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.
غیرت حق بر مثل گندم بود ** کاه خرمن غیرت مردم بود
Know that the root of (all) jealousies is in God: those of mankind are an offshoot from God, without resemblance (being implied).
اصل غیرتها بدانید از اله ** آن خلقان فرع حق بیاشتباه
I will leave the explanation of this and will begin to complain of the cruelty of that fickle Beauty.
شرح این بگذارم و گیرم گله ** از جفای آن نگار ده دله
I wail because wailings are pleasant to Him: He wants from the two worlds wailing and grief.
نالم ایرا نالهها خوش آیدش ** از دو عالم ناله و غم بایدش
How should I not wail bitterly on account of His deceit, since I am not in the circle of those intoxicated with Him?1775
چون ننالم تلخ از دستان او ** چون نیم در حلقهی مستان او
How shall I not be like night, without His day and without the favour of His day-illuming countenance?
چون نباشم همچو شب بیروز او ** بیوصال روی روز افروز او
His unsweetness is sweet in my soul: may my soul be sacrificed to the Beloved who grieves my heart!
ناخوش او خوش بود در جان من ** جان فدای یار دل رنجان من
I am in love with my grief and pain for the sake of pleasing my peerless King.
عاشقم بر رنج خویش و درد خویش ** بهر خشنودی شاه فرد خویش
I make the dust of sorrow a salve for mine eye, that the two seas of mine eyes may be filled with pearls.
خاک غم را سرمه سازم بهر چشم ** تا ز گوهر پر شود دو بحر چشم
The tears which people shed for His sake are pearls—and people think they are tears.1780
اشک کان از بهر او بارند خلق ** گوهر است و اشک پندارند خلق