(But) whence shall I get a comparison that is without frailty? One to match him (the knower of God) will not come, and never has come, (to hand).
از کجا آرم مثالی بی‌شکست ** کفو آن نه آید و نه آمدست
(He is) a hundred thousand men concealed in a single man, a hundred bows and arrows enclosed in a single blowpipe;
صد هزاران مرد پنهان در یکی ** صد کمان و تیر درج ناوکی
A (type of) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, a temptation (for the ignorant), a hundred thousand stacks (of grain) in a handful.
ما رمیت اذ رمیتی فتنه‌ای ** صد هزاران خرمن اندر حفنه‌ای
(He is) a sun hidden in a mote: suddenly that mote opens its mouth (and reveals the sun).4580
آفتابی در یکی ذره نهان ** ناگهان آن ذره بگشاید دهان
The heavens and the earth crumble to atoms before that Sun when he springs forth from ambush.
ذره ذره گردد افلاک و زمین ** پیش آن خورشید چون جست از کمین
How is a spirit like this meet for (confinement in) the body? Hark, O body, wash thy hands of this spirit!
این چنین جانی چه درخورد تنست ** هین بشو ای تن ازین جان هر دو دست
O body that hast become the spirit's dwelling-place, ’tis enough: how long can the Sea abide in a water-skin?
ای تن گشته وثاق جان بسست ** چند تاند بحر درمشکی نشست
O thou who art a thousand Gabriels in (the form of) man, O thou who art (many) Messiahs inside the ass (of Jesus),
ای هزاران جبرئیل اندر بشر ** ای مسیحان نهان در جوف خر
O thou who art a thousand Ka‘bas concealed in a church, O thou who causest ‘ifrít and devil to fall into error,4585
ای هزاران کعبه پنهان در کنیس ** ای غلط‌انداز عفریت و بلیس
Thou art the spaceless Object of worship in space: the devils have their shop destroyed by thee,
سجده‌گاه لامکانی در مکان ** مر بلیسان را ز تو ویران دکان
(For they say), “How should I pay homage to this clay? How should I bestow on a (mere) form a title signifying (my) obedience (adoration)?”
که چرا من خدمت این طین کنم ** صورتی را نم لقب چون دین کنم
He is not the form (in which he appears): rub thine eye well, that thou mayst behold (in him) the radiance of the light of (Divine) glory!
نیست صورت چشم را نیکو به مال ** تا ببینی شعشعه‌ی نور جلال
Resuming the explanation of the Story of the (eldest) prince and his constant attendance at the court of the King.
باز آمدن به شرح قصه‌ی شاه‌زاده و ملازمت او در حضرت شاه
The prince in the presence of the King was bewildered by this (mystery): he beheld the Seven Heavens in a handful of clay.
شاه‌زاده پیش شه حیران این ** هفت گردون دیده در یک مشت طین
Nowise was it possible (for him) to open his lips in discussion, but never for a moment did soul cease to converse with soul.4590
هیچ ممکن نه ببحثی لب گشود ** لیک جان با جان دمی خامش نبود
It came into his mind that ’twas exceedingly mysterious— “all this is reality: whence, then, comes the form (appearance)?”
آمده در خاطرش کین بس خفیست ** این همه معنیست پس صورت ز چیست
(’Tis) a form that frees thee from (the illusion of) form, a sleeper that awakens every one who is asleep (to the Truth).
صورتی از صورتت بیزار کن ** خفته‌ای هر خفته را بیدار کن
The words (spoken by him) deliver (thee) from words (of idle disputation), and the sickness (of love inspired by him) lets thee escape from the sickness (of sensuality).
آن کلامت می‌رهاند از کلام ** وان سقامت می‌جهاند از سقام
Therefore the sickness of love is the (very) soul of health: its pains are the envy of every pleasure.
پس سقام عشق جان صحتست ** رنجهااش حسرت هر راحتست
O body, now wash thy hands of this (animal) soul, or if thou wilt not wash (thy hands of it), seek another soul than this!4595
ای تن اکنون دست خود زین جان بشو ** ور نمی‌شویی جز این جانی بجو
In short, the King cherished him (the prince) fondly, and in (the beams of) that Sun he was melting away like the moon.
حاصل آن شه نیک او را می‌نواخت ** او از آن خورشید چون مه می‌گداخت
The melting (wasting) away of lovers is (the cause of their spiritual) growth: like the moon, he (the lover) hath a fresh (shining) face whilst he is melting away.
آن گداز عاشقان باشد نمو ** هم‌چو مه اندر گدازش تازه‌رو
All the sick hope to be cured, but this sick one sobs, crying, “Increase my sickness!
جمله رنجوران دوا دارند امید ** نالد این رنجور کم افزون کنید
I have found no drink sweeter than this poison: no state of health can be sweeter than this disease.
خوش‌تر از این سم ندیدم شربتی ** زین مرض خوش‌تر نباشد صحتی
No act of piety can be better than this sin: years in comparison with this moment are (but) an hour.”4600
In this fashion he remained with this King for a long while, his heart (roasted like) kabáb and his soul laid on the tray (of self-devotion).
مدتی بد پیش این شه زین نسق ** دل کباب و جان نهاده بر طبق
He said, “The King beheads every one once, (but) I am sacrificed anew by the King at every instant.
گفت شه از هر کسی یک سر برید ** من ز شه هر لحظه قربانم جدید
I am poor in gold, but rich in heads (lives): my head (life) hath a hundred heads to take its place.
من فقیرم از زر از سر محتشم ** صد هزاران سر خلف دارد سرم
No one can run in (the path of) Love with two feet: no one can play (the game of) Love with one head;
با دو پا در عشق نتوان تاختن ** با یکی سر عشق نتوان باختن
Yet every one has two feet and one head: the body with thousands of feet and heads is a rarity.”4605
هر کسی را خود دو پا و یک‌سرست ** با هزاران پا و سر تن نادرست
On this account all (other) combats are (fought) in vain, (while) this combat (of Love) grows hotter every moment.
زین سبب هنگامه‌ها شد کل هدر ** هست این هنگامه هر دم گرم‌تر
The source of its heat lies beyond the realm of space: the seven Hells are (but) a smoke (rising) from the sparks of its fire.
معدن گرمیست اندر لامکان ** هفت دوزخ از شرارش یک دخان
Setting forth how Hell will say, when the Bridge Sirát is (laid) over it (at the Resurrection), “O believer, pass more quickly across the Sirát! Quick, make haste, lest the greatness of thy light put out my fire,” (according to the Tradition), “Pass, O believer, for lo, thy light hath extinguished my fire.”
در بیان آنک دوزخ گوید کی قنطره‌ی صراط بر سر اوست ای مومن از صراط زودتر بگذر زود بشتاب تا عظمت نور تو آتش ما را نکشد جز یا مومن فان نورک اطفاء ناری
For this reason, O sincere man, Hell is enfeebled and extinguished by the fire of Love.
زآتش عاشق ازین رو ای صفی ** می‌شود دوزخ ضعیف و منطقی
It says to him (the believer), “Pass speedily, O respected one, or else my fire will be destroyed by thy flames.”
گویدش بگذر سبک ای محتشم ** ورنه ز آتش‌های تو مرد آتشم
Behold how this breath (of Love) dissolves infidelity, which alone is the brimstone of Hell!4610
کفر که کبریت دوزخ اوست و بس ** بین که می‌پخساند او را این نفس
Quickly entrust thy brimstone to this passion (of Love), in order that neither Hell nor (even) its sparks may assail thee.
زود کبریت بدین سودا سپار ** تا نه دوزخ بر تو تازد نه شرار
Paradise (too) says to him, “Pass like the wind, or else all that I possess will become unsalable;
گویدش جنت گذر کن هم‌چو باد ** ورنه گردد هر چه من دارم کساد
For thou art the owner of the (whole) stack, (while) I am (but) a gleaner: I am (but) an idol, (while) thou art (all) the provinces of China.”
که تو صاحب‌خرمنی من خوشه‌چین ** من بتی‌ام تو ولایت‌های چین
Both Hell and Paradise are trembling in fear of him (the believer): neither the one nor the other feels safe from him.
هست لرزان زو جحیم و هم جنان ** نه مر این را نه مر آن را زو امان
His (the prince's) life sped away and he found no opportunity to cure (his passion): the waiting consumed him exceedingly and his soul could not endure it.4615
رفت عمرش چاره را فرصت نیافت ** صبر بس سوزان بدت وجان بر نتافت
For a long time, gnashing his teeth, he suffered this (agony): ere he attained, his life reached its end.
مدتی دندان‌کنان این می‌کشید ** نارسیده عمر او آخر رسید
The form (appearance) of the Beloved vanished from him: he died and was united with the reality of the Beloved.
صورت معشوق زو شد در نهفت ** رفت و شد با معنی معشوق جفت
He said (to himself), “Though his raiment was of silk and Shushtar cloth, his unscreened embrace is sweeter.
گفت لبسش گر ز شعر و ششترست ** اعتناق بی‌حجابش خوشترست
(Now) I am denuded of my body, and he of (the veil of) phantasy: I am advancing triumphantly in the consummation of union.”
من شدم عریان ز تن او از خیال ** می‌خرامم در نهایات الوصال
These topics may be discussed up to this point, (but) all that comes after this must be kept hid;4620
این مباحث تا بدین‌جا گفتنیست ** هرچه آید زین سپس بنهفتنیست
And if you would tell it and make a hundred thousand efforts, ’tis fruitless labour, for it will never become clear.
ور بگویی ور بکوشی صد هزار ** هست بیگار و نگردد آشکار
As far as the sea, ’tis a journey on horseback: after this you (must) have a wooden horse.
تا به دریا سیر اسپ و زین بود ** بعد ازینت مرکب چوبین بود
The wooden horse is no good on the dry land: it carries exclusively those who voyage on the sea.
مرکب چوبین به خشکی ابترست ** خاص آن دریاییان را رهبرست
The wooden horse is this (mystical) silence: (this) silence gives instruction to the sea-folk.
این خموشی مرکب چوبین بود ** بحریان را خامشی تلقین بود
Every (such) silent one who wearies you is (really) uttering shrieks of love Yonder.4625
هر خموشی که ملولت می‌کند ** نعره‌های عشق آن سو می‌زند
You say, “I wonder why he is silent”; he says (to himself), “How strange! Where is his ear?
تو همی‌گویی عجب خامش چراست ** او همی‌گوید عجب گوشش کجاست