How should poesy and rhyme come to me after the foundations of sanity are destroyed?
کیف یاتی النظم لی والقافیه ** بعد ما ضاعت اصول العافیه
’Tis not (merely) one madness I have amidst the sorrows of love; nay, but madness on madness on madness.
ما جنون واحد لی فی الشجون ** بل جنون فی جنون فی جنون
My body is wasted away by secret indications of the mysteries, ever since I beheld eternal life (baqá) in dying to self (faná).1895
ذاب جسمی من اشارات الکنی ** منذ عاینت البقاء فی الفنا
O Ayáz, from love of thee I have become (thin) as a hair: I am unable to tell (thy) story, do thou tell my story.
ای ایاز از عشق تو گشتم چو موی ** ماندم از قصه تو قصهی من بگوی
Many a tale of thy love have I recited with (all) my soul: (now) that I have become (unsubstantial as) a tale, do thou recite mine.
بس فسانهی عشق تو خواندم به جان ** تو مرا که افسانه گشتستم بخوان
Verily thou art reciting, O model (for all), not I: I am Mount Sinai, thou art Moses, and this (discourse) is the echo.
خود تو میخوانی نه من ای مقتدی ** من که طورم تو موسی وین صدا
How should the helpless mountain know what the words are? The mountain is empty of that (meaning) which Moses knows.
کوه بیچاره چه داند گفت چیست ** زانک موسی میبداند که تهیست
The mountain knows (only) according to its own measure: the body hath (only) a little of the grace of the spirit.1900
کوه میداند به قدر خویشتن ** اندکی دارد ز لطف روح تن
The body is like the astrolabe in respect of (the use of the latter in) calculation (of altitudes): it is a sign (for seekers) of the sun-like spirit.
تن چو اصطرلاب باشد ز احتساب ** آیتی از روح همچون آفتاب
When the astronomer is not keen-sighted, an astrolabe-moulder is required,
آن منجم چون نباشد چشمتیز ** شرط باشد مرد اصطرلابریز
To make an astrolabe for him in order that he may gain some knowledge concerning the state of the sun.
تا صطرلابی کند از بهر او ** تا برد از حالت خورشید بو
The soul that seeks (to learn) the truth from the (bodily) astrolabe—how much should it know of the (spiritual) sky and sun?
جان کز اصطرلاب جوید او صواب ** چه قدر داند ز چرخ و آفتاب
You who observe (them) with the astrolabe of the eye are certainly very far short (of perfection) in your view of the (spiritual) world.1905
تو که ز اصطرب دیده بنگری ** درجهان دیدن یقین بس قاصری
You have seen the (spiritual) world according to the measure of your eye, (and) where is the (spiritual) world (in relation to that)? Why, (then), have you twisted your moustache (so boastfully)?
تو جهان را قدر دیده دیدهای ** کو جهان سبلت چرا مالیدهای
The gnostics (mystics) possess a collyrium: seek it, in order that this eye which (now) resembles a river may become an ocean.
عارفان را سرمهای هست آن بجوی ** تا که دریا گردد این چشم چو جوی
If a single mote of reason and consciousness is (remaining) with me, what is this melancholy madness and distracted speech?
ذرهای از عقل و هوش ار با منست ** این چه سودا و پریشان گفتنست
Since my brain is empty of reason and consciousness, how then am I at fault in this raving?
چونک مغز من ز عقل و هش تهیست ** پس گناه من درین تخلیط چیست
No; the fault is his, for he robbed me of my reason: in his presence the reason of all rational beings is dead.1910
نه گناه اوراست که عقلم ببرد ** عقل جملهی عاقلان پیشش بمرد
O thou who causest the reason to wander and the understanding to go astray, intelligences have no object of hope but thee.
یا مجیر العقل فتان الحجی ** ما سواک للعقول مرتجی
I have never desired reason since thou mad’st me mad: I have never envied beauty since thou didst adorn me.
ما اشتهیت العقل مذ جننتنی ** ما حسدت الحسن مذ زینتنی
Is my madness for love of thee approved? Say “Yes,” and God will reward thee.
هل جنونی فی هواک مستطاب ** قل بلی والله یجزیک الثواب
Whether he speak Arabic or Persian, where is the ear and mind by means of which you should attain to the apprehension of it?
گر بتازی گوید او ور پارسی ** گوش و هوشی کو که در فهمش رسی
His wine is not suitable to every mind, his ring is not subject to every ear.1915
بادهی او درخور هر هوش نیست ** حلقهی او سخرهی هر گوش نیست
Once again I have become mad-like: go, go, my (dear) soul, quickly fetch a chain;
باز دیگر آمدم دیوانهوار ** رو رو ای جان زود زنجیری بیار
(But if you bring any) except the chain of my beloved's curl— though you bring two hundred chains, I will burst them (all).
غیر آن زنجیر زلف دلبرم ** گر دو صد زنجیر آری بردرم
The wise purpose (of Ayáz) in looking at his rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket—then let Man consider from what he was created.
حکمت نظر کردن در چارق و پوستین کی فلینظر الانسان مم خلق