(’Tis) a killing better than a thousand lives: (all) sovereignties are mortally enamoured of this servitude.
کشتنی به از هزاران زندگی ** سلطنتها مردهی این بندگی
They (the princes) were telling each other their secrets allusively in low tones with a hundred fears and precautions.
با کنایت رازها با همدگر ** پست گفتندی به صد خوف و حذر
None but God was the confidant of their secret, their sighs were breathed to Heaven alone.
راز را غیر خدا محرم نبود ** آه را جز آسمان همدم نبود
They were using certain mystical terms among themselves in order to convey information.
اصطلاحاتی میان همدگر ** داشتندی بهر ایراد خبر
The vulgar have learned this birds' language and (by means of it) have acquired prestige and authority.4010
زین لسان الطیر عام آموختند ** طمطراق و سروری اندوختند
That terminology is (only) the image (imitation) of the bird's voice: the uninitiated man is ignorant of the (inward) state of the birds.
صورت آواز مرغست آن کلام ** غافلست از حال مرغان مرد خام
Where is the Solomon who knows the birds' song? The demon, though he seize the kingdom (of Solomon), is an alien.
کو سلیمانی که داند لحن طیر ** دیو گرچه ملک گیرد هست غیر
The demon in the likeness of Solomon stood (in Solomon's place): he knows how to deceive, but he does not possess (the knowledge denoted by the words) we have been taught.
دیو بر شبه سلیمان کرد ایست ** علم مکرش هست و علمناش نیست
Inasmuch as Solomon was rejoiced exceedingly by (the favour of) God, he had a birds' language (derived) from we have been taught.
چون سلیمان از خدا بشاش بود ** منطق الطیری ز علمناش بود
Understand that you are a bird of the (common) air because you have not beheld the esoteric birds.4015
تو از آن مرغ هوایی فهم کن ** که ندیدستی طیور من لدن
The home of the Símurghs is beyond (Mt) Qáf: it is not (like) a hand-loom (easily accessible) to any imagination,
جای سیمرغان بود آن سوی قاف ** هر خیالی را نباشد دستباف
But only to the imagination that beholds it by chance and then, after the vision, is parted (from it)—
جز خیالی را که دید آن اتفاق ** آنگهش بعدالعیان افتد فراق
Not a parting that involves severance, (but a parting) for a wise purpose; for that high estate is secure from every (real) parting.
نه فراق قطع بهر مصلحت ** که آمنست از هر فراق آن منقبت
In order to preserve the spiritual body the (Divine) Sun for a time withdraws (His beams) from the snow.
بهر استبقاء آن روحی جسد ** آفتاب از برف یکدم درکشد
Seek good for thy soul from them (who have attained unto God): beware, do not steal mystical expressions from their language.4020
بهر جان خویش جو زیشان صلاح ** هین مدزد از حرف ایشان اصطلاح
Zalíkhá had applied to Joseph the name of everything, from rue-seed to aloeswood.
آن زلیخا از سپندان تا به عود ** نام جمله چیز یوسف کرده بود
She concealed his name in (all other) names and made the inner meaning thereof known to (none but her) confidants.
نام او در نامها مکتوم کرد ** محرمان را سر آن معلوم کرد
When she said, “The wax is softened by the fire,” this meant, “My beloved is very fond of me.”
چون بگفتی موم ز آتش نرم شد ** این بدی کان یار با ما گرم شد
And if she said, “Look, the moon is risen”; or if she said, “The willow-bough is green (with new leaves)”;
ور بگفتی مه برآمد بنگرید ** ور بگفتی سبز شد آن شاخ بید
Or if she said, “The leaves are quivering mightily”; or if she said, “The rue-seed is burning merrily”;4025
Or if she said, “My head aches”; or if she said, “My headache is better”—
ور بگفتی که به درد آمد سرم ** ور بگفتی درد سر شد خوشترم
If she praised, ’twas his (Joseph's) caresses (that she meant); and if she blamed, ’twas separation from him (that she meant).
گر ستودی اعتناق او بدی ** ور نکوهیدی فراق او بدی
If she piled up a hundred thousand names, her meaning and intention was always Joseph.
صد هزاران نام گر بر هم زدی ** قصد او و خواه او یوسف بدی
Were she hungry, as soon as she spoke his name she would be filled (with spiritual food) and intoxicated by his cup.
گرسنه بودی چو گفتی نام او ** میشدی او سیر و مست جام او
Her thirst would be quenched by his name: the name of Joseph was a sherbet to her soul;4035
تشنگیش از نام او ساکن شدی ** نام یوسف شربت باطن شدی
And if she were in pain, her pain would immediately be turned into profit by that exalted name.
ور بدی دردیش زان نام بلند ** درد او در حال گشتی سودمند
In cold weather it was a fur to her. This, this (is what) the Beloved's name can do (when one is) in love.
وقت سرما بودی او را پوستین ** این کند در عشق نام دوست این
The vulgar are always pronouncing the Holy Name, (but) it does not do this work (for them) since they are not endowed with (true) love.
عام میخوانند هر دم نام پاک ** این عمل نکند چو نبود عشقناک
That (miracle) which Jesus had wrought by (pronouncing) the Name of Hú (God) was manifested to her through the name of him (Joseph).
آنچ عیسی کرده بود از نام هو ** میشدی پیدا ورا از نام او
When the soul has been united with God, to speak of that (God) is (to speak of) this (soul), and to speak of this (soul) is (to speak of) that (God).4040
چونک با حق متصل گردید جان ** ذکر آن اینست و ذکر اینست آن
She was empty of self and filled with love for her friend (Joseph), and (as the proverb says), “A pot drips what is in it.”
خالی از خود بود و پر از عشق دوست ** پس ز کوزه آن تلابد که دروست
The scent of the saffron of union produces (happy) laughter; the smell of the onion of absence (produces) tears.
خنده بوی زعفران وصل داد ** گریه بوهای پیاز آن بعاد
Every (other) one has in his heart a hundred objects of desire, (but) this is not the way of love and fondness.
هر یکی را هست در دل صد مراد ** این نباشد مذهب عشق و وداد
Love's sun in the day-time is the (Face of the) Beloved: the sun is as a veil over that Face.
یار آمد عشق را روز آفتاب ** آفتاب آن روی را همچون نقاب
He that does not know (distinguish) the veil from the Face of the Beloved is a sun-worshipper: keep thy hand off (keep thyself aloof) from him.4045
آنک نشناسد نقاب از روی یار ** عابد الشمس است دست از وی بدار
He is both the lover's day and daily bread, He is both the lover's heart and heart-burning.
روز او و روزی عاشق هم او ** دل همو دلسوزی عاشق هم او
(God's) fishes receive directly from the Essence of the Water their bread and water and clothes and drugs and sleep.
ماهیان را نقد شد از عین آب ** نان و آب و جامه و دارو و خواب
He (the lover) is like a child getting milk from the breast: he knows nothing in the two worlds except the milk.
همچو طفلست او ز پستان شیرگیر ** او نداند در دو عالم غیر شیر
The child knows the milk and yet he does not know it: (intellectual) consideration has no means of entrance here.
طفل داند هم نداند شیر را ** راه نبود این طرف تدبیر را
This circular (issued by Love) made the spirit crazy to find (both) the Opener and that which is opened (by Him).4050
گیج کرد این گردنامه روح را ** تا بیابد فاتح و مفتوح را
It (the spirit) is not crazy in going (on that quest); nay, (for) ’tis the Sea within it that bears it along, not a torrent or a river.
گیج نبود در روش بلک اندرو ** حاملش دریا بود نه سیل و جو
How should it (the spirit) find (God)? He that finds (God) becomes lost (in Him): like a torrent he is absorbed in the Ocean.
چون بیابد او که یابد گم شود ** همچو سیلی غرقهی قلزم شود
The seed is lost (in the earth): (only) then does it become a fig-tree. This is (the meaning of) “I did not give (you) the money till you died.”
دانه گم شد آنگهی او تین بود ** تا نمردی زر ندادم این بود
How, after they had stayed in hiding and tarried patiently for a long while in the capital of China, where the Emperor was enthroned, the eldest (brother) lost patience and said, “Farewell! I will go and present myself to the King. Either my feet will bring me to the object of my quest, or I will lose my head there as (I have already lost) my heart”— (The Persian translation of this Arabic verse is): “Either my feet will bring me to the object of my quest and desire, or I will give away my head there as (I have given away) my heart”— and how the good advice of his brothers was of no avail. “O thou that chidest those in love, let them alone! How shouldst thou direct a band which God has led astray?” And so forth.
بعد مکث ایشان متواری در بلاد چین در شهر تختگاه و بعد دراز شدن صبر بیصبر شدن آن بزرگین کی من رفتم الوداع خود را بر شاه عرضه کنم اما قدمی تنیلنی مقصودی او القی راسی کفادی ثم یا پای رساندم به مقصود و مراد یا سر بنهم همچو دل از دست آنجا و نصیحت برادران او را سود ناداشتن یا عاذل العاشقین دع فة اضلها الله کیف ترشدها الی آخره
The eldest (brother) said, “O my brethren, from waiting (so long) this soul of mine is on the verge (of leaving my body).
آن بزرگین گفت ای اخوان من ** ز انتظار آمد به لب این جان من
I have become reckless, I can endure no more: this endurance has set me on fire.4055
لا ابالی گشتهام صبرم نماند ** مر مرا این صبر در آتش نشاند