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
As far as the sea, ’tis a journey on horseback: after this you (must) have a wooden horse.
تا به دریا سیر اسپ و زین بود ** بعد ازینت مرکب چوبین بود
The wooden horse is no good on the dry land: it carries exclusively those who voyage on the sea.
مرکب چوبین به خشکی ابترست ** خاص آن دریاییان را رهبرست
The wooden horse is this (mystical) silence: (this) silence gives instruction to the sea-folk.
این خموشی مرکب چوبین بود ** بحریان را خامشی تلقین بود
Every (such) silent one who wearies you is (really) uttering shrieks of love Yonder.4625
هر خموشی که ملولت می‌کند ** نعره‌های عشق آن سو می‌زند
You say, “I wonder why he is silent”; he says (to himself), “How strange! Where is his ear?
تو همی‌گویی عجب خامش چراست ** او همی‌گوید عجب گوشش کجاست
I am deafened by the shrieks, (yet) he is unaware (of them).” The (apparently) sharp-eared are (in fact) deaf to this (mystical) converse.
من ز نعره کر شدم او بی‌خبر ** تیزگوشان زین سمر هستند کر
(For example), some one cries aloud in his dream and gives a hundred thousand discussions and communications,
آن یکی در خواب نعره می‌زند ** صد هزاران بحث و تلقین می‌کند
(While) this (other), sitting beside him, is unaware (of it): ’tis really he who is asleep and deaf to (all) that turmoil and tumult.
این نشسته پهلوی او بی‌خبر ** خفته خود آنست و کر زان شور و شر
And he whose wooden horse is shattered and sunk in the water (of the sea), he in sooth is the fish.4630
وان کسی کش مرکب چوبین شکست ** غرقه شد در آب او خود ماهیست
He is neither silent nor speaking: he is a marvel: there is no name to describe his state.
نه خموشست و نه گویا نادریست ** حال او را در عبارت نام نیست
He does not belong to these two (categories), (and yet) that prodigy is (really) both: to explain this would transgress the limits of due reverence.
نیست زین دو هر دو هست آن بوالعجب ** شرح این گفتن برونست از ادب
This comparison is poor and unsuccessful, but in the sensible (world) there was none better than this (to be found).
این مثال آمد رکیک و بی‌ورود ** لیک در محسوس ازین بهتر نبود
The death of the eldest prince, and how the middle brother came to his funeral—for the youngest was confined to his bed by illness; and how the King treated the middle brother with great affection, so that he too was crippled (captivated) by his kindness; (and how) he remained with the King, and a hundred thousand spoils (precious gifts), from the unseen and visible worlds, were conferred upon him by the fortune and favour of the King; with an exposition of some part thereof.
متوفی شدن بزرگین از شه‌زادگان و آمدن برادر میانین به جنازه‌ی برادر کی آن کوچکین صاحب‌فراش بود از رنجوری و نواختن پادشاه میانین را تا او هم لنگ احسان شد ماند پیش پادشاه صد هزار از غنایم غیبی و غنی بدو رسید از دولت و نظر آن شاه مع تقریر بعضه
The youngest (brother) was ill, and (so) the middle one came alone to the funeral of the eldest.
کوچکین رنجور بود و آن وسط ** بر جنازه‌ی آن بزرگ آمد فقط