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
(When) the King espied him, he said with a purpose, “Who is this?—for he is of that sea, and he too is a fish.”4635
شاه دیدش گفت قاصد کین کیست ** که از آن بحرست و این هم ماهیست