shanidan-e-an tuti harkat-e-an tutiyan-o-mardan-e-an tuti dar qafas-o-nauha-e-kHwaja bar wai
Interesting Fact
English Translation: Reynold. A. Nicholson
shanīdan-e-āñ tuutī harkat-e-āñ tūtiyān-o-mardan-e-āñ tuutī dar qafas-o-nauha-e-kHvāja bar vai
How the parrot heard what those parrots had done, and died in the cage, and how the merchant made lament for her.
chuuñ shanīd aañ murġh kaañ tuutī che kard
pas ba-larzīd uu fitād-o-gasht sard
When the bird heard what that (other) parrot had done,
thereupon she trembled, fell, and became cold.
ḳhvāja chuuñ dīdash fitāda ham-chunīñ
bar jahīd-o-zad kulah rā bar zamīñ
The merchant, seeing her thus fallen,
sprang up and dashed his cap on the ground.
chuuñ budīñ rañg-o-budīñ hālash ba-dīd
ḳhvāja barjast-o-garībāñ rā darīd
When he saw her in this guise and in this state,
the merchant sprang up and tore the breast of his garment.
guft ai tūtī-e-kHūb-e-ḳhush chunīñ
iiñ che būdat iiñ charā gashtī chuneñ
He said, “O beautiful parrot with thy sweet cry, what is this
that has happened to thee? Why hast thou become like this?
ai dareġhā murġh-e-kHush āvāz-e-man
ai dareġhā hamdam-o-ham-rāz-e-man
Oh, alas for my sweet-voiced bird!
Oh, alas for my bosom-friend and confidant!
ai dareġhā murġh-e-kHush-ilhān-e-man
rāh-e-rūh-o-rauza-o-raihān-e-man
Oh, alas for my melodious bird,
the wine of my spirit and my garden and my sweet basil!
gar sulaimāñ rā chunīñ murġhe bude
kai ḳhud uu mashġhūl aañ murġhāñ shude
Had Solomon possessed a bird like this,
how indeed should he have become occupied with those (other) birds?
ai dareġhā murġh kārzāñ yāftam
zuud rū-e-az rū-e-ū bar tāftam
Oh, alas for the bird which I gained cheaply,
and (so) soon turned my face away from her countenance!
ai zabāñ tū bas ziyānī marmarā
chuuñ tuī goyā che goyam man turā
O tongue, thou art a great damage (very injurious) to mankind,
(but) since thou art speaking, what should I say to thee?
ai zabāñ ham ātish-o-ham ḳhirmane
chand iiñ ātish darīñ ḳhirman zanī
O tongue, thou art both the fire and the stack:
how long wilt thou dart this fire upon this stack?
dar nihāñ jaañ az tu afġhāñ mī-kunad
garche har che goyash aañ mī-kunad
Secretly my soul is groaning because of thee,
although it is doing whatsoever thou biddest it.
ai zabāñ ham ganj-e-be-pāyāñ tuī
ai zabāñ ham rañj-e-be-darmāñ tuī
O tongue, thou art a treasure without end.
O tongue, thou art also a disease without remedy.
ham-safīr-o-kHud'a-e-murġhāñ tuī
ham-anīs-e-vahshat-e-hijrāñ tuī
Thou art at once a whistle and decoy for birds,
and a comforter in the desolation of absence (from the Beloved).
chand amānam mī dehī ai be-amāñ
ai tū ze darda ba-kīñ man kamāñ
How long wilt thou grant me mercy, O merciless one,
O thou who hast drawn the bow to take vengeance on me?
nak ba-parrānīda-e-muġh-e-marā
dar charāgāh-e-sitam kam kun charā
Lo, thou hast made my bird fly away.
Do not browse (any more) in the pasture of injustice!
yā javāb-e-man ba-go yā daad deh
yā marā za asbāb-e-shādī yaad deh
Either answer me or give redress or mention to me
(what will be) the means of (producing) joy.
Oh, alas for my darkness-consuming light!
Oh, alas for my day-enkindling dawn!
ai dareġhā sub.h-e-zulmat soz-e-man
ai dareġhā nūr-e-roz afroz-e-man
Oh, alas for my bird of goodly flight, that has flown from
my end (my last state) to my beginning (my first state).
ai dareġhā murġh-e-ḳhush parvāz-e-man
za intihā parīda tā āġhāz-e-man
The ignorant man is in love with pain unto everlasting.
Arise and read (in the Qur’án) I swear as far as (the words) in trouble.
'āshiq-e-rañjast nādāñ tā abad
ḳhez lā uqsim ba-kHvāñ tā fī kabad
With thy face I was free from trouble,
and in thy river I was unsoiled by froth.
az kabad fāriġh budam bā-rū-e-tū
vaz za bud saafī budam dar jū-e-tū
These cries of ‘Alas’ are (caused by) the phantasy (idea) of
seeing (the Beloved) and (by) separation from my present
existence.
iiñ dareġhā-hā kHayāl-e-dīdansat
vaz vujūd-e-naqd-e-ḳhud ba-burīdanast
’Twas the jealousy of God, and there is no device against God: where is a heart that is not (shattered) in a hundred pieces by God's love?
ġhairat-e-haq būd-o-bā-haq chāra niist
kū dile kaz 'ishq-e-haq sad paara niist
The jealousy (of God) is this, that He is other than all things,
that He is beyond explanation and the noise of words.
ġhairat aañ bāshad ki uu ġhair-e-hama-st
aañ ki afzūñ az bayān-o-damda-ast
Oh, alas! Would that my tears were an ocean,
that they might be strewn as an offering to the fair charmer!
ai dareġhā ashk-e-man dariyā bude
tā nusār-e-dilbar-e-zebā bude
My parrot, my clever-headed bird,
the interpreter of my thought and inmost consciousness,
tūtī-e-man murġh-e-zīrak sār-e-man
tarjumān-e-fikrat-o-asrār-e-man
She has told me from the first, that I might remember it,
whatsoever should come to me as my allotted portion of right and wrong.
har che rozī dād-o-nā-dād āydam
uu za avval gufta tā yaad āydam
The parrot whose voice comes from (Divine) inspiration and
whose beginning was before the beginning of existence—
tūti-e-kāyad za vah.i āvāz-e-ū
pesh az āġhāz-e-vujūd āġhāz-e-ū
That parrot is hidden within thee: thou hast seen the reflexion of her upon this and that (the things of the phenomenal
world).
andrūn-e-tust aañ tuutī nihāñ
'aks-e-ū rā diida tū bar īn-o-āñ
She takes away thy joy, and because of her thou art rejoicing:
thou receivest injury from her as though it were justice.
mī burad shādīt rā tū shaad azū
mī pazīrī zulm rā chuuñ daad azū
O thou who wert burning the soul for the body's sake,
thou hast burned (destroyed) the soul and illumined
(delighted) the body.
ai ki jaañ rā bahr-e-tan mī-sokHtī
sokHtī jaañ rā-o-tan afrokHtī
I am burning (with love of God): does any one want tinder,
let him set his rubbish ablaze with fire from me.
soḳhtam man soḳhta ḳhvāhad kase
tā za man ātish zanad andar ḳhase
In as much as tinder is combustible,
take tinder that catches fire (readily).
soḳhta chuuñ qābil-e-ātish buvad
soḳhta bustāñ ki ātish kash buvad
O alas, O alas, O alas that such a moon
became hidden under the clouds!
ai dareġhā ai dareġhā ai dareġh
ki-āñ-chunāñ maahe nihāñ shud zer-e-meġh
How should I utter a word?—for the fire in my heart is grown fierce,
the lion of separation (from the Beloved) has become raging and blood-shedding.
chuuñ za nam dam ki-ātish-e-dil tez shud
sher-e-hijr āshufta-o-kHūñ-rez shud
One that even when sober is violent and furious,
how will it be when he takes the wine-cup in his hand?
āñ-ki uu hoshiyār ḳhud tundas-o-mast
chuuñ buvad chuuñ uu qadah gīrad ba-dast
The furious Lion who is beyond description is too great for (cannot be contained in) the wide expanse of the meadow.
sher maste kaz sifat berūñ buvad
az basīt-e-marġh-zār afzūñ buvad
I am thinking of rhymes, and my Sweetheart says to me,
“Do not think of aught except vision of Me.
qāfiya andesham-o-dil-dār-e-man
goyadam mandesh juz dīdār-e-man
Sit at thy ease, My rhyme-meditating (friend):
in My presence thou art rhymed with (attached to) felicity.
kHush-nashīñ ai qāfiya andesh-e-man
qāfiya daulat tuī dar pesh-e-man
What are words that thou shouldst think of them?
What are words? Thorns in the hedge of the vineyard.
harf che buvad tā tu andeshī azaañ
harf che buvad kHār-e-dīvār-e-razāñ
I will throw word and sound and speech into confusion,
that without these three I may converse with thee۔
harf-o-saut-o-guft rā barham zanam
tā ki be-īñ har seh bā tū dam zanam
That word which I kept hidden from Adam I will speak to thee,
O (thou who art the) consciousness of the world.
aañ dame kaz ādamash kardam nihāñ
bā tū goyam ai tu asrār-e-jahāñ
(I will tell to thee) that word which I did not communicate to Abraham,
and that pain (love) which Gabriel does not know.”
aañ dame rā ki na-guftam bā-ḳhalīl
vaañ ġhame rā ki na-dānad jibra.īl
That word of which the Messiah (Jesus) breathed not a word God,
from jealousy, did not utter even without má.
aañ dame kaz vai masīhā dam na-zad
haq za ġhairat niiz biima ham na-zad
What is má in language? Positive and negative.
I am not positive, I am selfless and negated.
mā che bāshad dar luġhat isbāt-o-nafī
man na isbātam manam be-zāt-o-nafī
I found (true) individuality in non-individuality:
therefore I wove (my) individuality into non-individuality.
man kasī dar nā-kasī daryāftam
pas kasī dar nā-kasī dar bāftam
All kings are enslaved to their slaves,
all people are dead (ready to die) for one who dies for them.
jumla shāhāñ banda-e-banda kHudand
jumla ḳhalqāñ murda-e-murda kHudand
All kings are prostrate before one who is prostrate before them,
all people are intoxicated with (love for) one who is intoxicated with them.
jumla shāhāñ past past-e-ḳhvesh rā
jumla ḳhalqāñ mast mast-e-ḳhvesh rā
The fowler becomes a prey to the birds in order
that of a sudden he may make them his prey.
mī shavad sayyād murġhāñ rā shikār
tā kunad nā-gāh īshāñ rā shikār
Heart-ravishers (loved ones) seek with (all their) soul those who have lost their hearts (to them):
all loved ones are the prey of (their) lovers.
dil-barāñ rā dil asīr-e-be-dilāñ
jumla mā’shūqāñ shikār-e-’āshiqāñ
Whomsoever thou didst deem to be a lover,
regard (him) as the loved one, for relatively he is both this
and that.
marg-e-'āshiq dīdayash mā’shūq-dāñ
kū ba-nisbat hast ham īñ-o-ham aañ
If they that are thirsty seek water from the world,
(yet) water too seeks in the world them that are thirsty.
tishnagāñ gar aab joyand az jahāñ
aab joyad ham ba-’ālam tishnagāñ
In as much as He is (thy) lover, do thou be silent:
as He is pulling thine ear, be thou (all) ear.
chūñki 'āshiq uust tū ḳhāmosh baash
uu chu gosht mai-kashad tū gosh baash
Dam the torrent (of ecstasy) when it runs in flood;
else it will work shame and ruin.
band kun chuuñ sail sailānī kunad
varna rusvā.ī-o-vīrānī kunad
What care I though ruin be (wrought)?
Under the ruin there is a royal treasure.
man che ġham dāram ki vīrānī buvad
zer-e-vīrāñ ganj-e-sultānī buvad
He that is drowned in God wishes to be more drowned,
(while) his spirit (is tossed) up and down like the waves of the sea,
ġharq-e-haq ḳhvāhad ki bāshad ġharq-tar
ham-chu mauj-e-bahr jaañ zer-o-zabar
(Asking), “Is the bottom of the sea more delightful, or the
top?
Is His (the Beloved's) arrow more fascinating, or the shield?”
zer-e-dariyā ḳhush-tar aayad yā zabar
tīr-e-ū dil-kash-tar aayad yā sipar
O heart, thou art torn asunder by evil suggestion if
thou recognise any difference between joy and woe.
paara karda-e-vasvasa bāshī dilā
gar tarab rā baaz daanī az balā
Although the object of thy desire has the taste of sugar,
is not absence of any object of desire (in thee) the object of the Beloved's desire?
gar murādat rā mazāq-e-shakkarast
be-murādī ne murād-e-dilbarast
Every star of His is the blood-price of a hundred new moons:
it is lawful for Him to shed the blood of the (whole) world.
har sitāra-sh kHūñ-bahā-e-sad hilāl
ḳhūn-e-'ālam reḳhtan uu rā halāl
We gained the price and the blood-price:
we hastened to gamble our soul away.
mā ba-hā-o-kHūñ-bahā rā yāftem
jānib-e-jāñ bāḳhtan ba-shatāftem
Oh, the life of lovers consists in death:
thou wilt not win the (Beloved's) heart except in losing thine own.
ai hayāt-e-'āshiqāñ dar murdagī
dil na-yābī juz ki dar dil burdagī
I sought (to win) His heart with a hundred airs and graces,(but) He made excuses to me (put me off) in disdain.
man dilash jastah ba-sad nāz-o-dalāl
uu bahāna darda bā-man az malāl
I said, “After all, this mind and soul (of mine) are drowned in Thee.”
“Begone,” said He, “begone! Do not chant these spells over Me (do not seek thus to beguile Me).
guftam ākHir ġharq-e-tust iiñ ’aql-o-jāñ
guft rau-rau bar man iiñ afsūñ ma-ḳhvāñ
Do not I know what thought thou hast conceived?
O thou who hast seen double, how hast thou regarded the Beloved?
man na-dānam āñche andeshīda-i
ai do diida dost rā chuuñ dīda-i
O gross-spirited one, thou hast held Him in light esteem,
because thou hast bought Him very cheaply.
ai garāñjāñ ḳhvār dīdastī-o-rā
zāñ-ki bas arzāñ ḳharīdastī marā
He that buys cheaply gives cheaply:
a child will give a pearl for a loaf of bread.”
har ki uu arzāñ ḳhirad arzāñ dehad
gauhare tifle ba-qurse naañ dehad
I am drowned in a love (so deep) that
therein are drowned the first loves and the last.
ġharq 'ishqe am ki ġharqast andarīñ
’ishq-hā-e-avvalīn-o-ākHarīñ
I have told it summarily, I have not explained it (at length),
otherwise both (my power of) causng (thee) to understand and (my) tongue (itself) would be consumed.
mujmalash guftam na-kardam za aañ bayāñ
varna ham ifhām sozad ham-zabāñ
When I speak of “lip,” ’tis the lip (shore) of the Sea;
when I say “not,” the intended meaning is “except.”
man chu lab goyam lab-e-dariyā buvad
man chu lā goyam murād illā buvad
By reason of (inward) sweetness I sit with sour face:
from fullness of speech I am silent,
man za shīrīnī nashistam rū-tursh
man za purrī suḳhan bāsham ḳhamush
That in the mask of sour-facedness my sweetness
may be kept hidden from the two worlds.
tā ki shīrīniyy-e-mā az do-jahāñ
dar hijāb-e-rū-tursh bāshad nihāñ
In order that this subject may not come to every ear,
am telling (only) one out of a hundred esoteric mysteries.
tā ki dar har gosh nāyad iiñ suḳhan
yak hamī goyam za sad sirr-e-ladun
shanidan-e-an tuti harkat-e-an tutiyan-o-mardan-e-an tuti dar qafas-o-nauha-e-kHwaja bar wai
How the parrot heard what those parrots had done, and died in the cage, and how the merchant made lament for her.
chun shanid aan murgh kan tuti che kard
pas ba-larzid u fitad-o-gasht sard
When the bird heard what that (other) parrot had done,
thereupon she trembled, fell, and became cold.
KHwaja chun didash fitada ham-chunin
bar jahid-o-zad kulah ra bar zamin
The merchant, seeing her thus fallen,
sprang up and dashed his cap on the ground.
chun budin rang-o-budin haalash ba-did
KHwaja barjast-o-gariban ra darid
When he saw her in this guise and in this state,
the merchant sprang up and tore the breast of his garment.
guft ai tuti-e-kHub-e-KHush chunin
in che budat in chara gashti chunen
He said, “O beautiful parrot with thy sweet cry, what is this
that has happened to thee? Why hast thou become like this?
ai daregha murgh-e-kHush aawaz-e-man
ai daregha hamdam-o-ham-raaz-e-man
Oh, alas for my sweet-voiced bird!
Oh, alas for my bosom-friend and confidant!
ai daregha murgh-e-kHush-ilhan-e-man
rah-e-ruh-o-rauza-o-raihan-e-man
Oh, alas for my melodious bird,
the wine of my spirit and my garden and my sweet basil!
gar sulaiman ra chunin murghe bude
kai KHud u mashghul aan murghan shude
Had Solomon possessed a bird like this,
how indeed should he have become occupied with those (other) birds?
ai daregha murgh karzan yaftam
zud ru-e-az ru-e-u bar taftam
Oh, alas for the bird which I gained cheaply,
and (so) soon turned my face away from her countenance!
ai zaban tu bas ziyani marmara
chun tui goya che goyam man tura
O tongue, thou art a great damage (very injurious) to mankind,
(but) since thou art speaking, what should I say to thee?
ai zaban hum aatish-o-ham KHirmane
chand in aatish darin KHirman zani
O tongue, thou art both the fire and the stack:
how long wilt thou dart this fire upon this stack?
dar nihan jaan az tu afghan mi-kunad
garche har che goyash aan mi-kunad
Secretly my soul is groaning because of thee,
although it is doing whatsoever thou biddest it.
ai zaban hum ganj-e-be-payan tui
ai zaban hum ranj-e-be-darman tui
O tongue, thou art a treasure without end.
O tongue, thou art also a disease without remedy.
ham-safir-o-kHud'a-e-murghan tui
ham-anis-e-wahshat-e-hijran tui
Thou art at once a whistle and decoy for birds,
and a comforter in the desolation of absence (from the Beloved).
chand amanam mi dehi ai be-aman
ai tu ze darda ba-kin man kaman
How long wilt thou grant me mercy, O merciless one,
O thou who hast drawn the bow to take vengeance on me?
nak ba-parranida-e-mugh-e-mara
dar charagah-e-sitam kam kun chara
Lo, thou hast made my bird fly away.
Do not browse (any more) in the pasture of injustice!
ya jawab-e-man ba-go ya dad deh
ya mara za asbab-e-shadi yaad deh
Either answer me or give redress or mention to me
(what will be) the means of (producing) joy.
Oh, alas for my darkness-consuming light!
Oh, alas for my day-enkindling dawn!
ai daregha subh-e-zulmat soz-e-man
ai daregha nur-e-roz afroz-e-man
Oh, alas for my bird of goodly flight, that has flown from
my end (my last state) to my beginning (my first state).
ai daregha murgh-e-KHush parwaz-e-man
za intiha parida ta aaghaz-e-man
The ignorant man is in love with pain unto everlasting.
Arise and read (in the Qur’án) I swear as far as (the words) in trouble.
'ashiq-e-ranjast nadan ta abad
KHez la uqsim ba-kHwan ta fi kabad
With thy face I was free from trouble,
and in thy river I was unsoiled by froth.
az kabad farigh budam ba-ru-e-tu
waz za bud safi budam dar ju-e-tu
These cries of ‘Alas’ are (caused by) the phantasy (idea) of
seeing (the Beloved) and (by) separation from my present
existence.
in daregha-ha kHayal-e-didansat
waz wujud-e-naqd-e-KHud ba-buridanast
’Twas the jealousy of God, and there is no device against God: where is a heart that is not (shattered) in a hundred pieces by God's love?
ghairat-e-haq bud-o-ba-haq chaara nist
ku dile kaz 'ishq-e-haq sad para nist
The jealousy (of God) is this, that He is other than all things,
that He is beyond explanation and the noise of words.
ghairat aan bashad ki u ghair-e-hama-st
aan ki afzun az bayan-o-damda-ast
Oh, alas! Would that my tears were an ocean,
that they might be strewn as an offering to the fair charmer!
ai daregha ashk-e-man dariya bude
ta nusar-e-dilbar-e-zeba bude
My parrot, my clever-headed bird,
the interpreter of my thought and inmost consciousness,
tuti-e-man murgh-e-zirak sar-e-man
tarjuman-e-fikrat-o-asrar-e-man
She has told me from the first, that I might remember it,
whatsoever should come to me as my allotted portion of right and wrong.
har che rozi dad-o-na-dad aaydam
u za awwal gufta ta yaad aaydam
The parrot whose voice comes from (Divine) inspiration and
whose beginning was before the beginning of existence—
tuti-e-kayad za wahi aawaz-e-u
pesh az aaghaz-e-wujud aaghaz-e-u
That parrot is hidden within thee: thou hast seen the reflexion of her upon this and that (the things of the phenomenal
world).
andrun-e-tust aan tuti nihan
'aks-e-u ra dida tu bar in-o-an
She takes away thy joy, and because of her thou art rejoicing:
thou receivest injury from her as though it were justice.
mi burad shadit ra tu shad azu
mi paziri zulm ra chun dad azu
O thou who wert burning the soul for the body's sake,
thou hast burned (destroyed) the soul and illumined
(delighted) the body.
ai ki jaan ra bahr-e-tan mi-sokHti
sokHti jaan ra-o-tan afrokHti
I am burning (with love of God): does any one want tinder,
let him set his rubbish ablaze with fire from me.
soKHtam man soKHta KHwahad kase
ta za man aatish zanad andar KHase
In as much as tinder is combustible,
take tinder that catches fire (readily).
soKHta chun qabil-e-atish buwad
soKHta bustan ki aatish kash buwad
O alas, O alas, O alas that such a moon
became hidden under the clouds!
ai daregha ai daregha ai daregh
ki-an-chunan mahe nihan shud zer-e-megh
How should I utter a word?—for the fire in my heart is grown fierce,
the lion of separation (from the Beloved) has become raging and blood-shedding.
chun za nam dam ki-atish-e-dil tez shud
sher-e-hijr aashufta-o-kHun-rez shud
One that even when sober is violent and furious,
how will it be when he takes the wine-cup in his hand?
aan-ki u hoshiyar KHud tundas-o-mast
chun buwad chun u qadah girad ba-dast
The furious Lion who is beyond description is too great for (cannot be contained in) the wide expanse of the meadow.
sher maste kaz sifat berun buwad
az basit-e-margh-zar afzun buwad
I am thinking of rhymes, and my Sweetheart says to me,
“Do not think of aught except vision of Me.
qafiya andesham-o-dil-dar-e-man
goyadam mandesh juz didar-e-man
Sit at thy ease, My rhyme-meditating (friend):
in My presence thou art rhymed with (attached to) felicity.
kHush-nashin ai qafiya andesh-e-man
qafiya daulat tui dar pesh-e-man
What are words that thou shouldst think of them?
What are words? Thorns in the hedge of the vineyard.
harf che buwad ta tu andeshi azan
harf che buwad kHar-e-diwar-e-razan
I will throw word and sound and speech into confusion,
that without these three I may converse with thee۔
harf-o-saut-o-guft ra barham zanam
ta ki be-in har seh ba tu dam zanam
That word which I kept hidden from Adam I will speak to thee,
O (thou who art the) consciousness of the world.
aan dame kaz aadamash kardam nihan
ba tu goyam ai tu asrar-e-jahan
(I will tell to thee) that word which I did not communicate to Abraham,
and that pain (love) which Gabriel does not know.”
aan dame ra ki na-guftam ba-KHalil
wan ghame ra ki na-danad jibrail
That word of which the Messiah (Jesus) breathed not a word God,
from jealousy, did not utter even without má.
aan dame kaz wai masiha dam na-zad
haq za ghairat niz bima hum na-zad
What is má in language? Positive and negative.
I am not positive, I am selfless and negated.
ma che bashad dar lughat isbaat-o-nafi
man na isbaatam manam be-zat-o-nafi
I found (true) individuality in non-individuality:
therefore I wove (my) individuality into non-individuality.
man kasi dar na-kasi daryaftam
pas kasi dar na-kasi dar baftam
All kings are enslaved to their slaves,
all people are dead (ready to die) for one who dies for them.
jumla shahan banda-e-banda kHudand
jumla KHalqan murda-e-murda kHudand
All kings are prostrate before one who is prostrate before them,
all people are intoxicated with (love for) one who is intoxicated with them.
jumla shahan past past-e-KHwesh ra
jumla KHalqan mast mast-e-KHwesh ra
The fowler becomes a prey to the birds in order
that of a sudden he may make them his prey.
mi shawad sayyaad murghan ra shikar
ta kunad na-gah ishan ra shikar
Heart-ravishers (loved ones) seek with (all their) soul those who have lost their hearts (to them):
all loved ones are the prey of (their) lovers.
dil-baran ra dil asir-e-be-dilan
jumla ma’shuqan shikar-e-’ashiqan
Whomsoever thou didst deem to be a lover,
regard (him) as the loved one, for relatively he is both this
and that.
marg-e-'ashiq didayash ma’shuq-dan
ku ba-nisbat hast hum in-o-ham aan
If they that are thirsty seek water from the world,
(yet) water too seeks in the world them that are thirsty.
tishnagan gar aab joyand az jahan
aab joyad hum ba-’alam tishnagan
In as much as He is (thy) lover, do thou be silent:
as He is pulling thine ear, be thou (all) ear.
chunki 'ashiq ust tu KHamosh bash
u chu gosht mai-kashad tu gosh bash
Dam the torrent (of ecstasy) when it runs in flood;
else it will work shame and ruin.
band kun chun sail sailani kunad
warna ruswai-o-virani kunad
What care I though ruin be (wrought)?
Under the ruin there is a royal treasure.
man che gham daram ki virani buwad
zer-e-viran ganj-e-sultani buwad
He that is drowned in God wishes to be more drowned,
(while) his spirit (is tossed) up and down like the waves of the sea,
gharq-e-haq KHwahad ki bashad gharq-tar
ham-chu mauj-e-bahr jaan zer-o-zabar
(Asking), “Is the bottom of the sea more delightful, or the
top?
Is His (the Beloved's) arrow more fascinating, or the shield?”
zer-e-dariya KHush-tar aayad ya zabar
tir-e-u dil-kash-tar aayad ya sipar
O heart, thou art torn asunder by evil suggestion if
thou recognise any difference between joy and woe.
para karda-e-waswasa bashi dila
gar tarab ra baz dani az bala
Although the object of thy desire has the taste of sugar,
is not absence of any object of desire (in thee) the object of the Beloved's desire?
gar muradat ra mazaq-e-shakkarast
be-muradi ne murad-e-dilbarast
Every star of His is the blood-price of a hundred new moons:
it is lawful for Him to shed the blood of the (whole) world.
har sitara-sh kHun-baha-e-sad hilal
KHun-e-'alam reKHtan u ra halal
We gained the price and the blood-price:
we hastened to gamble our soul away.
ma ba-ha-o-kHun-baha ra yaftem
jaanib-e-jaan baKHtan ba-shataftem
Oh, the life of lovers consists in death:
thou wilt not win the (Beloved's) heart except in losing thine own.
ai hayat-e-'ashiqan dar murdagi
dil na-yabi juz ki dar dil burdagi
I sought (to win) His heart with a hundred airs and graces,(but) He made excuses to me (put me off) in disdain.
man dilash jastah ba-sad naz-o-dalal
u bahana darda ba-man az malal
I said, “After all, this mind and soul (of mine) are drowned in Thee.”
“Begone,” said He, “begone! Do not chant these spells over Me (do not seek thus to beguile Me).
guftam aakHir gharq-e-tust in ’aql-o-jaan
guft rau-rau bar man in afsun ma-KHwan
Do not I know what thought thou hast conceived?
O thou who hast seen double, how hast thou regarded the Beloved?
man na-danam aanche andeshida-i
ai do dida dost ra chun dida-i
O gross-spirited one, thou hast held Him in light esteem,
because thou hast bought Him very cheaply.
ai garanjaan KHwar didasti-o-ra
zan-ki bas arzan KHaridasti mara
He that buys cheaply gives cheaply:
a child will give a pearl for a loaf of bread.”
har ki u arzan KHirad arzan dehad
gauhare tifle ba-qurse nan dehad
I am drowned in a love (so deep) that
therein are drowned the first loves and the last.
gharq 'ishqe am ki gharqast andarin
’ishq-ha-e-awwalin-o-akHarin
I have told it summarily, I have not explained it (at length),
otherwise both (my power of) causng (thee) to understand and (my) tongue (itself) would be consumed.
mujmalash guftam na-kardam za aan bayan
warna hum ifham sozad ham-zaban
When I speak of “lip,” ’tis the lip (shore) of the Sea;
when I say “not,” the intended meaning is “except.”
man chu lab goyam lab-e-dariya buwad
man chu la goyam murad illa buwad
By reason of (inward) sweetness I sit with sour face:
from fullness of speech I am silent,
man za shirini nashistam ru-tursh
man za purri suKHan basham KHamush
That in the mask of sour-facedness my sweetness
may be kept hidden from the two worlds.
ta ki shiriniyy-e-ma az do-jahan
dar hijab-e-ru-tursh bashad nihan
In order that this subject may not come to every ear,
am telling (only) one out of a hundred esoteric mysteries.
ta ki dar har gosh nayad in suKHan
yak hami goyam za sad sirr-e-ladun
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