Didst thou (ever) smell the scent of a rose where no rose was? Didst thou (ever) see the foaming of wine where no wine was?1900
بوی گل دیدی که آن جا گل نبود ** جوش مل دیدی که آن جا مل نبود
The scent is thy guide and conducts thee on thy way: it will bring thee to Eden and Kawthar.
بو قلاووز است و رهبر مر ترا ** می‌‌برد تا خلد و کوثر مر ترا
The scent is a remedy for the (sightless) eye; (it is) light-making: the eye of Jacob was opened by a scent.
بو دوای چشم باشد نور ساز ** شد ز بویی دیده‌‌ی یعقوب باز
The foul scent darkens the eye, the scent of Joseph succours the eye.
بوی بد مر دیده را تاری کند ** بوی یوسف دیده را یاری کند
Thou who art not a Joseph, be a Jacob: be (familiar), like him, with weeping and sore distress.
تو که یوسف نیستی یعقوب باش ** همچو او با گریه و آشوب باش
Hearken to this counsel from the Sage of Ghazna, that thou mayst feel freshness in thy old body:1905
بشنو این پند از حکیم غزنوی ** تا بیابی در تن کهنه نوی
“Disdain needs a face like the rose; when thou hast not (such a face), do not indulge in ill-temper.
ناز را رویی بباید همچو ورد ** چون نداری گرد بد خویی مگرد
Ugly is disdain in an uncomely face, grievous is eye-ache in an unseeing eye.”
زشت باشد روی نازیبا و ناز ** سخت باشد چشم نابینا و درد
In the presence of Joseph do not give thyself airs and behave like a beauty: offer nothing but the supplication and sighs of Jacob.
پیش یوسف نازش و خوبی مکن ** جز نیاز و آه یعقوبی مکن
The meaning of dying (as conveyed) by the parrot was supplication (self-abasement): make thyself dead in supplication and poverty (of spirit),
معنی مردن ز طوطی بد نیاز ** در نیاز و فقر خود را مرده ساز
That the breath of Jesus may revive thee and make thee fair and blessed as itself.1910
تا دم عیسی ترا زنده کند ** همچو خویشت خوب و فرخنده کند
How should a rock be covered with verdure by the Spring? Become earth, that thou mayst display flowers of many a hue.
از بهاران کی شود سر سبز سنگ ** خاک شو تا گل برویی رنگ رنگ
Years hast thou been a heart-jagging rock: once, for the sake of experiment, be earth!
سالها تو سنگ بودی دل خراش ** آزمون را یک زمانی خاک باش
The story of the old harper who in the time of ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, on a day when he was starving played the harp for God's sake in the graveyard.
داستان پیر چنگی که در عهد عمر از بهر خدا روز بی‌‌نوایی چنگ زد میان گورستان
Hast thou heard that in the time of ‘Umar there was a harper, a fine and glorious minstrel?
آن شنیده ستی که در عهد عمر ** بود چنگی مطربی با کر و فر
The nightingale would be made beside herself by his voice: by his beautiful voice one rapture would be turned into a hundred.
بلبل از آواز او بی‌‌خود شدی ** یک طرب ز آواز خوبش صد شدی
His breath was an ornament to assembly and congregation, and at his song the dead would arise.1915
مجلس و مجمع دمش آراستی ** وز نوای او قیامت خاستی
(He was) like Isráfíl (Seraphiel), whose voice will cunningly bring the souls of the dead into their bodies,
همچو اسرافیل کاوازش به فن ** مردگان را جان در آرد در بدن
Or he was (like) an accompanist to Isráfíl, for his music would make the elephant grow wings.
یا رسیلی بود اسرافیل را ** کز سماعش پر برستی فیل را
One day Isráfíl will make a shrill sound and will give life to him that has been rotten for a hundred years.
سازد اسرافیل روزی ناله را ** جان دهد پوسیده‌‌ی صد ساله را
The prophets also have (spiritual) notes within, whence there comes life beyond price to them that seek (God).
انبیا را در درون هم نغمه‌‌هاست ** طالبان را ز آن حیات بی‌‌بهاست
The sensual ear does not hear those notes, for the sensual ear is defiled by iniquities.1920
نشنود آن نغمه‌‌ها را گوش حس ** کز ستمها گوش حس باشد نجس
The note of the peri is not heard by man, for he is unable to apprehend the mysteries of the peris,
نشنود نغمه‌‌ی پری را آدمی ** کاو بود ز اسرار پریان اعجمی
Although the note of the peri too belongs to this world. The note of the heart is higher than both breaths (notes),
گر چه هم نغمه‌‌ی پری زین عالم است ** نغمه‌‌ی دل برتر از هر دو دم است
For peri and man (alike) are prisoners: both are (captive) in the prison of this ignorance.
که پری و آدمی زندانی‌‌اند ** هر دو در زندان این نادانی‌‌اند
Recite O community of Jinn (and men) in the Súratu l’-Rahmán; recognise (the meaning of) if ye be able to pass forth.
معشر الجن سوره‌‌ی رحمان بخوان ** تستطیعوا تنفذوا را باز دان
The inward notes of the saints say, at first, “O ye particles of lá (not = not-being),1925
نغمه‌‌های اندرون اولیا ** اولا گوید که ای اجزای لا
Take heed, lift up your heads from the lá of negation, cast aside this fancy and vain imagining.
هین ز لای نفی سرها بر زنید ** این خیال و وهم یک سو افکنید
O ye who all are rotten in (the world of) generation and corruption, your everlasting soul neither grew nor came to birth.”
ای همه پوسیده در کون و فساد ** جان باقیتان نرویید و نزاد
If I tell (even) a tittle of those (saintly) notes, the souls will lift up their heads from the tombs.
گر بگویم شمه‌‌ای ز آن نغمه‌‌ها ** جانها سر بر زنند از دخمه‌‌ها
Put thine ear close, for that (melody) is not far off, but ’tis not permitted to convey it to thee.
گوش را نزدیک کن کان دور نیست ** لیک نقل آن به تو دستور نیست
Hark! for the saints are the Isráfíls of the (present) time: from them to the dead comes life and freshness.1930
هین که اسرافیل وقت‌‌اند اولیا ** مرده را ز یشان حیات است و حیا
At their voice the soul of every dead one starts up from the body's grave in their winding sheets.
جان هر یک مرده‌‌ای از گور تن ** بر جهد ز آوازشان اندر کفن
He (that is thus awakened) says, “This voice is separate from (all other) voices: to quicken (the dead) is the work of the voice of God.
گوید این آواز ز آوازها جداست ** زنده کردن کار آواز خداست
We (had) died and were entirely decayed: the call of God came: we all arose.”
ما بمردیم و بکلی کاستیم ** بانگ حق آمد همه برخاستیم
The call of God, (whether it be) veiled or unveiled, bestows that which He bestowed on Mary from His bosom.
بانگ حق اندر حجاب و بی‌‌حجاب ** آن دهد کو داد مریم را ز جیب
O ye whom death (in your hearts) hath made naught underneath the skin, return from non-existence at the voice of the Friend!1935
ای فناتان نیست کرده زیر پوست ** باز گردید از عدم ز آواز دوست
Absolutely, indeed, that voice is from the King (God), though it be from the larynx of God's servant.
مطلق آن آواز خود از شه بود ** گر چه از حلقوم عبد الله بود
He (God) has said to him (the saint), “I am thy tongue and eye; I am thy senses and I am thy good pleasure and thy wrath.
گفته او را من زبان و چشم تو ** من حواس و من رضا و خشم تو
Go, for thou art (he of whom God saith), ‘By Me he hears and by Me he sees’: thou art the (Divine) consciousness (itself): what is the occasion (propriety) of (saying), ‘Thou art the possessor of the (Divine) consciousness’?
رو که بی‌‌یسمع و بی‌‌یبصر تویی ** سر تویی چه جای صاحب سر تویی
Since thou hast become, through bewilderment, ‘He that belongs to God,’ I am thine, for ‘God shall belong to him.’
چون شدی من کان لله از وله ** من ترا باشم که کان الله له
Sometimes I say to thee, ‘’Tis thou,’ sometimes, ‘’Tis I’: whatever I say, I am the Sun illuminating (all).1940
گه تویی گویم ترا گاهی منم ** هر چه گویم آفتاب روشنم
Wheresoever I shine forth from the lamp-niche of a breath (Divine word), there the difficulties of a (whole) world are resolved.
هر کجا تابم ز مشکات دمی ** حل شد آن جا مشکلات عالمی
The darkness which the (earthly) sun did not remove, through My breath that darkness becomes like bright morning.”
ظلمتی را کافتابش بر نداشت ** از دم ما گردد آن ظلمت چو چاشت
To an Adam He in His own person showed the (Divine) Names; to the rest He was revealing the Names by means of Adam.
آدمی را او به خویش اسما نمود ** دیگران را ز آدم اسما می‌‌گشود
Do thou receive His light either from Adam or from Himself: take the wine either from the jar or from the gourd (cup),
خواه ز آدم گیر نورش خواه از او ** خواه از خم گیر می‌‌خواه از کدو
For this gourd is very closely connected with the jar: the blessed gourd is not rejoiced (by the same causes) as thou art.1945
کاین کدو با خنب پیوسته ست سخت ** نی چو تو شاد آن کدوی نیک بخت
Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “Happy he that has seen me and he that looks at him that saw my face.”
گفت طوبی من رآنی مصطفا ** و الذی یبصر لمن وجهی رأی
When a lamp has derived (its) light from a candle, every one that sees it (the lamp) certainly sees the candle.
چون چراغی نور شمعی را کشید ** هر که دید آن را یقین آن شمع دید
If transmission (of the light) occurs in this way till a hundred lamps (are lighted), the seeing of the last (lamp) becomes a meeting with the original (light).
همچنین تا صد چراغ ار نقل شد ** دیدن آخر لقای اصل شد
Either take it from the hindmost light—there is no difference—or from the candle of the Spirit.
خواه از نور پسین بستان تو آن ** هیچ فرقی نیست خواه از شمع‌‌دان