Forasmuch as my elephant has dreamed of Hindustán, abandon hope of (receiving) the tax: the village is ruined.
زانک پیلم دید هندستان به خواب ** از خراج اومید بر ده شد خراب
How should poesy and rhyme come to me after the foundations of sanity are destroyed?
کیف یاتی النظم لی والقافیه ** بعد ما ضاعت اصول العافیه
’Tis not (merely) one madness I have amidst the sorrows of love; nay, but madness on madness on madness.
ما جنون واحد لی فی الشجون ** بل جنون فی جنون فی جنون
My body is wasted away by secret indications of the mysteries, ever since I beheld eternal life (baqá) in dying to self (faná).1895
ذاب جسمی من اشارات الکنی ** منذ عاینت البقاء فی الفنا
O Ayáz, from love of thee I have become (thin) as a hair: I am unable to tell (thy) story, do thou tell my story.
ای ایاز از عشق تو گشتم چو موی ** ماندم از قصه تو قصه‌ی من بگوی
Many a tale of thy love have I recited with (all) my soul: (now) that I have become (unsubstantial as) a tale, do thou recite mine.
بس فسانه‌ی عشق تو خواندم به جان ** تو مرا که افسانه گشتستم بخوان
Verily thou art reciting, O model (for all), not I: I am Mount Sinai, thou art Moses, and this (discourse) is the echo.
خود تو می‌خوانی نه من ای مقتدی ** من که طورم تو موسی وین صدا
How should the helpless mountain know what the words are? The mountain is empty of that (meaning) which Moses knows.
کوه بیچاره چه داند گفت چیست ** زانک موسی می‌بداند که تهیست
The mountain knows (only) according to its own measure: the body hath (only) a little of the grace of the spirit.1900
کوه می‌داند به قدر خویشتن ** اندکی دارد ز لطف روح تن
The body is like the astrolabe in respect of (the use of the latter in) calculation (of altitudes): it is a sign (for seekers) of the sun-like spirit.
تن چو اصطرلاب باشد ز احتساب ** آیتی از روح هم‌چون آفتاب
When the astronomer is not keen-sighted, an astrolabe-moulder is required,
آن منجم چون نباشد چشم‌تیز ** شرط باشد مرد اصطرلاب‌ریز
To make an astrolabe for him in order that he may gain some knowledge concerning the state of the sun.
تا صطرلابی کند از بهر او ** تا برد از حالت خورشید بو
The soul that seeks (to learn) the truth from the (bodily) astrolabe—how much should it know of the (spiritual) sky and sun?
جان کز اصطرلاب جوید او صواب ** چه قدر داند ز چرخ و آفتاب
You who observe (them) with the astrolabe of the eye are certainly very far short (of perfection) in your view of the (spiritual) world.1905
تو که ز اصطرب دیده بنگری ** درجهان دیدن یقین بس قاصری
You have seen the (spiritual) world according to the measure of your eye, (and) where is the (spiritual) world (in relation to that)? Why, (then), have you twisted your moustache (so boastfully)?
تو جهان را قدر دیده دیده‌ای ** کو جهان سبلت چرا مالیده‌ای
The gnostics (mystics) possess a collyrium: seek it, in order that this eye which (now) resembles a river may become an ocean.
عارفان را سرمه‌ای هست آن بجوی ** تا که دریا گردد این چشم چو جوی
If a single mote of reason and consciousness is (remaining) with me, what is this melancholy madness and distracted speech?
ذره‌ای از عقل و هوش ار با منست ** این چه سودا و پریشان گفتنست
Since my brain is empty of reason and consciousness, how then am I at fault in this raving?
چونک مغز من ز عقل و هش تهیست ** پس گناه من درین تخلیط چیست
No; the fault is his, for he robbed me of my reason: in his presence the reason of all rational beings is dead.1910
نه گناه اوراست که عقلم ببرد ** عقل جمله‌ی عاقلان پیشش بمرد
O thou who causest the reason to wander and the understanding to go astray, intelligences have no object of hope but thee.
یا مجیر العقل فتان الحجی ** ما سواک للعقول مرتجی
I have never desired reason since thou mad’st me mad: I have never envied beauty since thou didst adorn me.
ما اشتهیت العقل مذ جننتنی ** ما حسدت الحسن مذ زینتنی
Is my madness for love of thee approved? Say “Yes,” and God will reward thee.
هل جنونی فی هواک مستطاب ** قل بلی والله یجزیک الثواب
Whether he speak Arabic or Persian, where is the ear and mind by means of which you should attain to the apprehension of it?
گر بتازی گوید او ور پارسی ** گوش و هوشی کو که در فهمش رسی
His wine is not suitable to every mind, his ring is not subject to every ear.1915
باده‌ی او درخور هر هوش نیست ** حلقه‌ی او سخره‌ی هر گوش نیست
Once again I have become mad-like: go, go, my (dear) soul, quickly fetch a chain;
باز دیگر آمدم دیوانه‌وار ** رو رو ای جان زود زنجیری بیار
(But if you bring any) except the chain of my beloved's curl— though you bring two hundred chains, I will burst them (all).
غیر آن زنجیر زلف دلبرم ** گر دو صد زنجیر آری بردرم
The wise purpose (of Ayáz) in looking at his rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket—then let Man consider from what he was created.
حکمت نظر کردن در چارق و پوستین کی فلینظر الانسان مم خلق
Bring back (to my mind) the story of Ayáz's love; for ’tis a treasure full of mystery.
بازگردان قصه‌ی عشق ایاز ** که آن یکی گنجیست مالامال راز
Every day he is going into the uppermost chamber to see his rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket,
می‌رود هر روز در حجره‌ی برین ** تا ببیند چارقی با پوستین
Because (self-)existence produces grievous intoxication: it removes intelligence from the head and reverence from the heart.1920
زانک هستی سخت مستی آورد ** عقل از سر شرم از دل می‌برد
From this ambush this same intoxication of (self-)existence waylaid a hundred thousand generations of old.
صد هزاران قرن پیشین را همین ** مستی هستی بزد ره زین کمین
By this (self-)existence an ‘Azázíl was made to be Iblís, saying, “Why should Adam become lord over me?
شد عزرائیلی ازین مستی بلیس ** که چرا آدم شود بر من رئیس
I too am noble and nobly-born: I am capable of receiving and ready for (receiving) a hundred excellences.
خواجه‌ام من نیز و خواجه‌زاده‌ام ** صد هنر را قابل و آماده‌ام
In excellence I am inferior to none, that I should stand before my enemy to do him service.
در هنر من از کسی کم نیستم ** تا به خدمت پیش دشمن بیستم
I am born of fire, he of mud: what is the position (rank) of mud compared with fire?1925
من ز آتش زاده‌ام او از وحل ** پیش آتش مر وحل را چه محل
Where was he in the period when I was the Prince of the World and the glory of Time?”
او کجا بود اندر آن دوری که من ** صدر عالم بودم و فخر زمن
(On the words of God) “He created the Jinn from smokeless fire,” and His words concerning Iblís: “verily he was one of the Jinn, and he transgressed.”
خلق الجان من مارج من نار و قوله تعالی فی حق ابلیس انه کان من الجن ففسق
The fire (of pride and jealousy) was flaming in the soul of the fool (Iblís), because he was (born) of fire: the son is (endued with) the inward nature of his father.
شعله می‌زد آتش جان سفیه ** که آتشی بود الولد سر ابیه
No; I have spoken in error; ’twas the compelling might of God: why, (then), adduce any cause (for it)?
نه غلط گفتم که بد قهر خدا ** علتی را پیش آوردن چرا
The causeless action (of God) is quit of (all) causes: it is lasting (without change) and firmly stablished from eternity.
کار بی‌علت مبرا از علل ** مستمر و مستقرست از ازل
In the perfection of the holy work sped on (by Him) what room is there for (any) temporal cause or temporal thing?1930
در کمال صنع پاک مستحث ** علت حادث چه گنجد یا حدث
What is (the real meaning of) “the inward nature of (his) father”? His (God's) work (creative energy) is our father: (His) work is the kernel, and the formal (physical) father is the skin (shell).
سر آب چه بود آب ما صنع اوست ** صنع مغزست و آب صورت چو پوست
O nut-like body, know that Love is thy friend: thy soul (inspired by Love) will seek thy kernel and batter thy shell (to pieces).
عشق دان ای فندق تن دوستت ** جانت جوید مغز و کوبد پوستت
The man doomed to Hell whose skin is his friend—(God who hath said) “We will give them (other) skins in exchange” bestows a (new) skin upon him.
دوزخی که پوست باشد دوستش ** داد بدلنا جلودا پوستش
Thy spiritual principle and kernel is dominant over the Fire, but thy skins (sensual faculties) are fuel for the Fire.
معنی و مغزت بر آتش حاکمست ** لیک آتش را قشورت هیزمست
(In the case of) a wooden pot in which river-water is (contained), the power of fire is entirely (directed) against the vessel containing it.1935
کوزه‌ی چوبین که در وی آب جوست ** قدرت آتش همه بر ظرف اوست
Man's spiritual principle is a ruler over the Fire: when is Málik (the Ruler) of Hell destroyed therein?
معنی انسان بر آتش مالکست ** مالک دوزخ درو کی هالکست
Do not, then, increase (pamper) thy body; increase (cherish and cultivate) thy spiritual principle, in order that thou mayst be the Fire's sovereign, like Málik.
پس میفزا تو بدن معنی فزا ** تا چو مالک باشی آتش را کیا
Thou hast ever been adding skins to thy skin: necessarily thou art (black) as a skin (enveloped) in (layers of) soot.
پوستها بر پوست می‌افزوده‌ای ** لاجرم چون پوست اندر دوده‌ای
Since the Fire hath no fodder (fuel) except the skin, the vengeance of God will tear the skin off that pride (of thine).
زانک آتش را علف جز پوست نیست ** قهر حق آن کبر را پوستین کنیست
This arrogance is a product of the skin; hence power and riches are friends to that pride.1940
این تکبر از نتیجه‌ی پوستست ** جاه و مال آن کبر را زان دوستست
What is this arrogance? (It consists in) being oblivious to the essential principle and frozen (insensible)—like the oblivion of ice to the sun.
این تکبر چیست غفلت از لباب ** منجمد چون غفلت یخ ز آفتاب