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
What relation exists between the attributes of God and those of a handful of earth? What relation exists between the attributes of him who is originated in time and those of the Holy (Eternal) One?
وصف حق کو وصف مشتی خاک کو ** وصف حادث کو وصف پاک کو
If I should continue to describe Love, a hundred Resurrections would pass, and it (my description would still be) incomplete;
شرح عشق ار من بگویم بر دوام ** صد قیامت بگذرد و آن ناتمام
For there is a limit to the date of the Resurrection, but what limit can there be where the Divine attributes are (concerned)?2190
زانک تاریخ قیامت را حدست ** حد کجا آنجا که وصف ایزدست
Love hath five hundred wings, and every wing (extends) from above the empyrean to beneath the earth.
عشق را پانصد پرست و هر پری ** از فراز عرش تا تحت‌الثری
The timorous ascetic runs on foot; the lovers (of God) fly more quickly than the lightning and the wind.
زاهد با ترس می‌تازد به پا ** عاشقان پران‌تر از برق و هوا
How should those fearful ones overtake Love?—for Love's passion makes the (lofty) heaven its carpet—
کی رسند این خایفان در گرد عشق ** که آسمان را فرش سازد درد عشق
Unless perchance the favours of the (Divine) Light come and say, “Become free from the world and from this wayfaring;
جز مگر آید عنایتهای ضو ** کز جهان و زین روش آزاد شو
Escape from thine own qush and dush, for (only) the royal falcon has found the way to the King.”2195
از قش خود وز دش خود باز ره ** که سوی شه یافت آن شهباز ره
This “qush and dush” is necessity and free-will: the pull of the Beloved (who draws you to Himself) transcends these twain.
این قش و دش هست جبر و اختیار ** از ورای این دو آمد جذب یار
When the wife arrived home, she opened the door: the sound of the door fell on their ears.
چون رسید آن زن به خانه در گشاد ** بانگ در در گوش ایشان در فتاد
The maid jumped up in consternation and disorder; the man jumped up and began to say his prayers.
آن کنیزک جست آشفته ز ساز ** مرد بر جست و در آمد در نماز
The wife saw that the maid was dishevelled and confused and excited and witless and unmanageable.
زن کنیزک را پژولیده بدید ** درهم و آشفته و دنگ و مرید
She saw her husband standing up (and engaged) in the ritual prayer: the wife was made suspicious by (all) that agitation.2200
شوی خود را دید قایم در نماز ** در گمان افتاد زن زان اهتزاز
Periculi nulla ratione habita, mariti laciniam sustulit: testiculos et penem videt semine inquinatos. [She raised (her) husband’s skirt without risk; she saw (his) testicles and penis soiled with sperm.]
شوی را برداشت دامن بی‌خطر ** دید آلوده‌ی منی خصیه و ذکر
Seminis quod reliquum erat e pene stillabat: femur genuque inquinata et spurca evaserant. [Remnants of sperm were dripping from (his) penis; his thighs and knees had become soiled and filthy.]
از ذکر باقی نطفه می‌چکید ** ران و زانو گشت آلوده و پلید
Caput ejus colapho percussit et “O vilissime,” inquit, “num hujusmodi sunt testiculi viri preces sollennes rite facientis? [She slapped at his head and said, “O despicable (one), are these the testicles of a man of prayer?]
بر سرش زد سیلی و گفت ای مهین ** خصیه‌ی مرد نمازی باشد این
Num iste penis cum Dei commemoratione precibusque sollennibus conveniens est? Num femur tale et inguen sordibus plenum. [Is this (soiled) penis worthy of commemoration (of God) and ritual prayer, or these thighs and groin full of filth?]
لایق ذکر و نمازست این ذکر ** وین چنین ران و زهار پر قذر
Deal equitably (answer fairly): is a scroll (a register of actions) full of injustice and wickedness and unbelief and enmity fit (to be placed) in the right hand?2205
نامه‌ی پر ظلم و فسق و کفر و کین ** لایقست انصاف ده اندر یمین
If you ask an infidel, “By whom were this heaven and these creatures and this world created?”
گر بپرسی گبر را کین آسمان ** آفریده‌ی کیست وین خلق و جهان
He will reply that they were created by the Lord to whose Lordship the Creation bears witness.
گوید او کین آفریده‌ی آن خداست ** که آفرینش بر خدایی‌اش گواست
Do his unbelief and great wickedness and wrong-doing fit (properly agree with) such a confession by him?
کفر و فسق و استم بسیار او ** هست لایق با چنین اقرار او
Do those infamous deeds and that vicious conduct go fitly with such a true confession?
هست لایق با چنین اقرار راست ** آن فضیحتها و آن کردار کاست
His actions have given the lie to his words, so that he has become fit for (deserving of) the awful torment.2210
فعل او کرده دروغ آن قول را ** تا شد او لایق عذاب هول را