Therefore ’tis black villainy to go (turn away) from the Soul (Reality) towards the smoke for the sake of (indulging) the phantasies (illusions) of the (animal) soul.
پس سیه‌کاری بود رفتن ز جان ** بهر تخییلات جان سوی دخان
In explanation of the saying of the Prophet, on whom be peace, “There is no monkery in Islam.”
در بیان قول رسول علیه‌السلام لا رهبانیة فی‌الاسلام
“Do not tear out thy feathers, but detach thy heart from (desire for) them, because (the existence of) the enemy is the necessary condition for (waging) this Holy War.
بر مکن پر را و دل بر کن ازو ** زانک شرط این جهاد آمد عدو
When there is no enemy, the Holy War is inconceivable; (if) thou hast no lust, there can be no obedience (to the Divine command).575
There can be no self-restraint when thou hast no desire; when there is no adversary, what need for thy strength?
صبر نبود چون نباشد میل تو ** خصم چون نبود چه حاجت حیل تو
Hark, do not castrate thyself, do not become a monk; for chastity is in pawn to (depends on the existence of) lust.
هین مکن خود را خصی رهبان مشو ** زانک عفت هست شهوت را گرو
Without (the existence of) sensuality ’tis impossible to forbid sensuality: heroism cannot be displayed against the dead.
بی‌هوا نهی از هوا ممکن نبود ** غازیی بر مردگان نتوان نمود
He (God) hath said ‘Spend’: therefore earn something, since there can be no expenditure without an old (previously acquired) income.
انفقوا گفتست پس کسپی بکن ** زانک نبود خرج بی‌دخل کهن
Although He used (the word) Spend absolutely, (yet) read (it as meaning) ‘Earn, then spend.’580
گر چه آورد انفقوا را مطلق او ** تو بخوان که اکسبوا ثم انفقوا
Similarly, since the King (God) has given the command ‘Refrain yourselves,’ there must be some desire from which thou shouldst avert thy face.
هم‌چنان چون شاه فرمود اصبروا ** رغبتی باید کزان تابی تو رو
Hence (the command) ‘Eat ye’ is for the sake of the snare (temptation) of appetite; after that (comes) ‘Do not exceed’: that is temperance.
پس کلوا از بهر دام شهوتست ** بعد از آن لاتسرفوا آن عفتست
When there is no ‘predicate’ (relative quality) in him (any one), the existence of the ‘subject’ (the correlative term) is impossible.
چونک محمول به نبود لدیه ** نیست ممکن بود محمول علیه
When thou hast not the pain of self-restraint, there is no protasis: therefore the apodosis (recompense) does not follow.
چونک رنج صبر نبود مر ترا ** شرط نبود پس فرو ناید جزا
How admirable is that protasis and how joyful is that apodosis (recompense), a recompense that charms the heart and increases the life of the spirit!585
حبذا آن شرط و شادا آن جزا ** آن جزای دل‌نواز جان‌فزا
Explaining that God (Himself) is the reward bestowed by Him for the (devotional) work of the lover.
در بیان آنک ثواب عمل عاشق از حق هم حق است
For (His) lovers He (alone) is (all their) joy and sorrow; He (alone) is their wages and hire for service.
عاشقان را شادمانی و غم اوست ** دست‌مزد و اجرت خدمت هم اوست
If there be any spectacle (object of regard for them) except the Beloved, ’tis not love: ’tis an idle passion.
غیر معشوق ار تماشایی بود ** عشق نبود هرزه سودایی بود
Love is that flame which, when it blazes up, consumes everything else but the Beloved.
عشق آن شعله‌ست کو چون بر فروخت ** هرچه جز معشوق باقی جمله سوخت
He (the lover) drives home the sword of Not in order to kill all other than God: thereupon consider what remains after Not.
تیغ لا در قتل غیر حق براند ** در نگر زان پس که بعد لا چه ماند
There remains except God: all the rest is gone. Hail, O mighty Love, destroyer of polytheism!590
ماند الا الله باقی جمله رفت ** شاد باش ای عشق شرکت‌سوز زفت
Verily, He is the First and the Last: do not regard polytheism as arising from aught except the eye that sees double.
خود همو بود آخرین و اولین ** شرک جز از دیده‌ی احول مبین
Oh, wonderful! Is there any beauty but from the reflexion of Him? The (human) body hath no movement but from the spirit.
ای عجب حسنی بود جز عکس آن ** نیست تن را جنبشی از غیر جان
The body that hath defect in its spirit will never become sweet, (even) if you smear it with honey.
آن تنی را که بود در جان خلل ** خوش نگردد گر بگیری در عسل
This he knows who one day was (spiritually) alive and received a cup from this Soul of the soul;
این کسی داند که روزی زنده بود ** از کف این جان جان جامی ربود
While to him whose eye has not beheld those (beauteous) cheeks this smoky heat is (appears to be) the spirit.595
وانک چشم او ندیدست آن رخان ** پیش او جانست این تف دخان
Inasmuch as he never saw ‘Umar (ibn) ‘Abdu ’l-‘Azíz, to him even Hajjáj seems just.
چون ندید او عمر عبدالعزیز ** پیش او عادل بود حجاج نیز
Inasmuch as he never saw the firmness (unshakable strength) of the dragon of Moses, he fancies (there is) life in the magic cords.
چون ندید او مار موسی را ثبات ** در حبال سحر پندارد حیات