Oh, alas for my bird of goodly flight, that has flown from my end (my last state) to my beginning (my first state).
ای دریغا مرغ خوش پرواز من ** ز انتها پریده تا آغاز من
The ignorant man is in love with pain unto everlasting. Arise and read (in the Qur’án) I swear as far as (the words) in trouble.
عاشق رنج است نادان تا ابد ** خیز لا أقسم بخوان تا فی کبد
With thy face I was free from trouble, and in thy river I was unsoiled by froth.1710
از کبد فارغ بدم با روی تو ** وز زبد صافی بدم در جوی تو
These cries of ‘Alas’ are (caused by) the phantasy (idea) of seeing (the Beloved) and (by) separation from my present existence.
این دریغاها خیال دیدن است ** وز وجود نقد خود ببریدن است
’Twas the jealousy of God, and there is no device against God: where is a heart that is not (shattered) in a hundred pieces by God's love?
غیرت حق بود و با حق چاره نیست ** کو دلی کز حکم حق صد پاره نیست
The jealousy (of God) is this, that He is other than all things, that He is beyond explanation and the noise of words.
غیرت آن باشد که او غیر همه ست ** آن که افزون از بیان و دمدمه ست
Oh, alas! Would that my tears were an ocean, that they might be strewn as an offering to the fair charmer!
ای دریغا اشک من دریا بدی ** تا نثار دل بر زیبا بدی
My parrot, my clever-headed bird, the interpreter of my thought and inmost consciousness,1715
طوطی من مرغ زیرکسار من ** ترجمان فکرت و اسرار من
She has told me from the first, that I might remember it, whatsoever should come to me as my allotted portion of right and wrong.”
هر چه روزی داد و ناداد آیدم ** او ز اول گفته تا یاد آیدم
The parrot whose voice comes from (Divine) inspiration and whose beginning was before the beginning of existence—
طوطیی کاید ز وحی آواز او ** پیش از آغاز وجود آغاز او
That parrot is hidden within thee: thou hast seen the reflexion of her upon this and that (the things of the phenomenal world).
اندرون تست آن طوطی نهان ** عکس او را دیده تو بر این و آن
She takes away thy joy, and because of her thou art rejoicing: thou receivest injury from her as though it were justice.
میبرد شادیت را تو شاد از او ** میپذیری ظلم را چون داد از او
O thou who wert burning the soul for the body's sake, thou hast burned (destroyed) the soul and illumined (delighted) the body.1720
ای که جان را بهر تن میسوختی ** سوختی جان را و تن افروختی
I am burning (with love of God): does any one want tinder, let him set his rubbish ablaze with fire from me.
سوختم من سوخته خواهد کسی ** تا ز من آتش زند اندر خسی
Inasmuch as tinder is combustible, take tinder that catches fire (readily).
سوخته چون قابل آتش بود ** سوخته بستان که آتش کش بود
O alas, O alas, O alas that such a moon became hidden under the clouds!
ای دریغا ای دریغا ای دریغ ** کانچنان ماهی نهان شد زیر میغ
How should I utter a word?—for the fire in my heart is grown fierce, the lion of separation (from the Beloved) has become raging and blood-shedding.
چون زنم دم کاتش دل تیز شد ** شیر هجر آشفته و خون ریز شد
One that even when sober is violent and furious, how will it be when he takes the wine-cup in his hand?1725
آن که او هوشیار خود تند است و مست ** چون بود چون او قدح گیرد به دست
The furious Lion who is beyond description is too great for (cannot be contained in) the wide expanse of the meadow.
شیر مستی کز صفت بیرون بود ** از بسیط مرغزار افزون بود
I am thinking of rhymes, and my Sweetheart says to me, “Do not think of aught except vision of Me.
قافیه اندیشم و دل دار من ** گویدم مندیش جز دیدار من
Sit at thy ease, My rhyme-meditating (friend): in My presence thou art rhymed with (attached to) felicity.
خوش نشین ای قافیه اندیش من ** قافیهی دولت تویی در پیش من
What are words that thou shouldst think of them? What are words? Thorns in the hedge of the vineyard.
حرف چه بود تا تو اندیشی از آن ** حرف چه بود خار دیوار رزان
I will throw word and sound and speech into confusion, that without these three I may converse with thee.1730
حرف و صوت و گفت را بر هم زنم ** تا که بیاین هر سه با تو دم زنم
That word which I kept hidden from Adam I will speak to thee, O (thou who art the) consciousness of the world.
آن دمی کز آدمش کردم نهان ** با تو گویم ای تو اسرار جهان
(I will tell to thee) that word which I did not communicate to Abraham, and that pain (love) which Gabriel does not know.”
آن دمی را که نگفتم با خلیل ** و آن غمی را که نداند جبرئیل
That word of which the Messiah (Jesus) breathed not a word God, from jealousy, did not utter even without má.
آن دمی کز وی مسیحا دم نزد ** حق ز غیرت نیز بیما هم نزد
What is má in language? Positive and negative. I am not positive, I am selfless and negated.
ما چه باشد در لغت اثبات و نفی ** من نه اثباتم منم بیذات و نفی
I found (true) individuality in non-individuality: therefore I wove (my) individuality into non-individuality.1735
من کسی در ناکسی دریافتم ** پس کسی در ناکسی دربافتم
All kings are enslaved to their slaves, all people are dead (ready to die) for one who dies for them.
جمله شاهان بندهی بندهی خودند ** جمله خلقان مردهی مردهی خودند
All kings are prostrate before one who is prostrate before them, all people are intoxicated with (love for) one who is intoxicated with them.
جمله شاهان پست، پست خویش را ** جمله خلقان مست، مست خویش را
The fowler becomes a prey to the birds in order that of a sudden he may make them his prey.
میشود صیاد، مرغان را شکار ** تا کند ناگاه ایشان را شکار
Heart-ravishers (loved ones) seek with (all their) soul those who have lost their hearts (to them): all loved ones are the prey of (their) lovers.
بیدلان را دلبران جسته به جان ** جمله معشوقان شکار عاشقان
Whomsoever thou didst deem to be a lover, regard (him) as the loved one, for relatively he is both this and that.1740
هر که عاشق دیدیاش معشوق دان ** کو به نسبت هست هم این و هم آن
If they that are thirsty seek water from the world, (yet) water too seeks in the world them that are thirsty.
تشنگان گر آب جویند از جهان ** آب جوید هم به عالم تشنگان
Inasmuch as He is (thy) lover, do thou be silent: as He is pulling thine ear, be thou (all) ear.
چون که عاشق اوست تو خاموش باش ** او چو گوشت میکشد تو گوش باش
Dam the torrent (of ecstasy) when it runs in flood; else it will work shame and ruin.
بند کن چون سیل سیلانی کند ** ور نه رسوایی و ویرانی کند
What care I though ruin be (wrought)? Under the ruin there is a royal treasure.
من چه غم دارم که ویرانی بود ** زیر ویران گنج سلطانی بود
He that is drowned in God wishes to be more drowned, (while) his spirit (is tossed) up and down like the waves of the sea,1745
غرق حق خواهد که باشد غرقتر ** همچو موج بحر جان زیر و زبر
(Asking), “Is the bottom of the sea more delightful, or the top? Is His (the Beloved's) arrow more fascinating, or the shield?”
زیر دریا خوشتر آید یا زبر ** تیر او دل کش تر آید یا سپر
O heart, thou art torn asunder by evil suggestion if thou recognise any difference between joy and woe.
پاره کردهی وسوسه باشی دلا ** گر طرب را باز دانی از بلا
Although the object of thy desire has the taste of sugar, is not absence of any object of desire (in thee) the object of the Beloved's desire?
گر مرادت را مذاق شکر است ** بیمرادی نه مراد دل بر است
Every star of His is the blood-price of a hundred new moons: it is lawful for Him to shed the blood of the (whole) world.
هر ستارهش خونبهای صد هلال ** خون عالم ریختن او را حلال
We gained the price and the blood-price: we hastened to gamble our soul away.1750
ما بها و خونبها را یافتیم ** جانب جان باختن بشتافتیم
Oh, the life of lovers consists in death: thou wilt not win the (Beloved's) heart except in losing thine own.
ای حیات عاشقان در مردگی ** دل نیابی جز که در دل بردگی
I sought (to win) His heart with a hundred airs and graces, (but) He made excuses to me (put me off) in disdain.
من دلش جسته به صد ناز و دلال ** او بهانه کرده با من از ملال
I said, “After all, this mind and soul (of mine) are drowned in Thee.” “Begone,” said He, “begone! Do not chant these spells over Me (do not seek thus to beguile Me).
گفتم آخر غرق تست این عقل و جان ** گفت رو رو بر من این افسون مخوان
Do not I know what thought thou hast conceived? O thou who hast seen double, how hast thou regarded the Beloved?
من ندانم آن چه اندیشیدهای ** ای دو دیده دوست را چون دیدهای
O gross-spirited one, thou hast held Him in light esteem, because thou hast bought Him very cheaply.1755
ای گران جان خوار دیده ستی و را ** ز آن که بس ارزان خریده ستی و را
He that buys cheaply gives cheaply: a child will give a pearl for a loaf of bread.”
هر که او ارزان خرد ارزان دهد ** گوهری طفلی به قرصی نان دهد
I am drowned in a love (so deep) that therein are drowned the first loves and the last.
غرق عشقیام که غرق است اندر این ** عشقهای اولین و آخرین