غزل شمارهٔ 824

The lovers visible and the Beloved invisible—who ever saw such a love in all the world?

Not one lip having attained the form of the Beloved, hundreds of thousands of souls have expired.

Two bowshots’ distance shot an arrow from the heights, so that it tore through the shields of the skies.

Not having drawn the skirt of the Beloved of the Unseen, the hearts of thousands have suffered tribulation and beating;

Not having bitten the lip of Him whose lip is sweet, how many have bitten the back of the hand in banishment!

Not having grazed on the sugar-cane of His lip, the heart has grazed on His thousands of blandishments.

Not one rose having blossomed from His rosegarden, hundreds of thousands of thorns have pricked in the breast.

Though the soul has experienced nothing but cruelty from Him, it has fled away from mortal fidelities in hope of Him;

It has preferred that pain over generosities, and has chosen that cruelty above all fidelities.

His thorn has triumphed over all roses, His lock is more delightful than a hundred keys.

His tyranny has carried off the ball from the turn of good fortune; candies have blossomed from the poison of His wrath.

His rejection is better than the reception of others; ruby and pearl are desirous of His stone.

These worldly happinesses are nothing; seek that happiness which B¯u Sa‘¯ıd possesses.

These augmentations of this world are less; seek that augmentation which B¯a Yaz¯ıd possesses.

That augmentation is your six-fingered hand; its value is less, though apparently it is augmenting.

Seek that radiance which San¯a’¯ı expounded, that Unique One whose uniqueness ‘At.t.¯ar revealed.

Fat and sweet food appear pure and good; one night they passed with you, and became filth.

Eat the fat and sweet of the food of love, that your wings may sprout and you may know how to fly.

After all, Abraham as a child in the cave sucked from the fingertips of a lion.

Dismiss that; that foetus in the womb sucked the water of life from blood.

The tall stature which heaven made upright in the end became bowed like the crooked heaven;

The tall stature which Love raised up, its stature transcended the glorious Throne.

Nay, be silent; He who knows all secrets is present; He said, We are nearer than the jugular vein.