He (God) who makes the rose lovely and sweet-scented—His bounty makes every “left” to be “right.”
آنک گل را شاهد و خوش‌بو کند ** هر چپی را راست فضل او کند
He bestows “rightness” on every one belonging to the “left” He bestows a(fresh) running water on the (salt) sea.
هر شمالی را یمینی او دهد ** بحر را ماء معینی او دهد
If you are “left,” be “right” (in perfect harmony) with His Lordship, that you may see His mercies prevail (over His wrath).2160
گر چپی با حضرت او راست باش ** تا ببینی دست‌برد لطفهاش
Do you think it allowable that this vile scroll (of yours) should pass from the left hand and come into the right?
تو روا داری که این نامه‌ی مهین ** بگذرد از چپ در آید در یمین
How indeed should a scroll like this, which is full of iniquity and injury, be fit (to place) in the right hand?
این چنین نامه که پرظلم و جفاست ** کی بود خود درخور اندر دست راست
Explaining the case of a person who makes a statement when his behaviour is not consistent with that statement and profession, like the infidels (of whom God hath said): “and if thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth they will surely say, ‘Allah.’” How is the worship of a stone idol and the sacrifice of life and wealth for its sake appropriate to a soul which knows that the creator of heaven and earth and (all) created beings is a God, all-hearing, all-seeing, omnipresent, all-observing, all dominating, jealous, etc.?
در بیان کسی کی سخنی گوید کی حال او مناسب آن سخن و آن دعوی نباشد چنان که کفره و لن سالتهم من خلق السموات والارض لیقولن الله خدمت بت سنگین کردن و جان و زر فدای او کردن چه مناسب باشد با جانی کی داند کی خالق سموات و ارض و خلایق الهیست سمیعی بصیری حاضری مراقبی مستولی غیوری الی آخره
A certain ascetic had a very jealous wife: he also had a maid-servant (beautiful) as a houri.
زاهدی را یک زنی بد بس غیور ** هم بد او را یک کنیزک هم‌چو حور
The wife used to watch her husband jealously and not let him be alone with the maid.
For a long time the wife watched them both, lest an opportunity should occur for their being alone (together)—2165
مدتی زن شد مراقب هر دو را ** تاکشان فرصت نیفتد در خلا
Until the decree and fore-ordainment of God arrived: (then) the watchman, Reason, became giddy-headed and good-for-nothing.
تا در آمد حکم و تقدیر اله ** عقل حارس خیره‌سر گشت و تباه
When His decree and fore-ordainment arrives unawares, who is Reason? Eclipse overtakes (even) the moon.
حکم و تقدیرش چو آید بی‌وقوف ** عقل کی بود در قمر افتد خسوف
The wife was at the (public) bath: suddenly she remembered the wash-basin and (that) it was (had been left) at home.
بود در حمام آن زن ناگهان ** یادش آمد طشت و در خانه بد آن
She said to the maid, “Hark, go like a bird and fetch the silver basin from our house.”
با کنیزک گفت رو هین مرغ‌وار ** طشت سیمین را ز خانه‌ی ما بیار
On hearing this, the maid came to life, for (she knew that) now she would obtain (a meeting with) the master,2170
آن کنیزک زنده شد چون این شنید ** که به خواجه این زمان خواهد رسید
(Since) the master was then at home and alone. So she ran joyously to the house.
خواجه در خانه‌ست و خلوت این زمان ** پس دوان شد سوی خانه شادمان
For six years the maid had been longing to find the master alone like this.
عشق شش ساله کنیزک را بد این ** که بیابد خواجه را خلوت چنین
She flew off and hastened towards the house: she found the master at home and alone.
گشت پران جانب خانه شتافت ** خواجه را در خانه در خلوت بیافت
Desire took possession of both the lovers so (mightily) that they had no care or thought of bolting the door.
هر دو عاشق را چنان شهوت ربود ** که احتیاط و یاد در بستن نبود
Ambo summa alacritate coierunt: copulatis corporibus anima cum anima conjuncta est. [Both moved toward one another from joy; by means of (bodily) copulation, soul joined to soul (in) that moment.]2175
هر دو با هم در خزیدند از نشاط ** جان به جان پیوست آن دم ز اختلاط
Then the wife recollected (and said to herself), “Why did I send her (back) to the house?
یاد آمد در زمان زن را که من ** چون فرستادم ورا سوی وطن
I have set the cotton on fire with my own hand, I have put the lusty ram to the ewe.”
پنبه در آتش نهادم من به خویش ** اندر افکندم قج نر را به میش
She washed off the clay (soap) from her head and ran, beside herself (with anxiety): she went in pursuit of her (the maid), drawing the chádar (over her head as she ran).
گل فرو شست از سر و بی‌جان دوید ** در پی او رفت و چادر می‌کشید
The former (the maid) ran because of the love in her soul, and the latter (the wife) because of fear. What is fear in comparison with love? (There is) a great difference.
آن ز عشق جان دوید و این ز بیم ** عشق کو و بیم کو فرقی عظیم
The mystic's progress is (an ascension) at every moment to the throne of the (Divine) King; the ascetic's progress is one day's journey every month.2180
سیر عارف هر دمی تا تخت شاه ** سیر زاهد هر مهی یک روزه راه
Although, for the ascetic, one day is of great value, (yet) how should his one day be (equal to) fifty thousand (years)?
گرچه زاهد را بود روزی شگرف ** کی بود یک روز او خمسین الف
The length of every day in the life of the adept is fifty thousand of the years of the world.
قدر هر روزی ز عمر مرد کار ** باشد از سال جهان پنجه هزار