Learn these ways of acting from the Friend of God (Abraham), who first renounced his father,
از خلیل حق بیاموز این سیر ** که شد او بیزار اول از پدر
That in the presence of God you may become (one of those who) hate for God's sake, lest the jealousy of (Divine) Love take offence at you.1240
تا که ابغض لله آیی پیش حق ** تا نگیرد بر تو رشک عشق دق
Until you recite “(There is) not (any god)” and “except Allah,” you will not find the plain track of this Way.
تا نخوانی لا و الا الله را ** در نیابی منهج این راه را
Story of the lover who was recounting to his beloved his acts of service and loyalty and the long nights (during which) their sides heave up from their beds and the long days of want and parching thirst; and he was saying, “I know not any service besides these: if there is any other service (to be done), direct me, for I submit to whatever thou mayst command, whether to enter the fire, like Khalíl (Abraham), on whom be peace, or fall into the mouth of the leviathan of the sea, like Jonah, on whom be peace, or be killed seventy times, like Jirjís (St George), on whom be peace, or be made blind by weeping, like Shu‘ayb, on whom be peace; and the loyalty and self-sacrifice of the prophets cannot be reckoned”; and how the beloved answered him.
داستان آن عاشق کی با معشوق خود برمی‌شمرد خدمتها و وفاهای خود را و شبهای دراز تتجافی جنوبهم عن المضاجع را و بی‌نوایی و جگر تشنگی روزهای دراز را و می‌گفت کی من جزین خدمت نمی‌دانم اگر خدمت دیگر هست مرا ارشاد کن کی هر چه فرمایی منقادم اگر در آتش رفتن است چون خلیل علیه‌السلام و اگر در دهان نهنگ دریا فتادنست چون یونس علیه‌السلام و اگر هفتاد بار کشته شدن است چون جرجیس علیه‌السلام و اگر از گریه نابینا شدن است چون شعیب علیه‌السلام و وفا و جانبازی انبیا را علیهم‌السلام شمار نیست و جواب گفتن معشوق او را
A certain lover in the presence of his beloved was recounting his services and works,
آن یکی عاشق به پیش یار خود ** می‌شمرد از خدمت و از کار خود
Saying, “For thy sake I did such and such, in this war I suffered (wounds from) arrows and spears.
کز برای تو چنین کردم چنان ** تیرها خوردم درین رزم و سنان
Wealth is gone and strength is gone and fame is gone: on account of my love for thee many a misfortune has befallen me.
مال رفت و زور رفت و نام رفت ** بر من از عشقت بسی ناکام رفت
No dawn found me asleep or laughing; no eve found me with capital and means.”1245
هیچ صبحم خفته یا خندان نیافت ** هیچ شامم با سر و سامان نیافت
What he had tasted of bitters and dregs he was recounting to her in detail, point by point,
آنچ او نوشیده بود از تلخ و درد ** او به تفصیلش یکایک می‌شمرد
Not for the sake of reproach; nay, he was displaying a hundred testimonies of the trueness of his love.
نه از برای منتی بل می‌نمود ** بر درستی محبت صد شهود
For men of reason a single indication is enough, (but) how should the thirst (longing) of lovers be removed thereby?
عاقلان را یک اشارت بس بود ** عاشقان را تشنگی زان کی رود
He (the lover) repeats his tale unweariedly: how should a fish be satisfied with (mere) indication (so as to refrain) from the limpid water?
می‌کند تکرار گفتن بی‌ملال ** کی ز اشارت بس کند حوت از زلال
He (the lover), from that ancient grief, was speaking a hundred words in complaint, saying, “I have not spoken a word.”1250
صد سخن می‌گفت زان درد کهن ** در شکایت که نگفتم یک سخن
There was a fire in him: he did not know what it was, but on account of its heat he was weeping like a candle.
آتشی بودش نمی‌دانست چیست ** لیک چون شمع از تف آن می‌گریست
The beloved said, “Thou hast done all this, yet open thine ear wide and apprehend well;
گفت معشوق این همه کردی ولیک ** گوش بگشا پهن و اندر یاب نیک
For thou hast not done what is the root of the root of love and fealty: this that thou hast done is (only) the branches.”
کانچ اصل اصل عشقست و ولاست ** آن نکردی اینچ کردی فرعهاست
The lover said to her, “Tell me, what is that root?” She said, “The root thereof is to die and be naught.
گفتش آن عاشق بگو که آن اصل چیست ** گفت اصلش مردنست ونیستیست
Thou hast done all (else), (but) thou hast not died, thou art living. Hark, die, if thou art a self-sacrificing friend!”1255
تو همه کردی نمردی زنده‌ای ** هین بمیر ار یار جان‌بازنده‌ای
Instantly he laid himself at full length (on the ground) and gave up the ghost: like the rose, he played away his head (life), laughing and rejoicing.
هم در آن دم شد دراز و جان بداد ** هم‌چو گل درباخت سر خندان و شاد
That laughter remained with him as an endowment unto everlasting, like the untroubled spirit and reason of the gnostic.
ماند آن خنده برو وقف ابد ** هم‌چو جان و عقل عارف بی‌کبد
How should the light of the moon ever become defiled, though its light strike on everything good and evil?
نور مه‌آلوده کی گردد ابد ** گر زند آن نور بر هر نیک و بد
Pure of all (defilements) it returns to the moon, even as the light of the spirit and reason (returns) unto God.
او ز جمله پاک وا گردد به ماه ** هم‌چو نور عقل و جان سوی اله
The quality of purity is an endowment (settled) on the light of the moon, though its radiance is (falling) on the defilements of the way.1260
وصف پاکی وقف بر نور مه‌است ** تا بشش گر بر نجاسات ره‌است
Malignity does not accrue to the light of the moon from those defilements of the way or from pollution.
زان نجاسات ره و آلودگی ** نور را حاصل نگردد بدرگی
The light of the sun heard (the call) Return! and came back in haste to its source.
ارجعی بشنود نور آفتاب ** سوی اصل خویش باز آمد شتاب
No disgrace remained with it from the ashpits, no colour remained with it from the rose-gardens.
نه ز گلحنها برو ننگی بماند ** نه ز گلشنها برو رنگی بماند