Now writing (a description of) his state on some dust, like a geomancer who takes an omen by drawing lines (on earth or sand).
گاه بر خاکی نبشته حال خود ** همچو رمالی که رملی بر زند
At last he (Moses) overtook and beheld him; the giver of glad news said, “Permission has come (from God).
عاقبت دریافت او را و بدید ** گفت مژده ده که دستوری رسید
Do not seek any rules or method (of worship); say whatsoever your distressful heart desires.
هیچ آدابی و ترتیبی مجو ** هر چه میخواهد دل تنگت بگو
Your blasphemy is (the true) religion, and your religion is the light of the spirit: you are saved, and through you a (whole) world is in salvation.1785
کفر تو دین است و دینت نور جان ** ایمنی و ز تو جهانی در امان
O you who are made secure by God doeth whatso He willeth, go, loose your tongue without regard (for what you say).”
ای معاف یفعل الله ما یشاء ** بیمحابا رو زبان را بر گشا
He said, “O Moses, I have passed beyond that: I am now bathed in (my) heart's blood.
گفت ای موسی از آن بگذشتهام ** من کنون در خون دل آغشتهام
I have passed beyond the Lote-tree of the farthest bourn, I have gone a hundred thousand years' journey on the other side.
من ز سدرهی منتهی بگذشتهام ** صد هزاران ساله ز آن سو رفتهام
Thou didst ply the lash, and my horse shied, made a bound, and passed beyond the sky.
تازیانه بر زدی اسبم بگشت ** گنبدی کرد و ز گردون بر گذشت
May the Divine Nature be intimate with my human nature— blessings be on thy hand and on thine arm!1790
محرم ناسوت ما لاهوت باد ** آفرین بر دست و بر بازوت باد
Now my state is beyond telling: this which I am telling is not my (real) state.”
حال من اکنون برون از گفتن است ** این چه میگویم نه احوال من است
You behold the image which is in a mirror: it is your (own) image, it is not the image of the mirror.
نقش میبینی که در آیینهای است ** نقش تست آن نقش آن آیینه نیست
The breath which the flute-player puts into the flute—does it belong to the flute? No, it belongs to the man (the flute-player).
دم که مرد نایی اندر نای کرد ** در خور نای است نه در خورد مرد
Take good heed! Whether you speak praise (of God) or thanksgiving, know that it is even as the unseemly (words) of that shepherd.
هان و هان گر حمد گویی گر سپاس ** همچو نافرجام آن چوپان شناس
Though your praise is better in comparison with that, yet in relation to God it too is maimed (feeble).1795
حمد تو نسبت بدان گر بهتر است ** لیک آن نسبت به حق هم ابتر است
How often will you say, when the lid has been raised, “This was not what they were thinking (it was)!”
چند گویی چون غطا برداشتند ** کاین نبوده ست آن که میپنداشتند
This acceptance (by God) of your praise is from (His) mercy: it is an indulgence (which He grants), like (the indulgence granted in the case of) the prayers of a woman suffering from menorrhagia.
این قبول ذکر تو از رحمت است ** چون نماز مستحاضه رخصت است
Her prayers are stained with blood; your praise is stained with assimilation and qualification.
با نماز او بیالوده ست خون ** ذکر تو آلودهی تشبیه و چون
Blood is foul, and (yet) it goes (is washed away) by a (little) water; but the inward part (the inner man) hath impurities
خون پلید است و به آبی میرود ** لیک باطن را نجاستها بود
Which fail not (are not removed) from the interior (the heart) of the man of works except by the water of the grace of the Maker.1800
کان به غیر آب لطف کردگار ** کم نگردد از درون مرد کار
Would that in your bowing low in prayer you would turn your face (to attentive consideration) and apprehend the meaning of “Glory to my Lord!”
در سجودت کاش رو گردانیای ** معنی سبحان ربی دانیای
Saying, “Oh, my prostration (in prayer), like my existence, is unworthy (of Thee): do Thou give good in return for evil!”
کای سجودم چون وجودم ناسزا ** مر بدی را تو نکویی ده جزا
This earth has the mark of God's clemency, in that it got filth and gave flowers as the produce;
این زمین از حلم حق دارد اثر ** تا نجاست برد و گلها داد بر
In that it covers our pollutions, (and that) buds grow up from it in exchange.
تا بپوشد او پلیدیهای ما ** در عوض بر روید از وی غنچهها
Therefore, when the infidel saw that in giving and lavishing he was meaner and unwealthier than the earth,1805
پس چو کافر دید کاو در داد و جود ** کمتر و بیمایه تر از خاک بود
(That) flowers and fruit did not grow from his being, (and that) he sought (and achieved) nothing but the corruption of all purities,
از وجود او گل و میوه نرست ** جز فساد جمله پاکیها نجست