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
Someone asked the preacher secretly num pili in pube precibus sollennibus detrimentum faciant. [Some one asked the preacher secretly, “Are pubic hairs a deficiency in (doing) the ritual prayer?”]
سایلی پرسید واعظ را به راز ** موی عانه هست نقصان نماز
The preacher replied, “Quo tempore pili in pube longi fiunt, tum noxa est ob illos in precibus sollennibus. [The preacher replied, “When the pubic hair becomes long, then there is (legal) dislike of it in the ritual prayer.]
گفت واعظ چون شود عانه دراز ** پس کراهت باشد از وی در نماز
Vel psilothro vel novacula illos tonde, in order that your ritual prayer may be perfect and excellent and seemly.” [Scrape (it off) with a depilatory (of lime) or a razor, in order that your ritual prayer may be perfect and excellent and seemly.”]
یا به آهک یا ستره بسترش ** تا نمازت کامل آید خوب و خوش
The questioner said, “Ad quem modum pervenire oportet eorum longitudinem ut preces meae detrimentum capiant?” [The questioner said, “To what limit is the length stipulated, so that my ritual prayer is deficient?”]3330
گفت سایل آن درازی تا چه حد ** شرط باشد تا نمازم کم بود
He replied, “Cum longitudine tanti evaserint quantum hordei unum granum, relligio est ut tondeas, O multa rogitans.” [He replied, “When it becomes the size of a barley seed in length, then shaving is a (religious) requirement, O (excessive) questioner.”]
گفت چون قدر جوی گردد به طول ** پس ستردن فرض باشد ای سول
At once Júhí said (to the woman beside him), “O soror, inspice piline in pube mea hujusmodi facti sint. [At once Júhí said (to the woman beside him), “O sister, find out (if) my pubic hair has become (a length) such as this.]
گفت جوحی زود ای خوهر ببین ** عانهی من گشته باشد این چنین
Deo ut placeas, manum affer, (tenta) num illi usque ad modum noxae pervenerint.” [In order to satisfy (the requirement of) God, bring forth (your) hand (to determine) whether it has reached to the disliked amount.”]
بهر خشنودی حق پیش آر دست ** که آن به مقدار کراهت آمدست
Mulier manum in bracas viri demisit: penis ejus impegit manum mulieris. [The woman put (her) hand into the man’s trousers: his penis contacted the woman’s hand.]
دست زن در کرد در شلوار مرد ** کیر او بر دست زن آسیب کرد
Thereupon the woman gave a loud scream: the preacher said, “My discourse has smitten her heart.”3335
نعرهای زد سخت اندر حال زن ** گفت واعظ بر دلش زد گفت من