The proof of the sun is the sun (himself): if thou require the proof, do not avert thy face from him!
آفتاب آمد دلیل آفتاب ** گر دلیلت باید از وی رو متاب
If the shadow gives an indication of him, the sun (himself) gives spiritual light every moment.
از وی ار سایه نشانی می‌‌دهد ** شمس هر دم نور جانی می‌‌دهد
The shadow, like chat in the night-hours, brings sleep to thee; when the sun rises the moon is cloven asunder.
سایه خواب آرد ترا همچون سمر ** چون بر آید شمس انشق القمر
There is nothing in the world so wondrous strange as the Sun, the everlasting spiritual Sun which hath no yesterday.
خود غریبی در جهان چون شمس نیست ** شمس جان باقیی کش امس نیست
Although the external sun is unique, still it is possible to imagine one resembling it;120
شمس در خارج اگر چه هست فرد ** می‌‌توان هم مثل او تصویر کرد
But the Sun by which the aether was brought into existence hath no peer.
شمس جان کاو خارج آمد از اثیر ** نبودش در ذهن و در خارج نظیر
Where is room in the imagination for His essence, that the like of Him should come into the imagination?
در تصور ذات او را گنج کو ** تا در آید در تصور مثل او
When news arrived of the face of Shamsu’ddín (the Sun of the Religion), the sun of the fourth heaven drew in its head (hid itself for shame).
چون حدیث روی شمس الدین رسید ** شمس چارم آسمان سر در کشید
Since his name has come (to my lips), it behoves me to set forth some hint of his bounty.
واجب آید چون که آمد نام او ** شرح کردن رمزی از انعام او
At this moment my Soul has plucked my skirt: he has caught the perfume of Joseph's vest.125
این نفس جان دامنم بر تافته ست ** بوی پیراهان یوسف یافته ست
(He said): “For the sake of our years of companionship, recount one of those sweet ecstasies,
از برای حق صحبت سالها ** باز گو حالی از آن خوش حالها
That earth and heaven may laugh (with joy), that intellect and spirit and eye may increase a hundredfold.”
تا زمین و آسمان خندان شود ** عقل و روح و دیده صد چندان شود
(I said): “Do not lay tasks on me, for I have passed away from myself (faná); my apprehensions are blunted and I know not how to praise.
لا تکلفنی فإنی فی الفنا ** کلت أفهامی فلا أحصی ثنا
Everything that is said by one who has not returned to consciousness, if he constrains himself or boastfully exaggerates, is unseemly.
کل شی‌‌ء قاله غیر المفیق ** إن تکلف أو تصلف لا یلیق
How should I—not a vein of mine is sensible—describe that Friend who hath no peer?130
من چه گویم یک رگم هشیار نیست ** شرح آن یاری که او را یار نیست
The description of this severance and this heart's blood do thou at present leave over till another time.”
شرح این هجران و این خون جگر ** این زمان بگذار تا وقت دگر
He said: “Feed me, for I am hungry, and make haste, for Time is a cutting sword.
قال أطعمنی فإنی جائع ** و اعتجل فالوقت سیف قاطع
The Súfí is the son of the (present) time, O comrade: it is not the rule of the Way to say ‘To-morrow.’
صوفی ابن الوقت باشد ای رفیق ** نیست فردا گفتن از شرط طریق
Art not thou indeed a Súfí, then? That which is (in hand) is reduced to naught by postponing the payment.”
تو مگر خود مرد صوفی نیستی ** هست را از نسیه خیزد نیستی
I said to him: “It is better that the secret of the Friend should be disguised: do thou hearken (to it as implied) in the contents of the tale.135
گفتمش پوشیده خوشتر سر یار ** خود تو در ضمن حکایت گوش دار
It is better that the lovers' secret should be told in the talk of others.”
خوشتر آن باشد که سر دلبران ** گفته آید در حدیث دیگران
He said: “Tell this openly and nakedly: talk of religion is better overt than covert.
گفت مکشوف و برهنه گوی این ** آشکارا به که پنهان ذکر دین
Lift the veil and speak nakedly, for I do not wear a shirt when I sleep with the Adored One.”
پرده بردار و برهنه گو که من ** می‌‌نخسبم با صنم با پیرهن
I said: “If He should become naked in (thy) vision, neither wilt thou remain nor thy bosom nor thy waist.
گفتم ار عریان شود او در عیان ** نی تو مانی نی کنارت نی میان
Ask thy wish, but ask with measure: a blade of straw will not support the mountain.140
آرزو می‌‌خواه لیک اندازه خواه ** بر نتابد کوه را یک برگ کاه
If the Sun, by whom this world is illumined, should approach a little (nearer), all will be burned.
آفتابی کز وی این عالم فروخت ** اندکی گر پیش آید جمله سوخت
Do not seek trouble and turmoil and bloodshed: say no more concerning the Sun of Tabriz!”
فتنه و آشوب و خون‌‌ریزی مجوی ** بیش از این از شمس تبریزی مگوی
This (mystery) hath no end: tell of the beginning. Go, relate the conclusion of this tale.
این ندارد آخر از آغاز گوی ** رو تمام این حکایت باز گوی
How that saint demanded of the king to be alone for the purpose of discovering her malady.
خلوت طلبیدن آن ولی از پادشاه جهت دریافتن رنج کنیزک
He said: “O king, make the house empty; send away both kinsfolk and strangers.
گفت ای شه خلوتی کن خانه را ** دور کن هم خویش و هم بیگانه را
Let no one listen in the entrance-halls, that I may ask certain things of this handmaiden.”145
کس ندارد گوش در دهلیزها ** تا بپرسم زین کنیزک چیزها
The house was left empty, and not one inhabitant (remained): nobody save the physician and that sick girl.
خانه خالی ماند و یک دیار نی ** جز طبیب و جز همان بیمار نی
Very gently he said (to her), “Where is thy native town? for the treatment suitable to the people of each town is separate.
نرم نرمک گفت شهر تو کجاست ** که علاج اهل هر شهری جداست
And in that town who is related to thee? With what hast thou kinship and affinity?”
و اندر آن شهر از قرابت کیستت ** خویشی و پیوستگی با چیستت
He laid his hand on her pulse and put questions, one by one, about the injustice of Heaven.
دست بر نبضش نهاد و یک به یک ** باز می‌‌پرسید از جور فلک
When a thorn darts into any one's foot, he sets his foot upon his knee,150
چون کسی را خار در پایش جهد ** پای خود را بر سر زانو نهد
And keeps searching for its head with the point of a needle, and if he does not find it, he keeps moistening it (the place) with his lip.
وز سر سوزن همی‌‌جوید سرش ** ور نیابد می‌‌کند با لب ترش
A thorn in the foot is so hard to find: how (then) is it with a thorn in the heart? Answer (that)!
خار در پا شد چنین دشوار یاب ** خار در دل چون بود واده جواب
If every base fellow had seen the thorn in the heart, when would sorrows gain the upper hand over any one?
خار در دل گر بدیدی هر خسی ** دست کی بودی غمان را بر کسی
Somebody sticks a thorn under a donkey's tail: the donkey does not know how to get rid of it: he starts jumping.
کس به زیر دم خر خاری نهد ** خر نداند دفع آن بر می‌‌جهد
He jumps, and the thorn strikes more firmly (pierces deeper): it needs an intelligent person to extract a thorn.155
بر جهد و ان خار محکمتر زند ** عاقلی باید که خاری بر کند
In order to get rid of the thorn, the donkey from irritation and pain went on kicking and dealing blows in a hundred places,
خر ز بهر دفع خار از سوز و درد ** جفته می‌‌انداخت صد جا زخم کرد
(But) that thorn-removing physician was an expert: putting his hand on one spot after another, he tested (it).
آن حکیم خارچین استاد بود ** دست می‌‌زد جا به جا می‌‌آزمود
He inquired of the girl concerning her friends, by way of narrative,
ز ان کنیزک بر طریق داستان ** باز می‌‌پرسید حال دوستان
And she disclosed to the physician (many) circumstances touching her home and (former) masters and town and dwelling.
با حکیم او قصه‌‌ها می‌‌گفت فاش ** از مقام و خاجگان و شهر تاش
He listened to her story (while) he continued to observe her pulse and its beating,160
سوی قصه گفتنش می‌‌داشت گوش ** سوی نبض و جستنش می‌‌داشت هوش
So that at whosoever's name her pulse should begin to throb, (he might know that) that person is the object of her soul's desire in the world.
تا که نبض از نام کی گردد جهان ** او بود مقصود جانش در جهان‌‌ا ن
He reckoned up the friends and town; then he mentioned another town by name.
دوستان شهر او را بر شمرد ** بعد از آن شهری دگر را نام برد
He said: “When you went forth from your own town, in which town did you live mostly?”
گفت چون بیرون شدی از شهر خویش ** در کدامین شهر بوده ستی تو بیش
She mentioned the name of a certain town and from that too she passed on (to speak of another, and meanwhile) there was no change in the colour of her face or in her pulse.
نام شهری گفت وز آن هم در گذشت ** رنگ روی و نبض او دیگر نگشت
Masters and towns, one by one, she told of, and about dwelling-place and bread and salt.165
خواجگان و شهرها را یک به یک ** باز گفت از جای و از نان و نمک