The melting (wasting) away of lovers is (the cause of their spiritual) growth: like the moon, he (the lover) hath a fresh (shining) face whilst he is melting away.
آن گداز عاشقان باشد نمو ** هم‌چو مه اندر گدازش تازه‌رو
All the sick hope to be cured, but this sick one sobs, crying, “Increase my sickness!
جمله رنجوران دوا دارند امید ** نالد این رنجور کم افزون کنید
I have found no drink sweeter than this poison: no state of health can be sweeter than this disease.
خوش‌تر از این سم ندیدم شربتی ** زین مرض خوش‌تر نباشد صحتی
No act of piety can be better than this sin: years in comparison with this moment are (but) an hour.”4600
In this fashion he remained with this King for a long while, his heart (roasted like) kabáb and his soul laid on the tray (of self-devotion).
مدتی بد پیش این شه زین نسق ** دل کباب و جان نهاده بر طبق
He said, “The King beheads every one once, (but) I am sacrificed anew by the King at every instant.
گفت شه از هر کسی یک سر برید ** من ز شه هر لحظه قربانم جدید
I am poor in gold, but rich in heads (lives): my head (life) hath a hundred heads to take its place.
من فقیرم از زر از سر محتشم ** صد هزاران سر خلف دارد سرم
No one can run in (the path of) Love with two feet: no one can play (the game of) Love with one head;
با دو پا در عشق نتوان تاختن ** با یکی سر عشق نتوان باختن
Yet every one has two feet and one head: the body with thousands of feet and heads is a rarity.”4605
هر کسی را خود دو پا و یک‌سرست ** با هزاران پا و سر تن نادرست
On this account all (other) combats are (fought) in vain, (while) this combat (of Love) grows hotter every moment.
زین سبب هنگامه‌ها شد کل هدر ** هست این هنگامه هر دم گرم‌تر
The source of its heat lies beyond the realm of space: the seven Hells are (but) a smoke (rising) from the sparks of its fire.
معدن گرمیست اندر لامکان ** هفت دوزخ از شرارش یک دخان
Setting forth how Hell will say, when the Bridge Sirát is (laid) over it (at the Resurrection), “O believer, pass more quickly across the Sirát! Quick, make haste, lest the greatness of thy light put out my fire,” (according to the Tradition), “Pass, O believer, for lo, thy light hath extinguished my fire.”
در بیان آنک دوزخ گوید کی قنطره‌ی صراط بر سر اوست ای مومن از صراط زودتر بگذر زود بشتاب تا عظمت نور تو آتش ما را نکشد جز یا مومن فان نورک اطفاء ناری
For this reason, O sincere man, Hell is enfeebled and extinguished by the fire of Love.
زآتش عاشق ازین رو ای صفی ** می‌شود دوزخ ضعیف و منطقی
It says to him (the believer), “Pass speedily, O respected one, or else my fire will be destroyed by thy flames.”
گویدش بگذر سبک ای محتشم ** ورنه ز آتش‌های تو مرد آتشم
Behold how this breath (of Love) dissolves infidelity, which alone is the brimstone of Hell!4610
کفر که کبریت دوزخ اوست و بس ** بین که می‌پخساند او را این نفس
Quickly entrust thy brimstone to this passion (of Love), in order that neither Hell nor (even) its sparks may assail thee.
زود کبریت بدین سودا سپار ** تا نه دوزخ بر تو تازد نه شرار
Paradise (too) says to him, “Pass like the wind, or else all that I possess will become unsalable;
گویدش جنت گذر کن هم‌چو باد ** ورنه گردد هر چه من دارم کساد
For thou art the owner of the (whole) stack, (while) I am (but) a gleaner: I am (but) an idol, (while) thou art (all) the provinces of China.”
که تو صاحب‌خرمنی من خوشه‌چین ** من بتی‌ام تو ولایت‌های چین
Both Hell and Paradise are trembling in fear of him (the believer): neither the one nor the other feels safe from him.
هست لرزان زو جحیم و هم جنان ** نه مر این را نه مر آن را زو امان
His (the prince's) life sped away and he found no opportunity to cure (his passion): the waiting consumed him exceedingly and his soul could not endure it.4615
رفت عمرش چاره را فرصت نیافت ** صبر بس سوزان بدت وجان بر نتافت
For a long time, gnashing his teeth, he suffered this (agony): ere he attained, his life reached its end.
مدتی دندان‌کنان این می‌کشید ** نارسیده عمر او آخر رسید
The form (appearance) of the Beloved vanished from him: he died and was united with the reality of the Beloved.
صورت معشوق زو شد در نهفت ** رفت و شد با معنی معشوق جفت
He said (to himself), “Though his raiment was of silk and Shushtar cloth, his unscreened embrace is sweeter.
گفت لبسش گر ز شعر و ششترست ** اعتناق بی‌حجابش خوشترست
(Now) I am denuded of my body, and he of (the veil of) phantasy: I am advancing triumphantly in the consummation of union.”
من شدم عریان ز تن او از خیال ** می‌خرامم در نهایات الوصال
These topics may be discussed up to this point, (but) all that comes after this must be kept hid;4620
این مباحث تا بدین‌جا گفتنیست ** هرچه آید زین سپس بنهفتنیست
And if you would tell it and make a hundred thousand efforts, ’tis fruitless labour, for it will never become clear.
ور بگویی ور بکوشی صد هزار ** هست بیگار و نگردد آشکار