When you see (spiritual) sorrow, embrace it with passionate love: look on Damascus from the top of Rubwa.
غم چو بینی در کنارش کش به عشق ** از سر ربوه نظر کن در دمشق
The wise man is seeing the wine in the grape, the lover (of God) is seeing the thing (entity) in the non-existent.
عاقل از انگور می بیند همی ** عاشق از معدوم شی بیند همی
The day before yesterday the porters were quarrelling (and crying), “Don't you lift (it), let me lift his load (and carry it off) like a lion!”3755
جنگ میکردند حمالان پریر ** تو مکش تا من کشم حملش چو شیر
Since they were seeing profit in that toil, each one was snatching the load from the other.
زانک زان رنجش همیدیدند سود ** حمل را هر یک ز دیگر میربود
What comparison is there between God's reward and the reward given by that worthless creature? The former gives you a treasure as your reward, and the latter a groat.
مزد حق کو مزد آن بیمایه کو ** این دهد گنجیت مزد و آن تسو
(God gives you) a golden treasure that remains with you when you lie (buried) under the sand and is not left as a heritage.
گنج زری که چو خسپی زیر ریگ ** با تو باشد ان نباشد مردریگ
It runs before your hearse and becomes your companion in the tomb and in the state where all is strange.
پیش پیش آن جنازهت میدود ** مونس گور و غریبی میشود
For the sake of your death-day be dead (to self), now, so that you may be (united) with everlasting Love, O fellow-servant.3760
بهر روز مرگ این دم مرده باش ** تا شوی با عشق سرمد خواجهتاش
Through the curtain of the struggle (against self) renunciation sees the face like a pomegranate-flower and the two tresses of the Desired One.
صبر میبیند ز پردهی اجتهاد ** روی چون گلنار و زلفین مراد
Sorrow is as a mirror before the struggler, for in this contrary there appears the face of the (other) contrary.
غم چو آیینهست پیش مجتهد ** کاندرین ضد مینماید روی ضد
After the (one) contrary, (which is) pain, the other contrary, that is, gladness and triumph, shows its face.
بعد ضد رنج آن ضد دگر ** رو دهد یعنی گشاد و کر و فر
Observe these two qualities (contraction and expansion) in the fingers of your hand: assuredly after the closing of the fist comes the opening.
این دو وصف از پنجهی دستت ببین ** بعد قبض مشت بسط آید یقین
If the fingers be always closed or entirely (invariably) open, he (their owner) is like an afflicted person.3765
پنجه را گر قبض باشد دایما ** یا همه بسط او بود چون مبتلا
His work and action is regulated by these two qualities: these two conditions are (as) important for him as the bird's wings (to the bird).
زین دو وصفش کار و مکسب منتظم ** چون پر مرغ این دو حال او را مهم
When Mary was all at once dismayed, like those fishes on land,
چونک مریم مضطرب شد یک زمان ** همچنانک بر زمین آن ماهیان
[How the Holy Spirit said to Mary, “I am sent to thee by God: be not agitated and do not hide from me, for this is the (Divine) command.”]
گفتن روح القدس مریم راکی من رسول حقم به تو آشفته مشو و پنهان مشو از من کی فرمان اینست
The Exemplar of (Divine) Bounty cried out to her, “I am the trusted (messenger) of the Lord: be not afraid of me.
بانگ بر وی زد نمودار کرم ** که امین حضرتم از من مرم
Do not turn thy head away from the exalted (favourites) of (Divine) Majesty, do not withdraw thyself from such goodly confidants.”
از سرافرازان عزت سرمکش ** از چنین خوش محرمان خود درمکش
He was saying this, and (meanwhile) from his lips a wick (ray) of pure light was going up to Simák (Arcturus) step by step (uninterruptedly).3770
این همی گفت و ذبالهی نور پاک ** از لبش میشد پیاپی بر سماک
“Thou art fleeing from my existence into non-existence (the Unseen World): in non-existence I am a King and standard-bearer.
از وجودم میگریزی در عدم ** در عدم من شاهم و صاحب علم
Verily, my home and dwelling-place is in non-existence: solely my (outward) form is before the Lady (Mary).
خود بنه و بنگاه من در نیستیست ** یکسواره نقش من پیش ستیست
O Mary, look (well), for I am a difficult form (to apprehend): I am both a new moon and a phantasy in the heart.
مریما بنگر که نقش مشکلم ** هم هلالم هم خیال اندر دلم
When a phantasy comes into thy heart and settles (there), it is (still) with thee wheresoever thou fleest—
چون خیالی در دلت آمد نشست ** هر کجا که میگریزی با توست
Except an unsubstantial and vain phantasy which is one that sinks (and disappears) like the false dawn.3775
جز خیالی عارضی باطلی ** کو بود چون صبح کاذب آفلی
I am of the light of the Lord, like the true dawn, for no night prowls around my day.
من چو صبح صادقم از نور رب ** که نگردد گرد روزم هیچ شب
Hark, do not cry Lá hawl against me, O daughter of ‘Imrán, for I have descended hither from Lá hawl.
هین مکن لاحول عمران زادهام ** که ز لاحول این طرف افتادهام