And if in good faith he made the zephyr his envoy, that zephyr would be darkened by a (cloud of) dust.
ور صبا را پیک کردی در وفا ** از غباری تیره گشتی آن صبا
If he sewed the letter on the wing of a bird, the bird's wing would be burnt by the ardour of the letter. 4755
رقعه گر بر پر مرغی دوختی ** پر مرغ از تف رقعه سوختی
The (Divine) jealousy barred (all) the ways of device and broke the banner of the army of cogitation.
راههای چاره را غیرت ببست ** لشکر اندیشه را رایت شکست
At first, expectation was the comforting friend of (his) sorrow; at last, there broke him—who? Even (the same) expectation.
بود اول مونس غم انتظار ** آخرش بشکست کی هم انتظار
Sometimes he would say, “This is an irremediable affliction”; sometimes he would say, “No, it is the life of my spirit.”
گاه گفتی کین بلای بیدواست ** گاه گفتی نه حیات جان ماست
Sometimes (self-) existence would lift up a head from him (appear in him); sometimes he would eat of the fruit of non-existence.
گاه هستی زو بر آوردی سری ** گاه او از نیستی خوردی بری
When this (bodily) nature became cold (irksome and useless) to him, the fountain of union (with the beloved) would boil hotly. 4760
چونک بر وی سرد گشتی این نهاد ** جوش کردی گرم چشمهی اتحاد
When he put up with (contented himself with) the unprovidedness of exile, the provision of unprovidedness hastened towards him.
چونک با بیبرگی غربت بساخت ** برگ بیبرگی به سوی او بتاخت
The wheat-ears of his thought were purged of chaff: he became, like the moon, a guide to the night-travellers.
خوشههای فکرتش بیکاه شد ** شبروان را رهنما چون ماه شد
Oh, there is many a parrot that speaks though it is mute; oh, there is many a sweet-spirited one whose face is sour.
ای بسا طوطی گویای خمش ** ای بسا شیرینروان رو ترش
Go to the graveyard, sit awhile in silence, and behold those eloquent silent ones;
رو به گورستان دمی خامش نشین ** آن خموشان سخنگو را ببین
But, if you see that their dust is of one colour, (yet) their active (spiritual) state is not uniform. 4765
لیک اگر یکرنگ بینی خاکشان ** نیست یکسان حالت چالاکشان
The fat and flesh of living persons is uniform, (yet) one is sad, another glad.
شحم و لحم زندگان یکسان بود ** آن یکی غمگین دگر شادان بود
Until you hear their words, what should you know (of their feelings), inasmuch as their (inward) state is hidden from you?
تو چه دانی تا ننوشی قالشان ** زانک پنهانست بر تو حالشان
You may hear words—(cries of) háy, húy; (but) how will you perceive the (inward) state that hath a hundred folds?
بشنوی از قال های و هوی را ** کی ببینی حالت صدتوی را
Our (human) figure is uniform, (yet) endued with contrary qualities: likewise their dust is uniform, (yet) their spirits are diverse.
نقش ما یکسان بضدها متصف ** خاک هم یکسان روانشان مختلف
Similarly, voices are uniform (as such), (but) one is sorrowful, and another full of charms. 4770
همچنین یکسان بود آوازها ** آن یکی پر درد و آن پر نازها
On the battle-field you may hear the cry of horses; in strolling round (a garden) you may hear the cry of birds.
بانگ اسپان بشنوی اندر مصاف ** بانگ مرغان بشنوی اندر طواف
One (voice proceeds) from hate, and another from harmony; one from pain, and another from joy.
آن یکی از حقد و دیگر ز ارتباط ** آن یکی از رنج و دیگر از نشاط
Whoever is remote from (ignorant of) their (inward) state, to him the voices are uniform.
هر که دور از حالت ایشان بود ** پیشش آن آوازها یکسان بود
One tree is moved by blows of the axe, another tree by the breeze of dawn.
آن درختی جنبد از زخم تبر ** و آن درخت دیگر از باد سحر
Much error befell me from (I was greatly deceived by) the worthless pot, because the pot was boiling (while) covered by the lid. 4775
بس غلط گشتم ز دیگ مردریگ ** زانک سرپوشیده میجوشید دیگ
The fervour and savour of every one says to you, “Come”— the fervour of sincerity and the fervour of imposture and hypocrisy.
جوش و نوش هرکست گوید بیا ** جوش صدق و جوش تزویر و ریا
If you have not the scent (discernment derived) from the soul that recognises the face (reality), go, get for yourself a (spiritual) brain (sense) that recognises the scent.
گر نداری بو ز جان روشناس ** رو دماغی دست آور بوشناس
The brain (sense) that haunts yon Rose-garden—’tis it that makes bright the eyes of (all) Jacobs.
آن دماغی که بر آن گلشن تند ** چشم یعقوبان هم او روشن کند