Truly the staff is loved by the blind; the (inwardly) blind man himself is a coffer (full) of the Qur’án.
خود عصا معشوق عمیان میبود ** کور خود صندوق قرآن میبود
He (a certain one) said, “In sooth the blind are coffers full of the words of the Qur’án and commemoration (of God) and warning.”
گفت کوران خود صنادیقند پر ** از حروف مصحف و ذکر و نذر
Again, a coffer full of the Qur’án is better than he that is (like) an empty coffer in the hand.
باز صندوقی پر از قرآن به است ** زانک صندوقی بود خالی بدست
Yet again, the coffer that is empty of (any) load is better than the coffer that is full of mice and snakes.
باز صندوقی که خالی شد ز بار ** به ز صندوقی که پر موشست و مار
The sum (of the matter is this): when a man has attained to union, the go between becomes worthless to him.1400
حاصل اندر وصل چون افتاد مرد ** گشت دلاله به پیش مرد سرد
Since you have reached the object of your search, O elegant one, the search for knowledge has now become evil.
چون به مطلوبت رسیدی ای ملیح ** شد طلب کاری علم اکنون قبیح
Since you have mounted to the roofs of Heaven, it would be futile to seek a ladder.
چون شدی بر بامهای آسمان ** سرد باشد جست وجوی نردبان
After (having attained to) felicity, the way (that leads) to felicity is worthless except for the sake of helping and teaching others.
جز برای یاری و تعلیم غیر ** سرد باشد راه خیر از بعد خیر
The shining mirror, which has become clear and perfect— ’twould be folly to apply a burnisher (to it).
آینهی روشن که شد صاف و ملی ** جهل باشد بر نهادن صیقلی
Seated happily beside the Sultan (and) in favour (with him) —’twould be disgraceful to seek letter and messenger.1405
پیش سلطان خوش نشسته در قبول ** زشت باشد جستن نامه و رسول
Story of a lover's being engrossed in reading and perusing a love-letter in the presence of his beloved, and how the beloved was displeased thereat. It is shameful to seek the proof in the presence of that which is proved, and blameworthy to occupy one's self with knowledge after having attained to that which is known.
داستان مشغول شدن عاشقی به عشقنامه خواندن و مطالعه کردن عشقنامه درحضور معشوق خویش و معشوق آن را ناپسند داشتن کی طلب الدلیل عند حضور المدلول قبیح والاشتغال بالعلم بعد الوصول الی المعلوم مذموم
A certain man, (when) his beloved let (him) sit beside her, produced a letter and read it to her.
آن یکی را یار پیش خود نشاند ** نامه بیرون کرد و پیش یار خواند
In the letter were verses and praise and laud, lamentation and wretchedness and many humble entreaties.
بیتها در نامه و مدح و ثنا ** زاری و مسکینی و بس لابهها
The beloved said, “If this is for my sake, (to read) this at the time of (our) meeting is to waste one's life.
گفت معشوق این اگر بهر منست ** گاه وصل این عمر ضایع کردنست
I am here beside thee, and thou reading a letter! This, at any rate, is not the mark of (true) lovers.”
من به پیشت حاضر و تو نامه خوان ** نیست این باری نشان عاشقان
He replied, “Thou art present here, but I am not gaining my pleasure well (completely).1410
گفت اینجا حاضری اما ولیک ** من نمییایم نصیب خویش نیک
That which I felt last year on account of thee is non-existent at this moment, though I am experiencing union (with thee).
آنچ میدیدم ز تو پارینه سال ** نیست این دم گرچه میبینم وصال
I have drunk cool water from this fountain, I have refreshed eye and heart with its water.
من ازین چشمه زلالی خوردهام ** دیده و دل ز آب تازه کردهام
I am (still) seeing the fountain, but the water is not there: maybe some brigand has waylaid (and cut off) my water.”
چشمه میبینم ولیکن آب نی ** راه آبم را مگر زد رهزنی
She said, “Then I am not thy beloved: I am in Bulghár, and the object of thy desire is in Qutú
گفت پس من نیستم معشوق تو ** من به بلغار و مرادت در قتو
Thou art in love with me and (also) with a state of feeling; the state of feeling is not in thy hand (in thy possession), O youth.1415
عاشقی تو بر من و بر حالتی ** حالت اندر دست نبود یا فتی
Therefore I am not the whole of that which is sought by thee; I am (only) part of the object of thy quest at the present time.
پس نیم کلی مطلوب تو من ** جزو مقصودم ترا اندرز من
I am (only) the house of thy beloved, not the beloved (herself): (true) love is for the cash, not for the coffer (that contains it).”
خانهی معشوقهام معشوق نی ** عشق بر نقدست بر صندوق نی
The (real) beloved is that one who is single, who is thy beginning and end.
هست معشوق آنک او یکتو بود ** مبتدا و منتهاات او بود
When thou findest him, thou wilt not remain in expectation (of aught else): he is both the manifest and also the mystery,
چون بیابیاش نمانی منتظر ** هم هویدا او بود هم نیز سر
He is the lord of states of feeling, not dependent on any state: month and year are slaves of that Moon.1420
میر احوالست نه موقوف حال ** بندهی آن ماه باشد ماه و سال