In Context, Attachment: Three

Don't compare these wet eyes of mine to clouds,
clouds only drop rain from wind,
but my tears stir up storms in my bloodstream, hoping for the beloved.
A whole life might be spent searching for a friend,
who else weeps like a friend to ease exhaustion and weariness?
If the entire world becomes an enemy to find a friend, what does it matter?
 
When hand touches friend's hand, the world smiles in two hearts!
In the beloved's eyes, it seems a courtyard descends from a temple of gods!
O mystical breeze, bring me the beloved's fragrance,
I'll give you this moment's life, or whatever you desire!
Let everyone go wherever they please,
I'll only remain on my beloved's path!
 
O King of Beauty! Show a little mercy,
look at me once with compassion,
this loneliness is unbearable—how much more, tell me?
When life turns me away, I come hoping
to you. Don't turn me away again, death is better than this!
 
When my soul awakens my heart, opens my eyes unknowingly,
what happens? Heart and body together begin love's journey,
a journey with laughter, tears too, uncertainty's mood too,
silence's delirium, promise's lament;
rest in that journey brings no relief, stopping only lengthens the road.
Yet that journey is the greatest of all, whoever travels it is truly rich!
 
O pilgrim, don't be proud.
You've seen the Creator's house, heard no voice, haven't found Him.
I haven't gone to shrines, I've wandered within my heart. When I found Him, saw Him,
I am He! The more I wept to touch Him,
the more I understood, this is mere illusion. He dwells in my own mind,
in this heart, in this feeling He exists; understanding and seeing come
only when I lift the mind's veil.
 
He has forgotten! Once how much time passed intimately, in His close touch,
having Him I never wanted worldly wealth, pearls and gems,
I'm the richest of the rich, yet without Him I take on a beggar's guise!
 
You danced that day, with enchanted eyes overwhelmed I only watched,
the more I understood that dance's rhythm, the more amazed I became, once before
I'd seen that dance with different feet, in a different room, different setting.
I haven't heard that song where the master shows the way,
where heaven's path is simple and straight, so I've yet to see that path.
 
Come, let's join voices, placing magic in our feet, melody in our eyes,
in this intoxicated time with wild worship let's fill whoever god dwells in our minds.
Beauty's face is His reflection,
the garden's colors and garden's fragrance are His, I know,
in every tongue, every mind, whatever prayer
flows along His path. His path
is the true pilgrimage! That shrine isn't far, it's within the heart!
 
I roll in dust, yet I'm lost in the beloved's love,
even when love departs it leaves wounds,
those wounds are love itself, nothing else.
Love's flame kindles fire,
in that fire I turn to ash in your intoxication,
I know I haven't been here for so long,
I'm lost within you, existence or being, whatever you call it,
that too is you!
 
Love makes someone a friend, chooses them as one's own,
they seek comfort in love's wounds until the very end!
Such lovers live by wounds, if they get no rose they smile with thorns in hand.
How smilingly they drink love's nectar of pain!
They don't think of tomorrow, they only smile in today's sorrow!
 
Whoever wears chains in the beloved's spell, those chains don't open,
the bird that dances even in an open cage, would you show it dreams of freedom? Is it that easy?
In their pain burns light's flame, in poison's cup nectar's essence,
their lips tremble with thirst, yet spring's assembly fills their lives!
They don't see with eyes, don't hear with ears, don't speak,
yet they see, hear and say everything—much more than us!
 
The world sees outside, doesn't see within, such people view them as strangers.
Who has loved knows no rest, understands no peace, seeks no respite.
Whose faith in love is restless and boundless, knows no market, heeds no garden.
In what fear or shame would they retreat? They speak of love to everyone!
Wounded and slain by love's arrows, they care nothing for name or fame!
Life goes, so life is lost, to gain heart they lose heart—so reckless!
 
The whole world laughs and forgets how to receive love, keeps the beloved in heart, wanders the city,
appears like a broken, withered branch, but inside fire burns!
They don't stumble themselves, they move mountains, silently they spread fragrance everywhere.
Who says, "I'm right here," if they're not felt in the heart,
know this: they're nowhere! There's no love in that heart,
what's there is only on lips, that heart is worse than a dog's,
a dog at least remains faithful all life even when hungry and tired!
 
Without love all prayers and purity remain futile,
without burning in love a friend is never truly known,
don't expect distant glances from one whom love never dismisses lightly.
Who receives love's grace is never ordinary,
clothes or words don't deceive if inner light doesn't touch along.
Who has no love, their clothes and finery are both worthless!
 
Love and obstacles never become friends. Love is therefore unrestrained, unaware!
Arrows and swords frighten not whoever loves!
No one goes to heaven without dying,
if you think reaching the beloved is heaven, then take hell and death smilingly!
Lovers never lose hope, they live daily in intense feeling's fiery glow!
Who wants love has no fear, no anxiety.
 
One day in a wondrous valley, worshipper and worshipped both came.
They became one, despite all efforts they could no longer be separated.
The worshipper looks human, yet he is not human.
The worshipped looks divine, yet he is not divine.
Both are one! In different thoughts, different bodies, different understanding.
 
Good or bad, that's just difference in seeing,
joy or sorrow, that's just difference in thinking,
laughter or tears, that's just difference in receiving,
heaven or hell, that's just difference in understanding.
In everyone's mind lives fear of crisis, terror of storms,
if once in this heart with both heaven and hell
one can walk the path of harmony or discord,
there's no fear of anything!
 
Why would one who lives drinking poison fear nectar?
Who reaches the road's end dies once, lives again,
blind, deaf, senseless becomes once vanished, returns again!
 
Throughout the city barefoot logicians wander, no one approaches the lover.
Who once understands faith's mystery cares for nothing else!
Gives the finger to all logic, dancing and singing walks faith's path.
Shouts and only says, I don't know who I am!
Only knows he's going! Doesn't know where he's going!
Leaving ego and self-importance behind, why fear the path's false obstacles?