When you are sober,
the Beloved seems like a thorn to you.
When you are drunk and out of your self,
you see that the Beloved is your greatest helper.
When you are sober,
you are prey to the fly.
When you are drunk,
even the elephant becomes your game.
When you are sober,
a cloud of sorrows and worries covers you.
When you are drunk,
the Moon is born in your lap.
When you are sober,
the Beloved completely avoids you.
When you are in rapture,
the Beloved serves you wine.
When you are sober, you are cold, frozen like winter.
When are out of your self,
You see the coldest of winters as spring.
All of your indecisions
come from your search for a decision.
Desire indecision
and decision will come to you.
Your indigestion is the result
of your desire to eat and digest everything.
When you give that up,
poison will turn into honey for you.
Your failure to attain your wishes
comes from your running after them.
If you stop running,
all wishes will be scattered in front of you like wedding gifts.
Fall in love with the cruelty of the Beloved.
Don’t fall in love with His charm.
Be like this and that reluctant Beauty
will become a lover crying for you.
When the Sultan of sultans, Shamseddin, comes from Tabriz,
you will be ashamed to talk about the moon and the stars.
Divani-i Kebir, Volume 21, ghazal 10, verses 101-110, pages 20-21.