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
آن بنوشیدن کم و بیش مرا ** عشوهی جان بداندیش مرا
Then my false coins, which are well-known to thee, thou didst accept as (though they were) genuine money;
قلبهای من که آن معلوم تست ** بس پذیرفتی تو چون نقد درست
For the sake of the boldness (importunity) of one (who was) impudent and deluded, O thou beside whose clemency (all) clemencies are (but) a mote!
بهر گستاخی شوخ غرهای ** حلمها در پیش حلمت ذرهای
Firstly, hear that when I abandoned (thy) net the first and the last {this world and the next) shot away (disappeared) from before me;
اولا بشنو که چون ماندم ز شست ** اول و آخر ز پیش من بجست
Secondly, hear, O loving Prince, that I sought long, (but) there was no second to thee;
ثانیا بشنو تو ای صدر ودود ** که بسی جستم ترا ثانی نبود
Thirdly, since I have gone away from thee, ‘tis as though I have said, ‘the third of three’;4705
ثالثا تا از تو بیرون رفتهام ** گوییا ثالث ثلاثه گفتهام
Fourthly, forasmuch as my cornfield is burnt-up, I do not know the fifth (finger) from the fourth.
رابعا چون سوخت ما را مزرعه ** می ندانم خامسه از رابعه
Wherever thou findest blood on the sods, (if) thou investigate, it will certainly (prove to) be (blood) from mine eye.
هر کجا یابی تو خون بر خاکها ** پی بری باشد یقین از چشم ما
My words are (as) the thunder, and this noise and moaning demands of the cloud that it should rain upon the earth.
گفت من رعدست و این بانگ و حنین ** ز ابر خواهد تا ببارد بر زمین
Between words and tears I continue (in doubt) whether I should weep or speak: hew shall I do?
من میان گفت و گریه میتنم ** یا بگریم یا بگویم چون کنم
If I speak, the weeping will be lost; and if I weep, how shall I render thanks and praise?4710
گر بگویم فوت میگردد بکا ** ور نگویم چون کنم شکر و ثنا
Heart’s blood is falling from mine eye, O King: see what has befallen me from mine eye!”
میفتد از دیده خون دل شها ** بین چه افتادست از دیده مرا
The emaciated man said this and began to weep (so violently) that both base and noble wept for him.
این بگفت و گریه در شد آن نحیف ** که برو بگریست هم دون هم شریف
So many ecstatic cries came up from his heart (that) the people of Bukhárá made a ring around him.
از دلش چندان بر آمد های هوی ** حلقه کرد اهل بخارا گرد اوی
(He was) speaking crazily, weeping crazily, laughing crazily: men and women, small and great were bewildered.
خیره گویان خیره گریان خیرهخند ** مرد و زن خرد و کلان حیران شدند
The (whole) city, too, shed tears in conformity with him: men and women were gathered together as (at) the Resurrection.4715
شهر هم همرنگ او شد اشک ریز ** مرد و زن درهم شده چون رستخیز
At that moment the heaven was saying to the earth, “If thou hast never seen the Resurrection, behold it (now)!”
آسمان میگفت آن دم با زمین ** گر قیامت را ندیدستی ببین
The intellect (was) bewildered, saying, "What is love and what is ecstasy? (I know not) whether separation from Him or union with Him is the more marvellous."
عقل حیران که چه عشق است و چه حال ** تا فراق او عجبتر یا وصال
The sky read the letter (announcement) of Resurrection (and was so distraught that) it rent its garment up to the Milky Way.
چرخ بر خوانده قیامتنامه را ** تا مجره بر دریده جامه را
Love bath estrangement with (is a stranger to) the two worlds: in it are two-and-seventy madnesses.
با دو عالم عشق را بیگانگی ** اندرو هفتاد و دو دیوانگی
It is exceedingly hidden, and (only) its bewilderment is manifest the soul of the spiritual sultans is pining for it4720
سخت پنهانست و پیدا حیرتش ** جان سلطانان جان در حسرتش
Its religion is other than (that of) the two-and-seventy sects: beside it the throne of Kings is (but) a splint-bandage.
غیر هفتاد و دو ملت کیش او ** تخت شاهان تختهبندی پیش او
At the time of the samá’ Love’s minstrel strikes up this (strain): “Servitude is chains and lordship headache.”
مطرب عشق این زند وقت سماع ** بندگی بند و خداوندی صداع