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
I have told it summarily, I have not explained it (at length), otherwise both (my power of) causng (thee) to understand and (my) tongue (itself) would be consumed.
مجملش گفتم نکردم ز آن بیان ** ور نه هم افهام سوزد هم زبان
When I speak of “lip,” ’tis the lip (shore) of the Sea; when I say “not,” the intended meaning is “except.”
من چو لب گویم لب دریا بود ** من چو لا گویم مراد الا بود
By reason of (inward) sweetness I sit with sour face: from fullness of speech I am silent,1760
من ز شیرینی نشستم رو ترش ** من ز بسیاری گفتارم خمش
That in the mask of sour-facedness my sweetness may be kept hidden from the two worlds.
تا که شیرینی ما از دو جهان ** در حجاب رو ترش باشد نهان
In order that this subject may not come to every ear, I am telling (only) one out of a hundred esoteric mysteries.
تا که در هر گوش ناید این سخن ** یک همیگویم ز صد سر لدن
Commentary on the saying of the Hakím (Saná’í): “Any thing that causes thee to be left behind on the Way, what matter whether it be infidelity or faith? Any form that causes thee to fall far from the Beloved, what matter whether it be ugly or beautiful?”—and (a discourse) on the meaning of the words of the Prophet, on whom be peace: “Verily, Sa‘d is jealous, and I am more jealous than Sa‘d, and Allah is more jealous than I; and because of His jealousy He hath forbidden foul actions both outward and inward.
تفسیر قول حکیم: به هرچ از راه وامانی چه کفر آن حرف و چه ایمان به هرچ از دوست دور افتی چه زشت آن نقش و چه زیبا در معنی قوله علیه السلام إن سعدا لغیو ر و أنا أغیر من سعد و الله أغیر منی و من غیرته حرم الفواحش ما ظهر منها و ما بطن
The whole world became jealous because God is superior to all the world in jealousy.
جمله عالم ز آن غیور آمد که حق ** برد در غیرت بر این عالم سبق
He is like the spirit, and the world is like the body: the body receives from the spirit (both) good and evil.
او چو جان است و جهان چون کالبد ** کالبد از جان پذیرد نیک و بد
Any one whose prayer-niche is turned to the (mystical) revelation, do thou regard his going (back) to (the traditional) faith as shameful.1765
هر که محراب نمازش گشت عین ** سوی ایمان رفتنش میدان تو شین
Any one who has become Master of the robes to the King, it is loss for him to traffic on the King's behalf.
هر که شد مر شاه را او جامهدار ** هست خسران بهر شاهش اتجار
Any one who becomes the intimate friend of the Sultan, it is an injury and swindle (for him) to sit at his door.
هر که با سلطان شود او همنشین ** بر درش بودن بود حیف و غبین
When (the privilege of) kissing the (King's) hand has been bestowed on him by the King, it is a sin if he prefers to kiss the (King's) foot.
دستبوسش چون رسید از پادشاه ** گر گزیند بوس پا باشد گناه
Although to lay the head on the (King's) foot is an act of obeisance, (yet) compared with the former act of obeisance it is a fault and backsliding.
گر چه سر بر پا نهادن خدمت است ** پیش آن خدمت خطا و زلت است
The King is jealous of any one who, after having seen the face, prefers the (mere) scent.1770
شاه را غیرت بود بر هر که او ** بو گزیند بعد از آن که دید رو
To speak in parables, God's jealousy is the wheat, (while) men's jealousy is the straw in the stack.