I, who have made my dwelling in a corner like the Sīmurgh*
I have made my nest beyond the axis of earthly sphere.
Why do I bear the shame of every bird in this ill-omened
land?* 124. I have gone like the ‘Anqā*
and have made my resting
place in the mountains.
Until the bird of my ambition swoops down upon the harvest
of the lower world, I have made the harvest field of the
sky full of grain-like stars.
Why does the moon display the halo-harvest when it does
not shew a single grain to any one, whereas I with one single
grain of manliness have bound many a sheaf.
By the light of the knowledge of God, I have made the
newly wedded virgin bride of reality to shine in the
chamber of wisdom with the brilliancy of the day.
The course of the heavenly bodies in the columns of the
almanac of the Creation, I have proved one by one by
comparison with the astronomical tables*
of intellect.
In the bridle of four rings, that is the trappings of the four
elements, great is the training which I have given the
unruly steed of my passions.
I have made the parrot of my soul, whose cage is the form
of this uncouth body which is like a midden, every moment
to rival the nightingale of the verdant*
garden.
The parrot has left for the garden, the kite of lust which is
following it circling round and round my nature I have
detained within the midden of the body.
In many an art for which*
the scientists had no taste
I have made as great progress, hundred fold as they are, as
a man who follows but one art.
My intellect has served to light the lamp of the treasure of
science, I have made my skill the oil which supplies the
light to the wick.*
The jewel of the secret of reality has been acquired in such 125.
a (perfect) way that I have made my mind the storehouse
of the treasury of secret knowledge.
Once by way of vaunting in the rose-garden of desire,
I displayed the brilliancy of my skill particoloured like the
peacock.
The falcon of the Divine indignation smote me with its
talons from its hiding-place, so that I took refuge in a
corner like the pigeon.
They would have shewn me the way (and have bidden me
walk) in this solitary windowless tower
Had not my ambition carried me far beyond the seven
windows (of the sky)
A tower, narrow, ay! at that time even narrower than my
heart, (so narrow that) you would say I am a cord and
have given myself a place in the eye of a needle.
It is the constellation of the Archer, and I am like the Sun,
and have by my cold sighs changed the bright spring of
the world into the bitter cold of winter.*
This was not all; the good tidings of my bad fortune brought
to me the blacksmith, to whom I said—Strike off my head
in return for the blood which is upon my head.
The splendour and comfort of the golden-throned sun is my
desert,
Whereas I am resting upon a (hard) iron (prison) seat.
The seven-headed dragon (The Sky) hides its head (in astonishment) to see that I have brought this two-headed serpent
(night and day) under my skirt.
They determine for me an imprisonment like that of Bīzhan
in the well of tyranny. I have not seen Manīzha*
nor
have I committed the crime of Bīzhan.
Patience has the strength of Rustum,*
as one may say,
I have entrusted the strength necessary for my release to the
arm of Rustum-like patience.
All of my companions are free to follow their occupations
while I am fast in prison,
God forbid I should be the only one of all mankind to have 126.
committed this fault.
The times are out of joint, if not how can the following of
the Ishrāqī philosophy*
which I followed so excellently
have thrown me into misfortune?
The shaft of the tyrannical heavens passed through and
through from the back, although I had armed my breast
with the cuirass of patience.
My body longs for food in the captivity of sorrow, and I have
prepared for its support my blood as its drink, and my heart
as its meat.
Once I was like the tulip in complaining, but then afterwards
I made myself like the lily ten-tongued (but silent.)*
Like the violet I have let my head fall forward (in sorrow)
from dearth of benefactors, and though like the lily I have
ten tongues I am become dumb in thy praise.
I am suffering the punishment of my words, because in my
lying flattery I have made every beggar a king, and have
made the (worthless) Lādan*
into frankincense.
At one time I have proclaimed Suhā*
superior in brilliancy
to the moon,
At another I have scorned the river as being inferior to the
drippings of a sieve.*
I have made friends with Avarice, like ‘Amīd from the lust
for blood, and for that reason I have made contentment my
enemy.
I have subjected my spirit, which is like a high mettled horse,
to the burthen of labour, because of the tyranny and
meanness of the heavens, see now what a jade he has
become. 127. I have made barren my truth-adorning heart and my jewel-
producing nature, without the help of Qirān,*
not now
only but long ago.
This one poem*
of mine is worth a whole Dīvān and a
hundred caskets of jewels, nay more, every verse of it
have I made better than particoloured hair*
Imprisonment has brought me to lamentation, and from the
delicacy of my speech you see the joy which I have given
in the very midst of my lamentation.
Oh Lord, give me my sustenance from the date-trce of thy
favour, I have made the bird of my heart to sing the
praises of thy Unity.
Present me with the robe of honour of thy protection, for
thy court is my original refuge, lo I have fled to my refuge.
Keep far from the darkness of infidelity,*
hypocrisy, hatred
and enmity, that heart which I have embellished with the
light of sincerity to Thee.
Keep thou the Sun of Divine knowledge shining within my
heart, for I have made my heart the mine of the jewels of
true belief.