Authors › Shams Maghrebi › Ghazals › Number 22

Number 22

GhazalIraqi style
English

Number 22

If he were to lift the veil of his attributes from his face, both worlds would burn to ash in the light of his essence. Before the blaze of the essence revealing itself, all attributes are erased, just as they are already slain by the radiance of those very attributes. Do not look for existence or permanence before his radiance, for a fragile bud cannot survive the wind of true endurance. My heart, throw back the veil from his face and ask no more, for you will be consumed in the fire of his glory. By the light of your face, which is the light of all lights, and by the dust of your street, which is both fire and the water of life. Do not fear this destruction; be brave, for that very ruin is the cause of your freedom and salvation. If you are not erased, how will you ever truly be? If you seek permanence, seek it in your own vanishing. The sun of his face is hidden in the West, though every speck of dust shines plainly with his radiance.
Explanation: The poet's pen name Maghrebi (Westerner) is woven into the final couplet, playing on the sun setting in the west while still lighting all things. The mystical idea is that annihilation of the self (fana) is the path to true being.

Original · Persian

شمارهٔ ۲۲

اگر ز روی براندازد او نقاب صفات دو کَون سوخته گردد ز نور پرتو ذات
به پیش تاب تجلی ذات محو شود چنانکه هست کشته از فروغ صفات
مجوز کَون و ثباتی به پیش برتو او که بسته را نتوان بافت پیش باد ثبات
دلا نقاب برافکن ز روی او و مپرس ز آنکه سوخته گردی در آتش سبحات
بنور روی تو کان نور نور انوار است بخاک کوی تو کان آتش است و آب حیات
ازین هلاک میندیش و باش مردانه که آن هلاک بود موجب خلاص و نجات
اگر تو محو نگردی کجا شوی مثبت بمحو خویش طلب گر طلب کنی ثبات
بمغربی است نهان آفتاب رخسارش اگرچه هست عیان از فروغ او ذرات