غزل شمارهٔ 294

The water has been cut off from this world’s river; O springtide, return and bring back the water!—

Of that water whose like the fountain of Khid.ar and Ily¯as never saw and will never see.

Glorious fountain, through the splendour of whose gushing every moment water bubbles up from the well of the soul.

When waters exist, loaves grow; but never, my soul, did water grow from loaf.

O guest, do not beggarlike shed the water from the face of poverty for the sake of a morsel of bread.

The entire world from end to end is but half a morsel; because of greed for half a morsel, the water vanished.

Earth and heaven are bucket and pitcher; water is outside earth and heaven.

Do you also speed forth from heaven and earth, that you may behold water flowing from placelessness,

That the fish of your soul may escape from this pool, and sip water from the boundless sea.

In that sea whose fishes are all Khid.ars, therein the fish is immortal, immortal the water.

From that vision came the light of the eye, from that roof is the water in the spout;

From that garden are these roses of the cheeks, from that waterwheel the rosebower obtains water;

From that date-tree are the dates of Mary. That water derives not from secondary causes and suchlike things.

Your soul and spirit will then become truly happy, when the water comes flowing towards you from hence.

Shake no more your rattle like a nightwatchman, for the water itself is the guardian of these fishes.