What do you know of the stricken heart’s burning
and how it feels?
Though you’ve heard about God,
what do you know of Him?
We’ve never revealed our thoughts
to you.
When you don’t know our secret,
what can you know of us?
You have not taken one step on the path
of love and purity.
What can you know of the station of baqa
when you have not reached fana?
Drunk with “we” and “you,” how can you
gain any news of Him?
What can you know of fidelity
when you flee harshness?
You have not given up your mind and soul
to a beloved,
so what can you know about the lover’s
helpless state?
You delude yourself that you’re traveling
the way to God,
but what do you know of this
endless path?
You’re but a child riding your skirt like
a make-believe horse.
What do you know of the path,
the wayfarer and the guide?
Though you may have caught a few words
from Nurbakhsh,
what do you know of the pain and burning
of the love-struck heart?