- Grow from this river-bank, like the water-lily, greedy and craving for death as the sufferer from dropsy.
- همچو نیلوفر برو زین طرف جو ** همچو مستسقی حریص و مرگجو
- The water is death to him, and (yet) he is seeking the water and drinking it— and God best knoweth the right course.
- مرگ او آبست و او جویای آب ** میخورد والله اعلم بالصواب
- Oh, the cold lover, clad in the felt (garment) of shame, who from fear of (losing) his life is fleeing from the Beloved! 3910
- ای فسرده عاشق ننگین نمد ** کو ز بیم جان ز جانان میرمد
- O thou disgrace (even) to women, behold hundreds of thousands of souls clapping their hands (and rushing) towards the sword of His love!
- سوی تیغ عشقش ای ننگ زنان ** صد هزاران جان نگر دستکزنان
- Thou hast seen the river: spill thy jug in the river: how should the water take flight from the river?
- جوی دیدی کوزه اندر جوی ریز ** آب را از جوی کی باشد گریز
- When the water in the jug goes into the river-water, it disappears in it, and it becomes the river.
- آب کوزه چون در آب جو شود ** محو گردد در وی و جو او شود
- His (the lover's) attributes have passed away, and his essence remains: after this, he does not dwindle or become ill-favoured.
- وصف او فانی شد و ذاتش بقا ** زین سپس نه کم شود نه بدلقا
- I have hanged myself on His palm-tree in excuse for having fled from Him.” 3915
- خویش را بر نخل او آویختم ** عذر آن را که ازو بگریختم
- How that lover reached his Beloved when he washed his hands of (gave up) his life.
- رسیدن آن عاشق به معشوق خویش چون دست از جان خود بشست
- Prostrating himself on face and head, like a ball, he went with wet eyes towards the Sadr (Prince).
- همچو گویی سجده کن بر رو و سر ** جانب آن صدر شد با چشم تر
- All the people were waiting, their heads in the air, (to see) whether he would burn or hang him.
- جمله خلقان منتظر سر در هوا ** کش بسوزد یا برآویزد ورا
- “Now” (they said) “he will show to this simpleton that which Time (Fortune) shows to the unfortunate.
- این زمان این احمق یک لخت را ** آن نماید که زمان بدبخت را
- 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.”
- همچو پروانه شرر را نور دید ** احمقانه در فتاد از جان برید
- But the candle of Love is not like that (external) candle: it is radiance in radiance in radiance. 3920
- لیک شمع عشق چون آن شمع نیست ** روشن اندر روشن اندر روشنیست
- It is the reverse of the fiery candles: it seems to be fire, while (in reality) it is all sweetness.
- او به عکس شمعهای آتشیست ** مینماید آتش و جمله خوشیست
- Description of the lover-killing mosque and of the death-seeking reckless lover who became a guest there.
- صفت آن مسجد کی عاشقکش بود و آن عاشق مرگجوی لا ابالی کی درو مهمان شد
- Lend ear to a story, O well-conducted man! There was a mosque on the outskirts of the city of Rayy.
- یک حکایت گوش کن ای نیکپی ** مسجدی بد بر کنار شهر ری
- No one ever slept the night there but on the same night (he died) from terror (and) his children became orphans.
- هیچ کس در وی نخفتی شب ز بیم ** که نه فرزندش شدی آن شب یتیم
- Many the naked (destitute) stranger that went into it (at nightfall) and went at dawn, like the stars, into the grave.
- بس که اندر وی غریب عور رفت ** صبحدم چون اختران در گور رفت
- Make thyself very attentive to this (tale)! The dawn is come, cut short thy slumber! 3925
- خویشتن را نیک ازین آگاه کن ** صبح آمد خواب را کوتاه کن
- Every one used to say that in it there were fierce Jinnís who killed the guests with blunt swords.
- هر کسی گفتی که پریانند تند ** اندرو مهمان کشان با تیغ کند
- Another would say, “It is the magic and talisman, for this enchantment is the foe and enemy of life.”
- آن دگر گفتی که سحرست و طلسم ** کین رصد باشد عدو جان و خصم
- Another would say, “Put an inscription (notice) conspicuously on its door—‘O guest, do not stay here.
- آن دگر گفتی که بر نه نقش فاش ** بر درش کای میهمان اینجا مباش
- Do not sleep the night here, if you want to live; otherwise, death will unmask an ambush for you in this place.’”
- شب مخسپ اینجا اگر جان بایدت ** ورنه مرگ اینجا کمین بگشایدت
- And another would say, “Bolt (the door) at night, (and when) a heedless person comes, do not admit him.” 3930
- وان یکی گفتی که شب قفلی نهید ** غافلی کاید شما کم ره دهید
- How the guest came into the mosque.
- مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
- (So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.
- تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب ** کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب
- He was testing (it) in order to put (it) to the proof, for he was very valiant and surfeited with life.
- از برای آزمون میآزمود ** زانک بس مردانه و جان سیر بود