میشمارم برگهای باغ را ** میشمارم بانگ کبک و زاغ را
They come not into computation, but I enumerate them for the guidance of him that is put to trial.
در شمار اندر نیاید لیک من ** میشمارم بهر رشد ممتحن