گر بیان معنوی کافی شدی ** خلق عالم عاطل و باطل بدی
If the spiritual explanation were sufficient, the creation of the world would have been vain and idle.
گر محبت فکرت و معنیستی ** صورت روزه و نمازت نیستی2625
If love were (only spiritual) thought and reality, the form of your fasting and prayer would be non-existent.
هدیه‌‌های دوستان با همدیگر ** نیست اندر دوستی الا صور
The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect of love, naught but forms;
تا گواهی داده باشد هدیه‌ها ** بر محبتهای مضمر در خفا
(But the purpose is) that the gifts may have borne testimony to feelings of love which are concealed in secrecy,
ز آن که احسانهای ظاهر شاهدند ** بر محبتهای سر ای ارجمند
Because outward acts of kindness bear witness to feelings of love in the heart, O dear friend.
شاهدت گه راست باشد گه دروغ ** مست گاهی از می و گاهی ز دوغ
Your witness is sometimes true, sometimes false, sometimes drunken with wine, sometimes with sour curds.
دوغ خورده مستیی پیدا کند ** های و هوی و سر گرانیها کند2630
He that has drunk sour curds makes a show of intoxication, shouts ecstatically, and behaves like one whose head is heavy (with the fumes of wine);
آن مرایی در صیام و در صلاست ** تا گمان آید که او مست ولاست
That hypocrite is (assiduous) in fasting and praying, in order that it may be supposed that he is drunken with devotion (to God).
حاصل افعال برونی دیگر است ** تا نشان باشد بر آن چه مضمر است
In short, external acts are different (from internal feelings), (and their purpose is) to indicate that which is hidden.
یا رب آن تمییز ده ما را به خواست ** تا شناسیم آن نشان کژ ز راست
O Lord, grant us according to our desire such discernment that we may know the false indication from the true.
حس را تمییز دانی چون شود ** آن که حس ینظر بنور الله بود
Do you know how the sense-perception becomes discerning? In this way, that the sense-perception should be seeing by the light of God.
ور اثر نبود سبب هم مظهر است ** همچو خویشی کز محبت مخبر است2635
And if there be no effect (outward sign), the cause too makes manifest (that which is hidden), as (for example) kinship gives information concerning love (enables you to infer the presence of love).
نبود آن که نور حقش شد امام ** مر اثر را یا سببها را غلام
He to whom the light of God has become a guide is not a slave to effects or causes—
یا محبت در درون شعله زند ** زفت گردد وز اثر فارغ کند
Or (if he is a slave to them) Love will throw a spark within, wax mighty, and make (the illumined one) independent of effect.
حاجتش نبود پی اعلام مهر ** چون محبت نور خود زد بر سپهر
He has no need to make his love known, since Love has shot its radiance over the sky (of his heart).
هست تفصیلات تا گردد تمام ** این سخن لیکن بجو تو و السلام
There are detailed explanations (which I could give) in order to complete this subject; but seek them (for yourself), and (now) farewell.
گر چه شد معنی در این صورت پدید ** صورت از معنی قریب است و بعید2640
Although the inner meaning is visible in this outward form, the form is (both) near to the meaning and far (from it).
در دلالت همچو آب‌‌اند و درخت ** چون به ماهیت روی دورند سخت
In regard to indication, they (the meaning and the form) are like the sap and the tree; (but) when you turn to the quiddity, they are very far (removed from each other).
ترک ماهیات و خاصیات گو ** شرح کن احوال آن دو ماهرو
(Let me) take leave of quiddities and essential properties, and relate what happened to those twain with faces like the moon.
دل نهادن عرب بر التماس دل بر خویش و سوگند خوردن که در این تسلیم مرا حیلتی و امتحانی نیست
How the Arab set his heart on (complying with) his beloved's request and swore that in thus submitting (to her) he had no (idea of) trickery and making trial (of her).
مرد گفت اکنون گذشتم از خلاف ** حکم داری تیغ بر کش از غلاف
The man said, “Now I have ceased to oppose (thee): thou hast authority (to do what thou wilt): draw the sword from the sheath.
هر چه گویی من ترا فرمان‌‌برم ** در بد و نیک آمد آن ننگرم
Whatsoever thou biddest me do, I will obey: I will not consider the bad or good result of it.
در وجود تو شوم من منعدم ** چون محبم حب یعمی و یصم2645
I will become non-existent in thy existence, because I am thy lover: love makes blind and deaf.”
گفت زن آهنگ برم می‌‌کنی ** یا به حیلت کشف سرم می‌‌کنی
The wife said, “Dost thou intend to treat me with kindness, or art thou (bent on) discovering my secret by trickery?”
گفت و الله عالم السر الخفی ** کافرید از خاک آدم را صفی
He said, “(No), by God who knows the thought most deeply hid, who out of dust created Adam pure (chosen above all),
در سه گز قالب که دادش وا نمود ** هر چه در الواح و در ارواح بود
Who, in the body three cubits long which He gave him, displayed everything that was contained in the tablets (of destiny) and the (world of) spirits.