Selected Quatrains of Abu Sayed Abul-Khair

The extraordinary and truly passionate 11th century Persian Sufi poet, Shaykh Abu Sayed Abul-Khair- شيخ ابوسعيد ابوالخير is one of my all favorite Sufi poets. For complete biography of Abul-Khair, please read my previous post: The Lesser-Known Persian Sufi Poet, Abu Sayed Abul-Khair

Because of my love for You (God),
they sometime call me an idol-worshiper,

and sometimes, a wandering and tavern hopping drunkard!

They say all those things trying to break me down,

but I'm just glad they say it as they see it!

در عشق تو گاه بت پرستم گویند

گه رند و خراباتی و مستم گویند

اینها همه از بهر شکستم گویند

من شاد به اینکه هر چه هستم گویند

شيخ ابوسعيد ابوالخير



Except for Path of Love, my heart will never embark on any other Path.
Except for Talk of Love, my soul will never engage in any other talk.
Your Love has turned the desert of my heart into a salt-desert,
So my love for anyone but You (God) could never grow in there.


دل جز ره عشق تو نپوید هرگز
جان جز سخن عشق نگوید هرگز
صحرای دلم عشق تو شورستان کرد
تا مهر کسی در آن نروید هرگز
شيخ ابوسعيد ابوالخير

The one already enlisted in the army of lovers by destiny,

Is permanently excused from going to the Mosque or Synagogue!

For the mad-lover, separation and union are always the same.

For the self-annihilating lover, heaven and hell are alwyas the same.

آنرا که قضا ز خیل عشاق نوشت

آزاد ز مسجدست و فارغ ز کنشت

دیوانهٔ عشق را چه هجران چه وصال

از خویش گذشته را چه دوزخ چه بهشت

شيخ ابوسعيد ابوالخير 

I said: "You're such a Beauty, who do You really look like?"

He (God) Said: "I'm the One and Only, I look exactly like My Self!

I'm also known as Love, Lover and the Beloved.

I'm also the mirror of My Own Beauty
and the clear vision of My Own Self."

گفتم که کرایی تو بدین زیبایی

گفتا خود را که من خودم یکتایی

هم عشقم و هم عاشق و هم معشوقم

هم آینه جمال و هم بینایی

شيخ ابوسعيد ابوالخير

As long as the lover is not beheaded by the Sword of Love,

He/she will not succeed as a true lover on the Path of Love.

You wish to get near the Friend (God) with your head still intact?

Keep on trying, it'll never happen!

تا مرد به تیغ عشق بی سر نشود

اندر ره عشق و عاشقی بر نشود

هر یار طلب کنی و هم سر خواهی

آری خواهی ولی میسر نشود

شيخ ابوسعيد ابوالخير