In the Name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful.

1. Listen to the reed how it tells a tale, complaining of separations !

2. Saying, “Ever since I was parted from the reed-bed, my lament hath caused man and woman to moan.

3. I want a bosom torn by severance, that I may unfold (to such a one) the pain of love-desire.

4. Every one who is left far from his source wishes back the time when he was united with it.

8. None is permitted to see (by physical eyes) the soul.

9. This noise of the reed is fire, it is not wind: whoso hath not this fire, may he be naught!

11. The reed is the comrade of every one who has been parted from a friend: its strains pierced our hearts.

13. reed tells of the Way full of blood and recounts stories of the passion of Majnún.

14. Only to the senseless is this sense confided.

15. In our woe the days (of life) have become untimely: our days travel hand in hand with burning griefs.

16. If our days are gone, let them go!—’tis no matter. Do Thou remain, for none is holy as Thou art!

17. Whoever is not a fish becomes sated with His water; whoever is without daily bread finds the day long.

18. None that is raw understands the state of the ripe: therefore my words must be brief. Farewell!

19. O son, burst thy chains and be free! How long wilt thou be a bondsman to silver and gold?

22. He (alone) whose garment is rent by a (mighty) love is purged of covetousness and all defect.

23. Hail, O Love that bringest us good gain—thou that art the physician of all our ills.

24. The remedy of our pride and vainglory, our Plato and our Galen!

25. Through Love the earthly body soared to the skies: the mountain began to dance and became nimble.

26. Love inspired Mount Sinai, O lover, (so that) Sinai (was made) drunken and Moses fell in a swoon.

30. The Beloved is all and the lover (but) a veil; the Beloved is living and the lover a dead thing.

31. When Love hath no care for him, he is left as a bird without wings. Alas for him then!

32. How should I have consciousness (of aught) before or behind when the light of my Beloved is not before me and behind?

33. Love wills that this Word should be shown forth: if the mirror does not reflect, how is that?

34. Dost thou know why the mirror (of thy soul) reflects nothing? Because the rust is not cleared from its face.