Notwithstanding the crop-sickness of the fishes, the water of this Sea, which is a tremendous place, is but a single draught (too little to satisfy them).
آب این دریا که هایل بقعه‌ایست ** با خمار ماهیان خود جرعه‌ایست
To the lover one moment of separation is as a year; to him a (whole) year's uninterrupted union is a (fleeting) fancy.
یک دم هجران بر عاشق چو سال ** وصل سالی متصل پیشش خیال
Love craves to drink and seeks him who craves to drink: this (Love) and that (lover) are at each other's heels, like Day and Night.2675
عشق مستسقیست مستسقی‌طلب ** در پی هم این و آن چون روز و شب
Day is in love with Night and has lost control of itself; when you look (inwardly), (you will see that) Night is (even) more in love with it.
روز بر شب عاشقست و مضطرست ** چون ببینی شب برو عاشق‌ترست
Never for one instant do they cease from seeking; never for one moment do they cease from pursuing each other.
نیستشان از جست‌وجو یک لحظه‌ایست ** از پی همشان یکی دم ایست نیست
This one has caught the foot of that one, and that one the ear of this one: this one is distraught with that one, and that one is beside itself for this one.
این گرفته پای آن آن گوش این ** این بر آن مدهوش و آن بی‌هوش این
In the heart of the beloved the lover is all: Wámiq is always in the heart of ‘Adhrá.
در دل معشوق جمله عاشق است ** در دل عذرا همیشه وامق است
In the lover's heart is naught but the beloved: there is nothing to separate and divide them.2680
در دل عاشق به جز معشوق نیست ** در میانشان فارق و فاروق نیست
These two bells are on one camel: how, then, in regard to these twain should (the injunction), “Visit once a week,” be admissible?
بر یکی اشتر بود این دو درا ** پس چه زر غبا بگنجد این دو را
Did any one (ever) pay recurring visits to himself? Was any one (ever) a companion to himself at regular intervals?
هیچ کس با خویش زر غبا نمود ** هیچ کس با خود به نوبت یار بود
That (of which I speak) is not the (sort of) oneness that reason apprehends: the apprehension of this (oneness) depends on a man's dying (to self);
آن یکیی نه که عقلش فهم کرد ** فهم این موقوف شد بر مرگ مرد
And if it were possible to perceive this (oneness) by means of reason, wherefore should self-violence have become a duty?
ور به عقل ادراک این ممکن بدی ** قهر نفس از بهر چه واجب شدی
How, with such (infinite) mercy as He hath, would the King of intellect say unnecessarily “Kill thyself”?2685
با چنان رحمت که دارد شاه هش ** بی‌ضرورت چون بگوید نفس کش
How the mouse exerted himself to the utmost in supplication and humble entreaty and besought the water-frog to grant him access (at all times).
مبالغه کردن موش در لابه و زاری و وصلت جستن از چغز آبی
He (the mouse) said, “O dear and affectionate friend, without (seeing) thy face I have not a moment's rest.
گفت کای یار عزیز مهرکار ** من ندارم بی‌رخت یک‌دم قرار
By day thou art my light and (power of) acquisition and strength; by night thou art my rest and comfort and sleep.
روز نور و مکسب و تابم توی ** شب قرار و سلوت و خوابم توی
It would be a generous act if thou wouldst make me happy and kindly remember me early and late.
از مروت باشد ار شادم کنی ** وقت و بی‌وقت از کرم یادم کنی
During (the period of) a (whole) day and night thou hast allowed me (only) breakfast-time for access (to thee), O well-wisher.
در شبان‌روزی وظیفه‌ی چاشتگاه ** راتبه کردی وصال ای نیک‌خواه
I feel in my liver five hundred cravings for drink, and bulimy (morbid hunger) is conjoined with every craving.2690
پانصد استسقاستم اندر جگر ** با هر استسقا قرین جوع البقر
Thou, O prince, art unconcerned with my passion: pay the poor-tax on thy high estate, look (kindly) on (this) poor wretch.
بی‌نیازی از غم من ای امیر ** ده زکات جاه و بنگر در فقیر
This poor unmannerly wretch is not worthy (of thy favour); but thy universal grace is superior to (regard for) that.
این فقیر بی‌ادب نا درخورست ** لیک لطف عام تو زان برترست
Thy universal grace requires no support (reason to justify it): a sun strikes (with its beams) on (all) ordures.
می‌نجوید لطف عام تو سند ** آفتابی بر حدثها می‌زند
Its light suffers no loss thereby, and the ordure is made dry and (fit for) fuel,
نور او را زان زیانی نابده ** وان حدث از خشکیی هیزم شده
So that the ordure goes into a bath-furnace, is converted into light, and illumines the door and wall of a bath-house.2695
تا حدث در گلخنی شد نور یافت ** در در و دیوار حمامی بتافت
(Formerly) it was a defilement, now it has become an adornment, since the sun chanted that spell (exerted that powerful influence) upon it.
بود آلایش شد آرایش کنون ** چون برو بر خواند خورشید آن فسون
The sun also warms the belly of the earth, so that the earth consumes the remaining ordures.
شمس هم معده‌ی زمین را گرم کرد ** تا زمین باقی حدثها را بخورد