مرگ دان آنک اتفاق امتست ** کاب حیوانی نهان در ظلمتست
Know death to be (the thing signified by) what the (Mohammedan) community are agreed upon, namely, that the Water of Life is hidden in the (Land of) Darkness.
همچو نیلوفر برو زین طرف جو ** همچو مستسقی حریص و مرگ‌جو
Grow from this river-bank, like the water-lily, greedy and craving for death as the sufferer from dropsy.
مرگ او آبست و او جویای آب ** می‌خورد والله اعلم بالصواب
The water is death to him, and (yet) he is seeking the water and drinking it— and God best knoweth the right course.
ای فسرده عاشق ننگین نمد ** کو ز بیم جان ز جانان می‌رمد3910
Oh, the cold lover, clad in the felt (garment) of shame, who from fear of (losing) his life is fleeing from the Beloved!
سوی تیغ عشقش ای ننگ زنان ** صد هزاران جان نگر دستک‌زنان
O thou disgrace (even) to women, behold hundreds of thousands of souls clapping their hands (and rushing) towards the sword of His love!
جوی دیدی کوزه اندر جوی ریز ** آب را از جوی کی باشد گریز
Thou hast seen the river: spill thy jug in the river: how should the water take flight from the river?
آب کوزه چون در آب جو شود ** محو گردد در وی و جو او شود
When the water in the jug goes into the river-water, it disappears in it, and it becomes the river.
وصف او فانی شد و ذاتش بقا ** زین سپس نه کم شود نه بدلقا
His (the lover's) attributes have passed away, and his essence remains: after this, he does not dwindle or become ill-favoured.
خویش را بر نخل او آویختم ** عذر آن را که ازو بگریختم3915
I have hanged myself on His palm-tree in excuse for having fled from Him.”
رسیدن آن عاشق به معشوق خویش چون دست از جان خود بشست
How that lover reached his Beloved when he washed his hands of (gave up) his life.
همچو گویی سجده کن بر رو و سر ** جانب آن صدر شد با چشم تر
Prostrating himself on face and head, like a ball, he went with wet eyes towards the Sadr (Prince).
جمله خلقان منتظر سر در هوا ** کش بسوزد یا برآویزد ورا
All the people were waiting, their heads in the air, (to see) whether he would burn or hang him.
این زمان این احمق یک لخت را ** آن نماید که زمان بدبخت را
“Now” (they said) “he will show to this simpleton that which Time (Fortune) shows to the unfortunate.
همچو پروانه شرر را نور دید ** احمقانه در فتاد از جان برید
Like the moth, he (the lover) deemed the (fiery) sparks to be the light: foolishly he fell in and was cut off from (deprived of) life.”
لیک شمع عشق چون آن شمع نیست ** روشن اندر روشن اندر روشنیست3920
But the candle of Love is not like that (external) candle: it is radiance in radiance in radiance.
او به عکس شمعهای آتشیست ** می‌نماید آتش و جمله خوشیست
It is the reverse of the fiery candles: it seems to be fire, while (in reality) it is all sweetness.
صفت آن مسجد کی عاشق‌کش بود و آن عاشق مرگ‌جوی لا ابالی کی درو مهمان شد
Description of the lover-killing mosque and of the death-seeking reckless lover who became a guest there.
یک حکایت گوش کن ای نیک‌پی ** مسجدی بد بر کنار شهر ری
Lend ear to a story, O well-conducted man! There was a mosque on the outskirts of the city of Rayy.
هیچ کس در وی نخفتی شب ز بیم ** که نه فرزندش شدی آن شب یتیم
No one ever slept the night there but on the same night (he died) from terror (and) his children became orphans.
بس که اندر وی غریب عور رفت ** صبحدم چون اختران در گور رفت
Many the naked (destitute) stranger that went into it (at nightfall) and went at dawn, like the stars, into the grave.
خویشتن را نیک ازین آگاه کن ** صبح آمد خواب را کوتاه کن3925
Make thyself very attentive to this (tale)! The dawn is come, cut short thy slumber!
هر کسی گفتی که پریانند تند ** اندرو مهمان کشان با تیغ کند
Every one used to say that in it there were fierce Jinnís who killed the guests with blunt swords.
آن دگر گفتی که سحرست و طلسم ** کین رصد باشد عدو جان و خصم
Another would say, “It is the magic and talisman, for this enchantment is the foe and enemy of life.”
آن دگر گفتی که بر نه نقش فاش ** بر درش کای میهمان اینجا مباش
Another would say, “Put an inscription (notice) conspicuously on its door—‘O guest, do not stay here.
شب مخسپ اینجا اگر جان بایدت ** ورنه مرگ اینجا کمین بگشایدت
Do not sleep the night here, if you want to live; otherwise, death will unmask an ambush for you in this place.’”
وان یکی گفتی که شب قفلی نهید ** غافلی کاید شما کم ره دهید3930
And another would say, “Bolt (the door) at night, (and when) a heedless person comes, do not admit him.”
مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
How the guest came into the mosque.
تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب ** کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب
(So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.