Every one of them, having put his hand into the river-water, seeks (to find there) a dry sod.
دست در کرده درون آب جو ** هر یکی زیشان کلوخ خشک‌جو
How, then, should there be a dry sod in the river? How should a fish become disobedient to the sea?
پس کلوخ خشک در جو کی بود ** ماهیی با آب عاصی کی شود
They impute iniquity to poor me, before whom loyalty (itself) is ashamed.”2140
بر من مسکین جفا دارند ظن ** که وفا را شرم می‌آید ز من
Were it not for the trouble caused by a person unfamiliar (with my meaning), I would have spoken a few words concerning loyalty;
گر نبودی زحمت نامحرمی ** چند حرفی از وفا واگفتمی
(But) since a world (multitude of people) is seeking (to raise) doubt and difficulty, we will let the discourse run beyond the skin.
چون جهانی شبهت و اشکال‌جوست ** حرف می‌رانیم ما بیرون پوست
If you break your (material) self, you will become a kernel and will hear the tale of a goodly kernel.
گر تو خود را بشکنی مغزی شوی ** داستان مغز نغزی بشنوی
The voices of walnuts are in their skins (shells): where, indeed, is any voice in the kernel and the oil?
جوز را در پوستها آوازهاست ** مغز و روغن را خود آوازی کجاست
It (the kernel) has a voice, (but one that is) not suited to the (bodily) ear: its voice is hidden in the ear of ecstasy.2145
دارد آوازی نه اندر خورد گوش ** هست آوازش نهان در گوش نوش
Were it not for the sweetness of a kernel's voice, who would listen to the rattling voice of a walnut-shell?
گرنه خوش‌آوازی مغزی بود ** ژغژغ آواز قشری کی شنود
You endure the rattling of it (only) in order that you may silently come into touch with a kernel.
ژغژغ آن زان تحمل می‌کنی ** تا که خاموشانه بر مغزی زنی
Be without lip and without ear for a while, and then, like the lip, be the companion of honey.
چند گاهی بی‌لب و بی‌گوش شو ** وانگهان چون لب حریف نوش شو
How long have you been uttering poetry and prose and (proclaiming) mysteries! O master, try the experiment and, for one day, be dumb!
چند گفتی نظم و نثر و راز فاش ** خواجه یک روز امتحان کن گنگ باش
Story in confirmation of the saying, “We have tried speech and talk all this time: (now) for a while let us. try self-restraint and silence.”
حکایت در تقریر این سخن کی چندین گاه گفت ذکر را آزمودیم مدتی صبر و خاموشی را بیازماییم
How long have you been cooking (things) sour and acid and (like the fruit of) the white tamarisk? For this one time make an experiment and cook sweets.2150
چند پختی تلخ و تیز و شورگز ** این یکی بار امتحان شیرین بپز
On waking at the Resurrection, there is put into the hands of a (wicked) man the scroll of his sins: (it will be) black,
آن یکی را در قیامت ز انتباه ** در کف آید نامه‌ی عصیان سیاه
Headed with black, as letters of mourning; the body and margin of the scroll completely filled with (his) sins—
سرسیه چون نامه‌های تعزیه ** پر معاصی متن نامه و حاشیه
The whole (of it) wickedness and sin from end to end, full of infidelity, like the land of war.
جمله فسق و معصیت بد یک سری ** هم‌چو دارالحرب پر از کافری
Such a foul and noxious scroll does not come into the right hand; it comes into the left hand.
آنچنان نامه‌ی پلید پر وبال ** در یمین ناید درآید در شمال
Here also (in this world) regard your scroll (the record of your actions), (and consider) whether it fits the left hand or the right.2155
خود همین‌جا نامه‌ی خود را ببین ** دست چپ را شاید آن یا در یمین
In the (bootmaker's) shop, can you know before trying (them) on that the left boot or shoe belongs to the left (foot)?
موزه‌ی چپ کفش چپ هم در دکان ** آن چپ دانیش پیش از امتحان
When you are not “right,” know that you are “left”; the cries of a lion and an ape are distinct (from one another).
چون نباشی راست می‌دان که چپی ** هست پیدا نعره‌ی شیر و کپی
He (God) who makes the rose lovely and sweet-scented—His bounty makes every “left” to be “right.”
آنک گل را شاهد و خوش‌بو کند ** هر چپی را راست فضل او کند
He bestows “rightness” on every one belonging to the “left” He bestows a(fresh) running water on the (salt) sea.
هر شمالی را یمینی او دهد ** بحر را ماء معینی او دهد
If you are “left,” be “right” (in perfect harmony) with His Lordship, that you may see His mercies prevail (over His wrath).2160
گر چپی با حضرت او راست باش ** تا ببینی دست‌برد لطفهاش
Do you think it allowable that this vile scroll (of yours) should pass from the left hand and come into the right?
تو روا داری که این نامه‌ی مهین ** بگذرد از چپ در آید در یمین
How indeed should a scroll like this, which is full of iniquity and injury, be fit (to place) in the right hand?
این چنین نامه که پرظلم و جفاست ** کی بود خود درخور اندر دست راست
Explaining the case of a person who makes a statement when his behaviour is not consistent with that statement and profession, like the infidels (of whom God hath said): “and if thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth they will surely say, ‘Allah.’” How is the worship of a stone idol and the sacrifice of life and wealth for its sake appropriate to a soul which knows that the creator of heaven and earth and (all) created beings is a God, all-hearing, all-seeing, omnipresent, all-observing, all dominating, jealous, etc.?
در بیان کسی کی سخنی گوید کی حال او مناسب آن سخن و آن دعوی نباشد چنان که کفره و لن سالتهم من خلق السموات والارض لیقولن الله خدمت بت سنگین کردن و جان و زر فدای او کردن چه مناسب باشد با جانی کی داند کی خالق سموات و ارض و خلایق الهیست سمیعی بصیری حاضری مراقبی مستولی غیوری الی آخره
A certain ascetic had a very jealous wife: he also had a maid-servant (beautiful) as a houri.
زاهدی را یک زنی بد بس غیور ** هم بد او را یک کنیزک هم‌چو حور
The wife used to watch her husband jealously and not let him be alone with the maid.
For a long time the wife watched them both, lest an opportunity should occur for their being alone (together)—2165
مدتی زن شد مراقب هر دو را ** تاکشان فرصت نیفتد در خلا
Until the decree and fore-ordainment of God arrived: (then) the watchman, Reason, became giddy-headed and good-for-nothing.
تا در آمد حکم و تقدیر اله ** عقل حارس خیره‌سر گشت و تباه
When His decree and fore-ordainment arrives unawares, who is Reason? Eclipse overtakes (even) the moon.
حکم و تقدیرش چو آید بی‌وقوف ** عقل کی بود در قمر افتد خسوف
The wife was at the (public) bath: suddenly she remembered the wash-basin and (that) it was (had been left) at home.
بود در حمام آن زن ناگهان ** یادش آمد طشت و در خانه بد آن
She said to the maid, “Hark, go like a bird and fetch the silver basin from our house.”
با کنیزک گفت رو هین مرغ‌وار ** طشت سیمین را ز خانه‌ی ما بیار
On hearing this, the maid came to life, for (she knew that) now she would obtain (a meeting with) the master,2170
آن کنیزک زنده شد چون این شنید ** که به خواجه این زمان خواهد رسید
(Since) the master was then at home and alone. So she ran joyously to the house.
خواجه در خانه‌ست و خلوت این زمان ** پس دوان شد سوی خانه شادمان
For six years the maid had been longing to find the master alone like this.
عشق شش ساله کنیزک را بد این ** که بیابد خواجه را خلوت چنین
She flew off and hastened towards the house: she found the master at home and alone.
گشت پران جانب خانه شتافت ** خواجه را در خانه در خلوت بیافت
Desire took possession of both the lovers so (mightily) that they had no care or thought of bolting the door.
هر دو عاشق را چنان شهوت ربود ** که احتیاط و یاد در بستن نبود
Ambo summa alacritate coierunt: copulatis corporibus anima cum anima conjuncta est. [Both moved toward one another from joy; by means of (bodily) copulation, soul joined to soul (in) that moment.]2175
هر دو با هم در خزیدند از نشاط ** جان به جان پیوست آن دم ز اختلاط
Then the wife recollected (and said to herself), “Why did I send her (back) to the house?
یاد آمد در زمان زن را که من ** چون فرستادم ورا سوی وطن
I have set the cotton on fire with my own hand, I have put the lusty ram to the ewe.”
پنبه در آتش نهادم من به خویش ** اندر افکندم قج نر را به میش
She washed off the clay (soap) from her head and ran, beside herself (with anxiety): she went in pursuit of her (the maid), drawing the chádar (over her head as she ran).
گل فرو شست از سر و بی‌جان دوید ** در پی او رفت و چادر می‌کشید
The former (the maid) ran because of the love in her soul, and the latter (the wife) because of fear. What is fear in comparison with love? (There is) a great difference.
آن ز عشق جان دوید و این ز بیم ** عشق کو و بیم کو فرقی عظیم
The mystic's progress is (an ascension) at every moment to the throne of the (Divine) King; the ascetic's progress is one day's journey every month.2180
سیر عارف هر دمی تا تخت شاه ** سیر زاهد هر مهی یک روزه راه
Although, for the ascetic, one day is of great value, (yet) how should his one day be (equal to) fifty thousand (years)?
گرچه زاهد را بود روزی شگرف ** کی بود یک روز او خمسین الف
The length of every day in the life of the adept is fifty thousand of the years of the world.
قدر هر روزی ز عمر مرد کار ** باشد از سال جهان پنجه هزار
Intellects are excluded from this mystery: if the heart of Imagination burst, let it burst!
عقلها زین سر بود بیرون در ** زهره‌ی وهم ار بدرد گو بدر
In the sight of Love, fear is not (so much as) a single hair: in the law of Love, all things (else) are (offered) as a sacrifice.
ترس مویی نیست اندر پیش عشق ** جمله قربانند اندر کیش عشق
Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by lust and gluttony. [Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by vulva and belly.]2185
عشق وصف ایزدست اما که خوف ** وصف بنده‌ی مبتلای فرج و جوف
Since you have read in the Qur’án (the words) “they love Him” joined in a certain place with (the words) “He loves them,”
چون یحبون بخواندی در نبی ** با یحبوهم قرین در مطلبی
Know, then, that love (mahabbat), and excessive love (‘ishq) too, is an attribute of God: fear is not an attribute of God, O honoured sir.
پس محبت وصف حق دان عشق نیز ** خوف نبود وصف یزدان ای عزیز