In (the hour of) separation Love fashions forms (of phantasy); in the hour of union the Formless One puts forth his head,
عشق صورتها بسازد در فراق ** نامصور سر کند وقت تلاق
Saying, “I am the ultimate origin of sobriety and intoxication: the beauty in (all) forms is reflected from Me.
که منم آن اصل اصل هوش و مست ** بر صور آن حسن عکس ما بدست
At this moment I have removed the veils: I have raised Beauty on high without intermediaries.
پرده‌ها را این زمان برداشتم ** حسن را بی‌واسطه بفراشتم
Because thou hast been much occupied with My reflexion, thou hast gained the power to contemplate My essence denuded (of the forms by which it is veiled).3280
زانک بس با عکس من در بافتی ** قوت تجرید ذاتم یافتی
When My pull is set in motion (begins to be exerted) from this side, he (the Christian) does not see (is not conscious of) the priest intervening (between him and Me).”
چون ازین سو جذبه‌ی من شد روان ** او کشش را می‌نبیند در میان
(At that time) he is craving forgiveness for his sins and trespasses from the grace of God behind the veil.
مغفرت می‌خواهد از جرم و خطا ** از پس آن پرده از لطف خدا
When a fountain gushes from a rock, the rock disappears in the fountain.
چون ز سنگی چشمه‌ای جاری شود ** سنگ اندر چشمه متواری شود
After that, no one calls it “stone,” seeing that such a pure substance has gushed forth from the rock.
کس نخواهد بعد از آن او را حجر ** زانک جاری شد از آن سنگ آن گهر
Know that these forms are (like) bowls and acquire excellence through that which God pours into them.3285
کاسه‌ها دان این صور را واندرو ** آنچ حق ریزد بدان گیرد علو
How the kinsfolk of Majnún said to him, “The beauty of Laylá is limited, it is not so very great: in our city there are many fairer than she. We will show unto thee one or two or ten: take thy choice, and deliver us (from reproach) and thyself (from affliction)”; and how Majnún answered them.
گفتن خویشاوندان مجنون را کی حسن لیلی باندازه‌ایست چندان نیست ازو نغزتر در شهر ما بسیارست یکی و دو و ده بر تو عرضه کنیم اختیار کن ما را و خود را وا رهان و جواب گفتن مجنون ایشان را
The fools in their ignorance said to Majnún, “The beauty of Laylá is not so very great, it is of slight account.
ابلهان گفتند مجنون را ز جهل ** حسن لیلی نیست چندان هست سهل
There are thousands of moon-like sweethearts fairer than she in our city.”
بهتر از وی صد هزاران دلربا ** هست هم‌چون ماه اندر شهر ما
He replied, “The (outward) form is a pot, and beauty is the wine: God is giving me wine from her form.
گفت صورت کوزه است و حسن می ** می خدایم می‌دهد از نقش وی
He gave you vinegar from her pot, lest love of her should pull you by the ears.”
مر شما را سرکه داد از کوزه‌اش ** تا نباشد عشق اوتان گوش کش
The hand of God, the Almighty and Glorious, gives poison or honey to every one from the same pot.3290
از یکی کوزه دهد زهر و عسل ** هر یکی را دست حق عز و جل
Thou seest the pot, but the wine does not show itself to the wrong eye.
کوزه می‌بینی ولیکن آب شراب ** روی ننماید به چشم ناصواب
Spiritual experience is (like) the women who look modestly: it shows no sign but to its possessor.
قاصرات الطرف باشد ذوق جان ** جز به خصم خود بنماید نشان
That wine is (like) the women who look modestly, while these vessels screening it (from view) are like the tents.
قاصرات الطرف آمد آن مدام ** وین حجاب ظرفها هم‌چون خیام
The great river (too) is (like) a tent, wherein is life for the duck, but death for crows.
هست دریا خیمه‌ای در وی حیات ** بط را لیکن کلاغان را ممات
Venom also is the snake's food and provision, (but) its venom is anguish and death to others.3295
زهر باشد مار را هم قوت و برگ ** غیر او را زهر او دردست و مرگ
The form of every blessing and affliction is a Hell to this one, a Paradise to that one.
صورت هر نعمتی و محنتی ** هست این را دوزخ آن را جنتی
Therefore (though) ye see all bodies and things, and there is food and poison in them (all)—ye see (it) not.
پس همه اجسام و اشیا تبصرون ** واندرو قوتست و سم لاتبصرون
Every body resembles a bowl or a pot, wherein is both food and a (cause of) heart-burning.
هست هر جسمی چو کاسه و کوزه‌ای ** اندرو هم قوت و هم دلسوزه‌ای
The bowl is visible, the plenty (contained) in it is hidden: (only) he who tastes it (the contents) knows what he is eating or drinking from it.
کاسه پیدا اندرو پنهان رغد ** طاعمش داند کزان چه می‌خورد
The form of Joseph was like a beauteous cup: from it his father drank a hundred exhilarating wines.3300
صورت یوسف چو جامی بود خوب ** زان پدر می‌خورد صد باده‌ی طروب
Again, to his brethren (the draught they took) from it was poisoned water which was increasing in them anger and hatred.
باز اخوان را از آن زهراب بود ** کان دریشان خشم و کینه می‌فزود
Again, to Zalíkhá (the draught she took) from it was (sweet as) sugar: she was quaffing a different opiate from (the hand of) Love.
باز از وی مر زلیخا را سکر ** می‌کشید از عشق افیونی دگر
The nutriment which came from Joseph to that fair one was other than that which came to Jacob.
غیر آنچ بود مر یعقوب را ** بود از یوسف غذا آن خوب را
The sherbets are various, but the pot is one, in order that no doubt may remain in thee concerning the wine of the Unseen.
گونه‌گونه شربت و کوزه یکی ** تا نماند در می غیبت شکی
The wine belongs to the Unseen, the pot to this world: the pot is apparent, the wine in it is very hidden:3305
باده از غیبست و کوزه زین جهان ** کوزه پیدا باده در وی بس نهان
Very hidden from the eyes of the uninitiated, but manifest and evident to the adept.
بس نهان از دیده‌ی نامحرمان ** لیک بر محرم هویدا و عیان
O my God, our eyes have been intoxicated. Forgive us: our burdens have been made heavy.
یا الهی سکرت ابصارنا ** فاعف عنا اثقلت اوزارنا
O concealed One who hast filled (the world) from East to West (with Thy radiance) and art exalted above the light of the Orient and the Occident,
یا خفیا قد ملات الخافقین ** قد علوت فوق نور المشرقین
Thou art an inmost Ground of consciousness revealing our inmost thoughts, Thou art a bursting (Force) that causes our (dammed-up) rivers to burst forth.
انت سر کاشف اسرارنا ** انت فجر مفجر انهارنا
O Thou whose Essence is hidden while Thy gifts are sensible, Thou art as the water and we as the millstone.3310
یا خفی الذات محسوس العطا ** انت کالماء و نحن کالرحا
Thou art as the wind and we as the dust: the wind is hidden while the dust blown by it is plainly visible.
انت کالریح و نحن کالغبار ** تختفی الریح و غبراها جهار
Thou art the Spring, we are fair as the verdant orchard: it (the Spring) is hidden while its bounty is manifest.
تو بهاری ما چو باغ سبز خوش ** او نهان و آشکارا بخششش
Thou art as the spirit, we are like hand and foot: the closing and opening of the hand is due to the spirit.
تو چو جانی ما مثال دست و پا ** قبض و بسط دست از جان شد روا
Thou art as the reason, we are like this tongue: this tongue hath its (power of) expression from the reason.
تو چو عقلی ما مثال این زبان ** این زبان از عقل دارد این بیان
Thou art like the joy, and we are the laughter, for we are the result of (Thy) blessed joy.3315
تو مثال شادی و ما خنده‌ایم ** که نتیجه‌ی شادی فرخنده‌ایم
(All) our movement (action) is really a continual profession of faith which bears witness to the Eternal Almighty One.
جنبش ما هر دمی خود اشهدست ** که گواه ذوالجلال سرمدست
The turning of the millstone in agitation is a profession of faith in the existence of the waterbrook.
گردش سنگ آسیا در اضطراب ** اشهد آمد بر وجود جوی آب
O Thou who art beyond my conception and utterance, dust be on the head of me and my similes!
ای برون از وهم و قال و قیل من ** خاک بر فرق من و تمثیل من
Thy servant cannot refrain from depicting Thy beauty: every moment he says to Thee, “May my soul be Thy carpet!”
بنده نشکیبد ز تصویر خوشت ** هر دمت گوید که جانم مفرشت
(He is) like the shepherd who used to say, “O God, come to Thy shepherd and lover,3320
هم‌چو آن چوپان که می‌گفت ای خدا ** پیش چوپان و محب خود بیا
That I may seek out the lice in Thy smock and stitch Thy shoon and kiss Thy skirt.”
تا شپش جویم من از پیراهنت ** چارقت دوزم ببوسم دامنت
There was none equal to him in passion and love, but he fell short in glorification and (respectful) speech.
کس نبودش در هوا و عشق جفت ** لیک قاصر بود از تسبیح و گفت
His love pitched its tent on the sky: the (beloved) Soul became the dog (guardian) of that shepherd's tent.
عشق او خرگاه بر گردون زده ** جان سگ خرگاه آن چوپان شده
When the sea of Divine Love surged up, it struck upon his heart; it struck (only) upon your ear.
چونک بحر عشق یزدان جوش زد ** بر دل او زد ترا بر گوش زد
Story of Júhí, who put on a chádar, went to hear the sermon, seated himself amongst the women, and behaved in such a way that a certain woman knew he was a man and screamed.
حکایت جوحی کی چادر پوشید و در وعظ میان زنان نشست و حرکتی کرد زنی او را بشناخت کی مردست نعره‌ای زد
There was a preacher, very fine in his exposition, under whose pulpit a great number of men and women were assembled.3325
واعظی بد بس گزیده در بیان ** زیر منبر جمع مردان و زنان
Júhí went (to hear him): he got a chádar and veil and entered amongst the women without (his sex) being recognised.
رفت جوحی چادر و روبند ساخت ** در میان آن زنان شد ناشناخت