They are dragged along this Way reluctantly, except those persons who are acquainted with the mysteries of the (Divine) action.
می‌کشند این راه را بیگاروار ** جز کسانی واقف از اسرار کار
Endeavour that thy (inward) light become radiant, so that thy travelling (in the path of devotion) and service (to God) may be made easy.
جهد کن تا نور تو رخشان شود ** تا سلوک و خدمتت آسان شود
You take children to school by force, because they are blind to the benefits (of knowledge);4585
کودکان را می‌بری مکتب به زور ** زانک هستند از فواید چشم‌کور
(But) when he (the child) becomes aware (of the benefits), he runs to school: his soul expands (with joy) at going.
چون شود واقف به مکتب می‌دود ** جانش از رفتن شکفته می‌شود
A child goes to school in sore distress because he has seen nothing of the wages for his work;
می‌رود کودک به مکتب پیچ پیچ ** چون ندید از مزد کار خویش هیچ
When he puts in his purse a single dáng earned by his handiwork, then he goes without sleep at night, like the thief.
چون کند در کیسه دانگی دست‌مزد ** آنگهان بی‌خواب گردد شب چو دزد
Endeavour that the wages for obedience (to God) may arrive: then you will envy the obedient.
جهد کن تا مزد طاعت در رسد ** بر مطیعان آنگهت آید حسد
(The command) come against your will is for him that has become a blind follower (of religion); come willingly is for him that is moulded of sincerity.4590
ائتیا کرها مقلد گشته را ** ائتیا طوعا صفا بسرشته را
The former loves God for the sake of some (secondary) cause, while the other hath indeed a pure disinterested love.
این محب حق ز بهر علتی ** و آن دگر را بی غرض خود خلتی
The former loves the Nurse, but for the sake of the milk, while the other has given his heart for the sake of this Veiled One.
این محب دایه لیک از بهر شیر ** و آن دگر دل داده بهر این ستیر
The child (the blind follower) hath no knowledge of Her beauty: he hath no desire of Her in his heart except for milk,
طفل را از حسن او آگاه نه ** غیر شیر او را ازو دلخواه نه
While the other is, truly, the lover of the Nurse: he is disinterested, single-minded in (passionate) love.
و آن دگر خود عاشق دایه بود ** بی غرض در عشق یک‌رایه بود
Hence he that loves God because of hope and fear reads studiously the book of blind conformity,4595
پس محب حق باومید و بترس ** دفتر تقلید می‌خواند بدرس
While he that loves God for God's sake—where is he? for he is apart from (all) self-interests and (secondary) causes.
و آن محب حق ز بهر حق کجاست ** که ز اغراض و ز علتها جداست
Whether he be like this or like that, inasmuch as he is a seeker (of God), God's attraction is drawing him towards God.
گر چنین و گر چنان چون طالبست ** جذب حق او را سوی حق جاذبست
Whether he love God for something other than He, that he may continually partake of His good,
گر محب حق بود لغیره ** کی ینال دائما من خیره
Or whether he love God for His very Self, for naught besides Him, in fear of separation from Him—
یا محب حق بود لعینه ** لاسواه خائفا من بینه
The quests and seekings of both (these lovers) are from that Source: this captivation of the heart is from that Heart-ravisher.4600
هر دو را این جست و جوها زان سریست ** این گرفتاری دل زان دلبریست
How the Beloved attracts the lover in such wise that the lover neither knows it nor hopes for it, nor does it occur to his mind, nor does any trace of that attraction appear in the lover except the fear that is mingled with despair, though he still perseveres in the quest.
جذب معشوق عاشق را من حیث لا یعمله العاشق و لا یرجوه و لا یخطر بباله و لا یظهر من ذلک الجذب اثر فی العاشق الا الخوف الممزوج بالیاس مع دوام الطلب
We came to this point (in the tale), that if the attraction of that lover had not been hidden in the Sadr-i Jahán,
آمدیم اینجا که در صدر جهان ** گر نبودی جذب آن عاشق نهان
How would he (the lover) have been impatient of separation, and how would he have come running back to his home?
ناشکیباکی بدی او از فراق ** کی دوان باز آمدی سوی وثاق
The desire of loved ones is hidden and veiled; the desire of the lover is (accompanied) with a hundred drums and trumpets.
میل معشوقان نهانست و ستیر ** میل عاشق با دو صد طبل و نفیر
Here is (the place for) a story (worthy) of consideration, but the man of Bukhárá has become desperate from waiting expectantly;
یک حکایت هست اینجا ز اعتبار ** لیک عاجز شد بخاری ز انتظار
(So) we omit it, for he is (engaged) in search and seeking, that before death he may see the face of his beloved,4605
ترک آن کردیم کو در جست و جوست ** تاکه پیش از مرگ بیند روی دوست
To the end that he may escape from death and gain deliverance, because the sight of the beloved is the Water of Life.
تا رهد از مرگ تا یابد نجات ** زانک دید دوستست آب حیات
Any one the sight of whom does not repel death is not the beloved, for he hath neither fruit nor leaf.
هر که دید او نباشد دفع مرگ ** دوست نبود که نه میوه‌ستش نه برگ
The (essential) matter, O intoxicated longing lover, is that matter in which death, if it thee, is sweet.
کار آن کارست ای مشتاق مست ** کاندر آن کار ار رسد مرگت خوشست
O youth, the token of sincerity of faith is that (matter) in which death comes sweet to thee.
شد نشان صدق ایمان ای جوان ** آنک آید خوش ترا مرگ اندر آن
If thy faith, O (dear) soul, is not like this, it is not perfect: go, seek to make (thy) religion perfect.4610
گر نشد ایمان تو ای جان چنین ** نیست کامل رو بجو اکمال دین
Whosoever in (this) matter of thine has become death-loving (and desires thy death) without dislike (without being hateful) to thy heart, he is (thy) beloved.
هر که اندر کار تو شد مرگ‌دوست ** بر دل تو بی کراهت دوست اوست
When dislike is gone, verily ‘tis not death: ‘tis (only) the semblance of death, and (in reality) ‘tis a migration.
چون کراهت رفت آن خود مرگ نیست ** صورت مرگست و نقلان کردنیست
When dislike is gone, dying becomes advantageous; hence it comes true that death is repelled.
چون کراهت رفت مردن نفع شد ** پس درست آید که مردن دفع شد
The beloved is God and the person to whom He hath said, “Thou art Mine and I am thine.”
دوست حقست و کسی کش گفت او ** که توی آن من و من آن تو
Now listen, for the lover is coming whom Love bound with a cord of palm-fibre. 4615
گوش دار اکنون که عاشق می‌رسد ** بسته عشق او را به حبل من مسد
When he beheld the countenance of the Sadr-i Jahán, you might say the bird, his spirit, flew out of his body.
چون بدید او چهره‌ی صدر جهان ** گوییا پریدش از تن مرغ جان
His body fell like dry wood: his vital spirit became cold from the crown of his head to his toes.
همچو چوب خشک افتاد آن تنش ** سرد شد از فرق جان تا ناخنش
Whatsoever they applied of incense and rose-water, he neither stirred nor spoke.
هرچه کردند از بخور و از گلاب ** نه بجنبید و نه آمد در خطاب
When the King saw his saffron-coloured (pallid) face, he dismounted from his steed (and came) towards him.
شاه چون دید آن مزعفر روی او ** پس فرود آمد ز مرکب سوی او
He said, “The lover hotly seeks the beloved: when the beloved comes, the lover is gone.”4620