There is nobody here except demons and spirits: why art thou trifling thy time away?850
کس درینجا نیست جز دیو و پری ** روزگار خود چه یاوه می‌بری
Thou art beating thy tambourine for the sake of an ear: where is the ear? Intelligence is needed in order to know (thy purpose): where is the intelligence?”
بهر گوشی می‌زنی دف گوش کو ** هوش باید تا بداند هوش کو
He replied, “You have said (your say): (now) hear the answer from your (humble) servant, that you may not remain in bewilderment and confusion.
گفت گفتی بشنو از چاکر جواب ** تا نمانی در تحیر و اضطراب
Although in your opinion this moment is midnight, in my view the dawn of delight is near at hand.
گرچه هست این دم بر تو نیم‌شب ** نزد من نزدیک شد صبح طرب
In my sight every defeat has been turned to victory, in my eyes all nights have been turned to day.
هر شکستی پیش من پیروز شد ** جمله شبها پیش چشمم روز شد
To you the water of the river Nile seems blood; to me it is not blood, ’tis water, O noble one.855
پیش تو خونست آب رود نیل ** نزد من خون نیست آبست ای نبیل
In regard to you, that (object) is iron or marble, (but) to the prophet David it is (soft as) wax and tractable.
در حق تو آهنست آن و رخام ** پیش داود نبی مومست و رام
To you the mountain is exceedingly heavy (solid) and inanimate, (but) to David it is a master-musician.
پیش تو که بس گرانست و جماد ** مطربست او پیش داود اوستاد
To you the gravel is silent; to Ahmad (Mohammed) it is eloquent and making supplication (to God).
پیش تو آن سنگ‌ریزه ساکتست ** پیش احمد او فصیح و قانتست
To you the pillar of the mosque is a dead thing; to Ahmad it is (like) a lover who has lost his heart.
پیش تو استون مسجد مرده‌ایست ** پیش احمد عاشقی دل برده‌ایست
To the vulgar all the particles of the world seem dead, but before God they are possessed of knowledge and submissive (to His commands).860
جمله اجزای جهان پیش عوام ** مرده و پیش خدا دانا و رام
As for your saying, ‘There is nobody in this house and palace: why art thou beating this drum?’—
آنچ گفتی کاندرین خانه و سرا ** نیست کس چون می‌زنی این طبل را
(I reply that) this (Moslem) people are giving (large) sums of gold for God's sake, founding hundreds of pious institutions and mosques,
بهر حق این خلق زرها می‌دهند ** صد اساس خیر و مسجد می‌نهند
And, like intoxicated lovers, gladly risking their property and lives on their way to (perform) the distant Pilgrimage:
مال و تن در راه حج دوردست ** خوش همی‌بازند چون عشاق مست
Do they ever say, ‘The House (Ka‘ba) is empty’? Nay, (they know that) the Lord of the House is the Spirit invisible.
هیچ می‌گویند کان خانه تهیست ** بلک صاحب‌خانه جان مختبیست
He that is illumined by the Light of God deems the House of the Beloved to be full (of Him).865
پر همی‌بیند سرای دوست را ** آنک از نور الهستش ضیا
In the eyes of those who see the end, many a palace filled with a crowd and throng (of people) is empty.
بس سرای پر ز جمع و انبهی ** پیش چشم عاقبت‌بینان تهی
Seek in the (spiritual) Ka‘ba whomsoever you please, that he may at once grow (rise into view) before your face.
هر که را خواهی تو در کعبه بجو ** تا بروید در زمان او پیش رو
How should the form (of the Perfect Man), which is splendid and sublime, (ever) be absent from the House of God?
صورتی کو فاخر و عالی بود ** او ز بیت الله کی خالی بود
He is (always) present (there), exempt from exclusion, (while) the rest of mankind (are there only) on account of (their occasional) need.
او بود حاضر منزه از رتاج ** باقی مردم برای احتیاج
Do they (the pilgrims) ever say, ‘We are crying Labbayka without (receiving) any response. Pray, why (is this)’?870
هیچ می‌گویند کین لبیکها ** بی‌ندایی می‌کنیم آخر چرا
Nay, the Divine blessing which causes (their cries of) Labbayka is (in truth) a response (coming) from the One (God) at every moment.
بلک توفیقی که لبیک آورد ** هست هر لحظه ندایی از احد
I know by intuition that this pavilion and palace is the banquet of the soul, and that its dust is an elixir.
من ببو دانم که این قصر و سرا ** بزم جان افتاد و خاکش کیمیا
I will strike my copper on its elixir unto everlasting in the mode of treble and bass,
مس خود را بر طریق زیر و بم ** تا ابد بر کیمیااش می‌زنم
That, from (my) playing the sahúr tune in this fashion, the seas (of Divine mercy) may surge (and be roused) to scatter (their) pearls and (lavish their) bounty.
تا بجوشد زین چنین ضرب سحور ** در درافشانی و بخشایش به حور