For martyrs, blood is better than water: this fault (committed by him) is better than a hundred right actions (of another).
خون شهیدان را ز آب اولیتر است ** این خطا از صد ثواب اولیتر است
Within the Ka‘ba the rule of the qibla does not exist: what matter if the diver has no snow-shoes?
در درون کعبه رسم قبله نیست ** چه غم ار غواص را پاچیله نیست
Do not seek guidance from the drunken: why dost thou order those whose garments are rent in pieces to mend them?
تو ز سر مستان قلاووزی مجو ** جامه چاکان را چه فرمایی رفو
The religion of Love is apart from all religions: for lovers, the (only) religion and creed is—God.1770
ملت عشق از همه دینها جداست ** عاشقان را ملت و مذهب خداست
If the ruby have not a seal (graven on it), ’tis no harm: Love in the sea of sorrow is not sorrowful.
لعل را گر مهر نبود باک نیست ** عشق در دریای غم غمناک نیست
How the (Divine) revelation came to Moses, on whom be peace, excusing that shepherd.
وحی آمدن موسی را علیه السلام در عذر آن شبان
After that, God spake secretly in the inmost heart of Moses mysteries which cannot be spoken.
بعد از آن در سر موسی حق نهفت ** رازهایی کان نمیآید به گفت
Words were poured upon his heart: vision and speech were mingled together.
بر دل موسی سخنها ریختند ** دیدن و گفتن به هم آمیختند
How oft did he become beside himself and how oft return to himself! How oft did he fly from eternity to everlastingness!
چند بیخود گشت و چند آمد به خود ** چند پرید از ازل سوی ابد
If I should unfold (his tale) after this, ’tis foolishness (in me), because the explanation of this is beyond (our) understanding;1775
بعد از این گر شرح گویم ابلهی است ** ز انکه شرح این ورای آگهی است
And if I should speak (thereof), ’twould root up (men's) minds; and if I should write (thereof), ’twould shatter many pens.
ور بگویم عقلها را بر کند ** ور نویسم بس قلمها بشکند
When Moses heard these reproaches from God, he ran into the desert in quest of the shepherd.
چون که موسی این عتاب از حق شنید ** در بیابان در پی چوپان دوید
He pushed on over the footprints of the bewildered man, he scattered dust from the skirt of the desert.
بر نشان پای آن سر گشته راند ** گرد از پردهی بیابان بر فشاند
The footstep of a man distraught is, in truth, distinct from the footsteps of others:
گام پای مردم شوریده خود ** هم ز گام دیگران پیدا بود
(At) one step, (he moves) like the rook (straight) from top to bottom (of the chessboard); (at) one step he goes crossways, like the bishop;1780
یک قدم چون رخ ز بالا تا نشیب ** یک قدم چون پیل رفته بر وریب
Now lifting his crest like a wave; now going on his belly like a fish;
گاه چون موجی بر افرازان علم ** گاه چون ماهی روانه بر شکم
Now writing (a description of) his state on some dust, like a geomancer who takes an omen by drawing lines (on earth or sand).
گاه بر خاکی نبشته حال خود ** همچو رمالی که رملی بر زند
At last he (Moses) overtook and beheld him; the giver of glad news said, “Permission has come (from God).
عاقبت دریافت او را و بدید ** گفت مژده ده که دستوری رسید
Do not seek any rules or method (of worship); say whatsoever your distressful heart desires.
هیچ آدابی و ترتیبی مجو ** هر چه میخواهد دل تنگت بگو
Your blasphemy is (the true) religion, and your religion is the light of the spirit: you are saved, and through you a (whole) world is in salvation.1785
کفر تو دین است و دینت نور جان ** ایمنی و ز تو جهانی در امان
O you who are made secure by God doeth whatso He willeth, go, loose your tongue without regard (for what you say).”
ای معاف یفعل الله ما یشاء ** بیمحابا رو زبان را بر گشا
He said, “O Moses, I have passed beyond that: I am now bathed in (my) heart's blood.
گفت ای موسی از آن بگذشتهام ** من کنون در خون دل آغشتهام
I have passed beyond the Lote-tree of the farthest bourn, I have gone a hundred thousand years' journey on the other side.
من ز سدرهی منتهی بگذشتهام ** صد هزاران ساله ز آن سو رفتهام
Thou didst ply the lash, and my horse shied, made a bound, and passed beyond the sky.
تازیانه بر زدی اسبم بگشت ** گنبدی کرد و ز گردون بر گذشت
May the Divine Nature be intimate with my human nature— blessings be on thy hand and on thine arm!1790
محرم ناسوت ما لاهوت باد ** آفرین بر دست و بر بازوت باد
Now my state is beyond telling: this which I am telling is not my (real) state.”
حال من اکنون برون از گفتن است ** این چه میگویم نه احوال من است
You behold the image which is in a mirror: it is your (own) image, it is not the image of the mirror.
نقش میبینی که در آیینهای است ** نقش تست آن نقش آن آیینه نیست
The breath which the flute-player puts into the flute—does it belong to the flute? No, it belongs to the man (the flute-player).
دم که مرد نایی اندر نای کرد ** در خور نای است نه در خورد مرد
Take good heed! Whether you speak praise (of God) or thanksgiving, know that it is even as the unseemly (words) of that shepherd.
هان و هان گر حمد گویی گر سپاس ** همچو نافرجام آن چوپان شناس
Though your praise is better in comparison with that, yet in relation to God it too is maimed (feeble).1795
حمد تو نسبت بدان گر بهتر است ** لیک آن نسبت به حق هم ابتر است
How often will you say, when the lid has been raised, “This was not what they were thinking (it was)!”
چند گویی چون غطا برداشتند ** کاین نبوده ست آن که میپنداشتند
This acceptance (by God) of your praise is from (His) mercy: it is an indulgence (which He grants), like (the indulgence granted in the case of) the prayers of a woman suffering from menorrhagia.
این قبول ذکر تو از رحمت است ** چون نماز مستحاضه رخصت است
Her prayers are stained with blood; your praise is stained with assimilation and qualification.
با نماز او بیالوده ست خون ** ذکر تو آلودهی تشبیه و چون
Blood is foul, and (yet) it goes (is washed away) by a (little) water; but the inward part (the inner man) hath impurities
خون پلید است و به آبی میرود ** لیک باطن را نجاستها بود
Which fail not (are not removed) from the interior (the heart) of the man of works except by the water of the grace of the Maker.1800
کان به غیر آب لطف کردگار ** کم نگردد از درون مرد کار
Would that in your bowing low in prayer you would turn your face (to attentive consideration) and apprehend the meaning of “Glory to my Lord!”
در سجودت کاش رو گردانیای ** معنی سبحان ربی دانیای
Saying, “Oh, my prostration (in prayer), like my existence, is unworthy (of Thee): do Thou give good in return for evil!”
کای سجودم چون وجودم ناسزا ** مر بدی را تو نکویی ده جزا
This earth has the mark of God's clemency, in that it got filth and gave flowers as the produce;
این زمین از حلم حق دارد اثر ** تا نجاست برد و گلها داد بر
In that it covers our pollutions, (and that) buds grow up from it in exchange.
تا بپوشد او پلیدیهای ما ** در عوض بر روید از وی غنچهها
Therefore, when the infidel saw that in giving and lavishing he was meaner and unwealthier than the earth,1805
پس چو کافر دید کاو در داد و جود ** کمتر و بیمایه تر از خاک بود
(That) flowers and fruit did not grow from his being, (and that) he sought (and achieved) nothing but the corruption of all purities,
از وجود او گل و میوه نرست ** جز فساد جمله پاکیها نجست
He said, “I have gone backwards in (my) course. Alas! would that I had (still) been earth!
گفت واپس رفتهام من در ذهاب ** حسرتا یا لیتنی کنت تراب
Would that I had not chosen to travel away from earthiness, (and that) like a clod of earth I had gathered some grain!
کاش از خاکی سفر نگزیدمی ** همچو خاکی دانهای میچیدمی
When I travelled, the Way tried me: what was the present I brought (home) from this travelling?”
چون سفر کردم مرا راه آزمود ** زین سفر کردن ره آوردم چه بود
’Tis from all that propensity of his towards earth that he sees before him no profit in the journey.1810
ز آن همه میلش سوی خاک است کاو ** در سفر سودی نبیند پیش رو
His turning his face back is that greed and cupidity (of his); his turning his face to the Way is sincerity and supplication.
روی واپس کردنش آن حرص و آز ** روی در ره کردنش صدق و نیاز
Every herb that has a propensity for (moving) upwards is in (the state of) increase and life and growth;
هر گیا را کش بود میل علا ** در مزید است و حیات و در نما
When it has turned its head towards the earth, (it is) in (the state of) decrease and dryness and failure and disappointment.
چون که گردانید سر سوی زمین ** در کمی و خشکی و نقص و غبین
When the propensity of your spirit is upwards, (you are) in (the state of) increase, and that (lofty) place is the place to which you will return;
میل روحت چون سوی بالا بود ** در تزاید مرجعت آن جا بود
But if you are upside down, (with) your head towards the earth, (then) you are one that sinks: God loves not them that sink.1815
ور نگون ساری سرت سوی زمین ** آفلی حق لا یحب الآفلین
How Moses, on whom be peace, asked the high God (to explain) the secret of the predominance of the unjust.
پرسیدن موسی علیه السلام از حق تعالی سر غلبهی ظالمان
Moses said, “O Bounteous Disposer, O Thou whom to commemorate for one moment is (worth) a long life,
گفت موسی ای کریم کارساز ** ای که یک دم ذکر تو عمر دراز