As regards him, the eating of bread and honey and the drinking of milk is better than the forty days' seclusion and the three days' fast of a hundred dervishes.2705
در حق او خورد نان و شهد و شیر ** به ز چله وز سه روزهی صد فقیر
He eats Light, do not say he eats bread: he sows anemones (though) in appearance he feeds (on them).
نور مینوشد مگو نان میخورد ** لاله میکارد به صورت میچرد
Like the flame that consumes the oil (wax) in a candle, from his eating and drinking there is an increase of light for the company.
چون شراری کو خورد روغن ز شمع ** نور افزاید ز خوردش بهر جمع
God hath said, “Be not immoderate,” in reference to the eating of bread; He hath not said, “Be satisfied,” in reference to the eating of Light.
نانخوری را گفت حق لاتسرفوا ** نور خوردن را نگفتست اکتفوا
The former was the gullet subject to probation, while this (saintly) gullet was free from immoderation and secure from exorbitance.
آن گلوی ابتلا بد وین گلو ** فارغ از اسراف و آمن از غلو
(In the case of the Shaykh) ’twas (by) the (Divine) command and order, not (from) greed and cupidity: a spirit like that is not a follower of greed.2710
امر و فرمان بود نه حرص و طمع ** آن چنان جان حرص را نبود تبع
If the elixir say to the copper, “Give thyself up to me,” cupidity does not prevail (over it).
گر بگوید کیمیا مس را بده ** تو به من خود را طمع نبود فره
God had offered to the Shaykh (all) the treasures of the earth down to the seventh tier;
گنجهای خاک تا هفتم طبق ** عرضه کرده بود پیش شیخ حق
(But) the Shaykh said, “O Creator, I am a lover: if I seek aught but Thee, I am impious.
شیخ گفتا خالقا من عاشقم ** گر بجویم غیر تو من فاسقم
If I should bring into view the Eight Paradises, or if I should serve Thee from fear of Hell,
هشت جنت گر در آرم در نظر ** ور کنم خدمت من از خوف سقر
(Then) I am (only) a believer seeking salvation, for both these (motives) are concerned with the body.”2715
مومنی باشم سلامتجوی من ** زانک این هر دو بود حظ بدن
A hundred bodies are not worth a bean in the eyes of the lover who has received nutriment from God's love;
عاشقی کز عشق یزدان خورد قوت ** صد بدن پیشش نیرزد ترهتوت
And this body which the Shaykh of insight possesses has become something different: do not call it a body.
وین بدن که دارد آن شیخ فطن ** چیز دگر گشت کم خوانش بدن
(To be) in love with God's love and then (desire) a wage! (To be) a trusted Gabriel and then a thief!
عاشق عشق خدا وانگاه مزد ** جبرئیل متمن وانگاه دزد
In the eyes of that wretched lover of Laylá the kingdom of the world was (worthless as) a vegetable.
عاشق آن لیلی کور و کبود ** ملک عالم پیش او یک تره بود
Earth and gold were alike in his eyes. What of gold? (Even) his life had no value (for him).2720
پیش او یکسان شده بد خاک و زر ** زر چه باشد که نبد جان را خطر
Lions and wolves and wild beasts were acquainted with him and gathered round him like kinsfolk,
شیر و گرگ و دد ازو واقف شده ** همچو خویشان گرد او گرد آمده
(Knowing) that this man had become entirely purged of animality and filled with love, and that his flesh and fat were poisonous (to them).
کین شدست از خوی حیوان پاک پاک ** پر ز عشق و لحم و شحمش زهرناک
The sweets scattered by Reason are poison to the wild beast, because the good of (that which is) good is antagonistic to (that which is) evil.
زهر دد باشد شکرریز خرد ** زانک نیک نیک باشد ضد بد
The wild beast dare not devour the flesh of the lover: Love is known both to the good and the evil;
لحم عاشق را نیارد خورد دد ** عشق معروفست پیش نیک و بد
And if the wild beast devour him even parabolically, the lover's flesh will become poison and kill him.2725
ور خورد خود فیالمثل دام و ددش ** گوشت عاشق زهر گردد بکشدش
Everything except love is devoured by Love: to the beak of Love the two worlds are (but) a single grain.
هر چه جز عشقست شد ماکول عشق ** دو جهان یک دانه پیش نول عشق
Does a grain ever devour the bird? Does the manger ever feed on the horse?
دانهای مر مرغ را هرگز خورد ** کاهدان مر اسپ را هرگز چرد
Do service (to God), that perchance thou mayst become a lover: (devotional) service is a means of gaining (Love): it comes into action (produces an effect).
بندگی کن تا شوی عاشق لعل ** بندگی کسبیست آید در عمل
The servant (of God) desires to be freed from Fortune; the lover (of God) nevermore desires to be free.
بنده آزادی طمع دارد ز جد ** عاشق آزادی نخواهد تا ابد