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
Intellects are excluded from this mystery: if the heart of Imagination burst, let it burst!
عقلها زین سر بود بیرون در ** زهرهی وهم ار بدرد گو بدر
In the sight of Love, fear is not (so much as) a single hair: in the law of Love, all things (else) are (offered) as a sacrifice.
ترس مویی نیست اندر پیش عشق ** جمله قربانند اندر کیش عشق
Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by lust and gluttony. [Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by vulva and belly.]2185
عشق وصف ایزدست اما که خوف ** وصف بندهی مبتلای فرج و جوف
Since you have read in the Qur’án (the words) “they love Him” joined in a certain place with (the words) “He loves them,”
چون یحبون بخواندی در نبی ** با یحبوهم قرین در مطلبی
Know, then, that love (mahabbat), and excessive love (‘ishq) too, is an attribute of God: fear is not an attribute of God, O honoured sir.
پس محبت وصف حق دان عشق نیز ** خوف نبود وصف یزدان ای عزیز
What relation exists between the attributes of God and those of a handful of earth? What relation exists between the attributes of him who is originated in time and those of the Holy (Eternal) One?
وصف حق کو وصف مشتی خاک کو ** وصف حادث کو وصف پاک کو
If I should continue to describe Love, a hundred Resurrections would pass, and it (my description would still be) incomplete;
شرح عشق ار من بگویم بر دوام ** صد قیامت بگذرد و آن ناتمام
For there is a limit to the date of the Resurrection, but what limit can there be where the Divine attributes are (concerned)?2190
زانک تاریخ قیامت را حدست ** حد کجا آنجا که وصف ایزدست
Love hath five hundred wings, and every wing (extends) from above the empyrean to beneath the earth.
عشق را پانصد پرست و هر پری ** از فراز عرش تا تحتالثری
The timorous ascetic runs on foot; the lovers (of God) fly more quickly than the lightning and the wind.
زاهد با ترس میتازد به پا ** عاشقان پرانتر از برق و هوا
How should those fearful ones overtake Love?—for Love's passion makes the (lofty) heaven its carpet—
کی رسند این خایفان در گرد عشق ** که آسمان را فرش سازد درد عشق
Unless perchance the favours of the (Divine) Light come and say, “Become free from the world and from this wayfaring;
جز مگر آید عنایتهای ضو ** کز جهان و زین روش آزاد شو
Escape from thine own qush and dush, for (only) the royal falcon has found the way to the King.”2195
از قش خود وز دش خود باز ره ** که سوی شه یافت آن شهباز ره
This “qush and dush” is necessity and free-will: the pull of the Beloved (who draws you to Himself) transcends these twain.
این قش و دش هست جبر و اختیار ** از ورای این دو آمد جذب یار
When the wife arrived home, she opened the door: the sound of the door fell on their ears.
چون رسید آن زن به خانه در گشاد ** بانگ در در گوش ایشان در فتاد
The maid jumped up in consternation and disorder; the man jumped up and began to say his prayers.
آن کنیزک جست آشفته ز ساز ** مرد بر جست و در آمد در نماز
The wife saw that the maid was dishevelled and confused and excited and witless and unmanageable.
زن کنیزک را پژولیده بدید ** درهم و آشفته و دنگ و مرید
She saw her husband standing up (and engaged) in the ritual prayer: the wife was made suspicious by (all) that agitation.2200
شوی خود را دید قایم در نماز ** در گمان افتاد زن زان اهتزاز
Periculi nulla ratione habita, mariti laciniam sustulit: testiculos et penem videt semine inquinatos. [She raised (her) husband’s skirt without risk; she saw (his) testicles and penis soiled with sperm.]
شوی را برداشت دامن بیخطر ** دید آلودهی منی خصیه و ذکر
Seminis quod reliquum erat e pene stillabat: femur genuque inquinata et spurca evaserant. [Remnants of sperm were dripping from (his) penis; his thighs and knees had become soiled and filthy.]
از ذکر باقی نطفه میچکید ** ران و زانو گشت آلوده و پلید
Caput ejus colapho percussit et “O vilissime,” inquit, “num hujusmodi sunt testiculi viri preces sollennes rite facientis? [She slapped at his head and said, “O despicable (one), are these the testicles of a man of prayer?]
بر سرش زد سیلی و گفت ای مهین ** خصیهی مرد نمازی باشد این