It (the gnat) said, “Thy words are an argument (conclusive) and sound. My adversary is the Wind, and he is in thy jurisdiction.”
گفت قول تست برهان و درست ** خصم من بادست و او در حکم تست
The King shouted, “O East-wind, the gnat complains of thy injustice: come!
بانگ زد آن شه که ای باد صبا ** پشه افغان کرد از ظلمت بیا
Hark, come face to face with thy adversary and reply to thy adversary and rebut thy opponent.”
هین مقابل شو تو و خصم و بگو ** پاسخ خصم و بکن دفع عدو
When the Wind heard (the summons), he came very rapidly: the gnat at once took to flight.
باد چون بشنید آمد تیز تیز ** پشه بگرفت آن زمان راه گریز
Then Solomon said, “O gnat, where (art thou going)? Stop, that I may pass judgement on (you) both.”4655
پس سلیمان گفت ای پشه کجا ** باش تا بر هر دو رانم من قضا
It (the gnat) answered, “O King, my death is from his being: verily, this day of mine is black from his smoke.
گفت ای شه مرگ من از بود اوست ** خود سیاه این روز من از دود اوست
Since he has come, where shall I find rest? for he wrings the (vital) breath out of my body.”
او چو آمد من کجا یابم قرار ** کو بر آرد از نهاد من دمار
Even such is the seeker of the Court of God: when God comes, the seeker is naughted.
همچنین جویای درگاه خدا ** چون خدا آمد شود جوینده لا
Although that union (with God) is immortality on immortality, yet at first that immortality (baqá) consists in dying to self (faná).
گرچه آن وصلت بقا اندر بقاست ** لیک ز اول آن بقا اندر فناست
The reflexions that are seeking the Light are naughted when His Light appears.4660
سایه‌هایی که بود جویای نور ** نیست گردد چون کند نورش ظهور
How should the reason remain when He bids it go?Everything is perishing except His Face.
عقل کی ماند چو باشد سرده او ** کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
Before His Face the existent and the non-existent perish: existence in nonexistence is in sooth a marvellous thing!
هالک آید پیش وجهش هست و نیست ** هستی اندر نیستی خود طرفه‌ایست
In this place of presence (all) minds are lost beyond control; when the pen reaches this point, it breaks.
اندرین محضر خردها شد ز دست ** چون قلم اینجا رسیده شد شکست
How the Beloved caressed the senseless lover, that he might return to his senses.
نواختن معشوق عاشق بیهوش را تا به هوش باز آید
The Sadr-i Jahán, from kindness, was drawing him little by little from senselessness into (the capacity for) clear expression.
می‌کشید از بیهشی‌اش در بیان ** اندک اندک از کرم صدر جهان
The Prince cried into his ear, “O beggar, I bring gold to scatter o’er thee; spread out thy skirt.4665
بانگ زد در گوش او شه کای گدا ** زر نثار آوردمت دامن گشا
Thy spirit, which was quivering (with distress) in separation. from me—since I have come to protect it, how has it fled?
جان تو کاندر فراقم می‌طپید ** چونک زنهارش رسیدم چون رمید
O thou who hast suffered heat and cold in separation from me, come to thyself from selflessness and return!”
ای بدیده در فراقم گرم و سرد ** با خود آ از بی‌خودی و باز گرد
The domestic fowl, in the manner of a host, foolishly brings a camel to her house.
مرغ خانه اشتری را بی خرد ** رسم مهمانش به خانه می‌برد
When the camel set foot in the hen’s house, the house was destroyed and the roof fell in.
چون به خانه مرغ اشتر پا نهاد ** خانه ویران گشت و سقف اندر فتاد
The hen’s house is our (weak) intelligence and understanding the good intelligence is a seeker of God’s she-camel4670
خانه‌ی مرغست هوش و عقل ما ** هوش صالح طالب ناقه‌ی خدا
When the she-camel put her head into its water and clay, neither its clay remained there (in existence) nor its soul and heart.
ناقه چون سر کرد در آب و گلش ** نه گل آنجا ماند نه جان و دلش
Pre-eminence in love made Man overweening: because of this desire for excess he is very unjust and very ignorant.
کرد فضل عشق انسان را فضول ** زین فزون‌جویی ظلومست و جهول
He is ignorant, and in this difficult chase the hare is clasping a lion in his arms.
جاهلست و اندرین مشکل شکار ** می‌کشد خرگوش شیری در کنار
How would he clasp the lion in his arms, if he knew and saw the lion?
کی کنار اندر کشیدی شیر را ** گر بدانستی و دیدی شیر را
He is unjust to himself and to his own soul: behold an injustice that bears away the ball (the palm) from (all) justices!4675
ظالمست او بر خود و بر جان خود ** ظلم بین کز عدلها گو می‌برد
His ignorance is the teacher to (all) knowledges, his injustice has become the right way for (all) justices.
جهل او مر علمها را اوستاد ** ظلم او مر عدلها را شد رشاد
He (the Sadr-i Jahán) took his (the lover’s) hand, saying, “This man whose breath has departed will (only) then come (to life) when I give him (spiritual) breath.
دست او بگرفت کین رفته دمش ** آنگهی آید که من دم بخشمش
When this man whose body is dead shall become living through Me (then) it will be My spirit that turns its face towards me.
چون به من زنده شود این مرده‌تن ** جان من باشد که رو آرد به من
By means of this spirit I make him possessed of high estate: (only) the spirit that I give sees (experiences) My bounty.
من کنم او را ازین جان محتشم ** جان که من بخشم ببیند بخششم
The unfamiliar (unprivileged) spirit does not see the face of the Beloved: (none sees it) except that spirit whose origin is from His dwelling-place.4680
جان نامحرم نبیند روی دوست ** جز همان جان کاصل او از کوی اوست
Butcher-like, I breathe upon this dear friend, in order that his goodly inward part may leave the skin.”
در دمم قصاب‌وار این دوست را ** تا هلد آن مغز نغزش پوست را
He said, “O spirit that hast fled from tribulation, We have opened the door to union with Us; welcome!
گفت ای جان رمیده از بلا ** وصل ما را در گشادیم الصلا
O thou whose selflessness and intoxication is (caused by) Our Self, O thou whose being is incessantly (derived) from Our Being,
ای خود ما بی‌خودی و مستی‌ات ** ای ز هست ما هماره هستی‌ات
Now, without lip, I tell thee the old mysteries anew: hearken!
با تو بی لب این زمان من نو بنو ** رازهای کهنه گویم می‌شنو
(I tell thee silently) because those (bodily) lips are fleeing from (are unable to apprehend) this Breath (Word); it is breathed forth on the lip (bank) of the hidden River.4685
زانک آن لبها ازین دم می‌رمد ** بر لب جوی نهان بر می‌دمد
At this moment open the ear of earlessness for the sake of (hearing) the mystery of God doeth what He willeth.”
گوش بی‌گوشی درین دم بر گشا ** بهر راز یفعل الله ما یشا
When he began to hear the call to union, little by little, the dead man began to stir.
چون صلای وصل بشنیدن گرفت ** اندک اندک مرده جنبیدن گرفت
He (the lover of God) is not less than the earth which at the zephyr’s blandishments puts on (a garment of) green and lifts up it head from death;
نه کم از خاکست کز عشوه‌ی صبا ** سبز پوشد سر بر آرد از فنا
He is not less than the seminal water from which at the (Divine) bidding there are born Josephs with faces like the sun;
کم ز آب نطفه نبود کز خطاب ** یوسفان زایند رخ چون آفتاب
He is not less than a wind (from which) at the command “Be!” peacocks and sweet-voiced birds came to being in the (bird’s) womb4690
کم ز بادی نیست شد از امر کن ** در رحم طاوس و مرغ خوش‌سخن
He is not less than the mountain of rock which by parturition brought forth the she-camel that brought forth a she-camel
کم ز کوه سنگ نبود کز ولاد ** ناقه‌ای کان ناقه ناقه زاد زاد
Leave all this behind. Did not the substance of non-existence bring forth, and will it not bring forth continually, a (whole) Universe?
زین همه بگذر نه آن مایه‌ی عدم ** عالمی زاد و بزاید دم بدم
He (the man of Bukhárá) sprang up and quivered and whirled once or twice (in dance) joyously, joyously; (then) fell to worship.
بر جهید و بر طپید و شاد شاد ** یک دو چرخی زد سجود اندر فتاد
How the senseless lover came to himself and turned his face in praise and thanksgiving to the Beloved.
با خویش آمدن عاشق بیهوش و روی آوردن به ثنا و شکر معشوق
He said, “O ‘Anqá of God, (thou who art) the place of the spirit’s circling flight, (I give) thanks that thou hast come back from yonder mountain of Qáf.
گفت ای عنقای حق جان را مطاف ** شکر که باز آمدی زان کوه قاف
O Siráfíl (Seraphiel) of Love’s resurrection place O Love of love and O Heart’s-desire of love,4695
ای سرافیل قیامتگاه عشق ** ای تو عشق عشق و ای دلخواه عشق
I desire, as the first gift of honour thou wilt give me, that thou lay thine ear on my window.
اولین خلعت که خواهی دادنم ** گوش خواهم که نهی بر روزنم
Albeit through (thy) purity thou knowest my feelings, lend ear to my words, O cherisher of thy slave.
گرچه می‌دانی بصفوت حال من ** بنده‌پرور گوش کن اقوال من
Hundreds of thousands of times, O unique Prince, did my wits fly away in longing for thy ear—
صد هزاران بار ای صدر فرید ** ز آرزوی گوش تو هوشم پرید
That hearing of thine and that listening of thine, and those life-quickening smiles of thine;
آن سمیعی تو وان اصغای تو ** و آن تبسمهای جان‌افزای تو
That hearkening unto my lesser and greater (matters), (and unto) the beguilements of my evil-thinking (suspicious) soul.4700