There is the spirit-increasing sea and the distressful sea: these lips are where the two seas meet (but do not mingle).
بحر جانافزا و بحر پر حرج ** در میان هر دو بحر این لب مرج
(’Tis) like a great mart (situated) between towns: thither come goods from all directions:
چون یپنلو در میان شهرها ** از نواحی آید آنجا بهرها
Damaged, spurious, and swindling commodities (and also) lucrative commodities highly esteemed, like pearls.
کالهی معیوب قلب کیسهبر ** کالهی پر سود مستشرف چو در
The shrewdest traders in this mart (carefully) inspect the genuine and spurious wares.4285
زین یپنلو هر که بازرگانترست ** بر سره و بر قلبها دیدهورست
To him (such an one) the mart is a place of gain, while to others in their blindness it is a place of loss.
شد یپنلو مر ورا دار الرباح ** وآن گر را از عمی دار الجناح
Every particle of the world, one by one, is a fetter for the fool and a means of deliverance for the wise.
هر یکی ز اجزای عالم یک به یک ** بر غبی بندست و بر استاد فک
It is (sweet as) candy for one and (bitter) as poison for another: it is (beautiful as) mercy for one and (terrible) as wrath for another.
بر یکی قندست و بر دیگر چو زهر ** بر یکی لطفست و بر دیگر چو قهر
Every inanimate thing tells a tale to the Prophet: the Ka‘ba testifies to the pilgrim and is eloquent (on his behalf).
هر جمادی با نبی افسانهگو ** کعبه با حاجی گواه و نطقخو
The mosque, too, bears witness to him who performs the ritual prayer, saying, “He came a long way to (visit) me.”4290
بر مصلی مسجد آمد هم گواه ** کو همیآمد به من از دور راه
The fire is (like) flowers and sweet basils and roses to (one like) Khalíl (Abraham); to those like Nimrod, on the contrary, it is death and anguish.
با خلیل آتش گل و ریحان و ورد ** باز بر نمرودیان مرگست و درد
We have said this many a time, O Hasan: I will never be weary of setting it forth.
بارها گفتیم این را ای حسن ** مینگردم از بیانش سیر من
Many a time have you eaten bread to prevent (yourself from) getting thin: ’tis the same bread: why are not you surfeited?
بارها خوردی تو نان دفع ذبول ** این همان نانست چون نبوی ملول
(Because), in normal health, a new hunger comes to you, by which indigestion and satiety are consumed.
در تو جوعی میرسد تو ز اعتلال ** که همیسوزد ازو تخمه و ملال
When one actually feels the pangs of hunger, a (sense of) refreshment is associated with every part (of the body).4295
هرکه را درد مجاعت نقد شد ** نو شدن با جزو جزوش عقد شد
The pleasure (of eating) is (derived) from hunger, not from new dessert (viands): hunger makes barley-bread more delicious than sugar.
لذت از جوعست نه از نقل نو ** با مجاعت از شکر به نان جو
That weariness, then, is caused by lack of hunger (ardour) and complete (spiritual) indigestion, not by repetition of the discourse.
پس ز بیجوعیست وز تخمهی تمام ** آن ملالت نه ز تکرار کلام
How is it that you are not weary of your shop and of haggling and disputing in order to cheat people?
چون ز دکان و مکاس و قیل و قال ** در فریب مردمت ناید ملال
How is it that you have not been surfeited by speaking ill of men in their absence and backbiting them for sixty years?
چون ز غیبت و اکل لحم مردمان ** شصت سالت سیریی نامد از آن
Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a vile woman; [Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a ruptured (deflowered) vulva;]4300
عشوهها در صید شلهی کفته تو ** بی ملولی بارها خوش گفته تو
And the last time you utter them with fire and energy, a hundred times more ardently than the first time.
بار آخر گوییش سوزان و چست ** گرمتر صد بار از بار نخست
Passion makes the old medicine new; passion lops every bough of weariness.
درد داروی کهن را نو کند ** درد هر شاخ ملولی خو کند
Passion is the elixir that makes (things) new: how (can there be) weariness where passion has arisen?
کیمیای نو کننده دردهاست ** کو ملولی آن طرف که درد خاست
Oh, do not sigh heavily from weariness: seek passion, seek passion, passion, passion!
هین مزن تو از ملولی آه سرد ** درد جو و درد جو و درد درد
Vain remedies (only) beguile (true) passion: they are (like) brigands and those who extort money in the form of tolls.4305
خادع دردند درمانهای ژاژ ** رهزنند و زرستانان رسم باژ
A briny water is no remedy for thirst: (even) if it seem cold and delicious at the moment of drinking,
آب شوری نیست در مان عطش ** وقت خوردن گر نماید سرد و خوش