Inscriptions

Free translation of the quatrains on reverse. From Moore Files.\r\n1. He who steps into the realm of love seeks something,\r\nHow can one enter the realm of love and not be wanting?\r\nThe reason the one engaged in love has no remedy in sight,\r\nIs because not everything he puts his finger on inspires love. God's mercy on him.\r\n2. He who has merely heard thy name, without having seen thee,\r\nWould betroth his heart and choose thy love.\r\nBut when one glimpses thy glory and beauty,\r\nHe would place his life in the sanctuary of hearts and humble it before thee.\r\n3. If thou dost not have the patience to cross the desert of pain\r\nThou canst not find another path to cure.\r\nUnless thou forsakest love of name and fame\r\nThou canst not appreciate the fragrance of true love.\r\n4. I chance at the worship place of the Christian, the Jew and the Gabr,\r\nI found the Christian, the Jew and the Gabr, with faces turned to thee;\r\nI followed thy fragrance and found myself in the House of Idols,\r\nAnd even in the silent lips of the idols was a murmer of thy love.\r\n5. The Eternal Providence, with boundless grace\r\nHas announced thy welcome to our City.\r\nThe garden of hopes of those despondent has burst into blossoms,\r\nThe helpless are once more cheered with encouragement.\r\n6. Why thy lips in speech rain sugar\r\nDo not cease speaking, lest they stay their work,\r\nFor I fear they will never part in speech again\r\nIf perchance they learn the sweetness of each other.\r\n7. Those, jeweled-tongued, of mystery, oyster-like\r\nDo not open their mouths but to pearls,\r\nWhy doth the sage keep his mouth locked?\r\nFor he knows the candle burns itself out because of its tongue.\r\nCard A: Poem on the back by ‘Ayn al-Quzat al-Hamedani (1098-1131)\r\nدر عشق کسي قدم نهد کش جان نيست با جان بودن به عشق در سامان نيست \r\nدرمانده عشق را از آن درمان نيست کانگشت به هر چه برنهي عشق آن است\r\n \r\n Card B: Poem on the back by ‘Ayn al-Quzat al-Hamedani (1098-1131)\r\nنادیده هرآنکس که نام تو شنید دل ، نامزد تو کرد و مهر تو گزید\r\nچون حسن و لطافت جمال تو بدید جان بر سر دل نهاد و پیش تو کشید\r\n \r\n Card C: Poet Unidentified\r\nبا تادیه درد بپایان نبری از هیچ طرف راه به درمان نبری\r\nتا بر سر نام و کام گامی ننهی بویی ز نسیم وصل جانان نبری\r\n \r\n Card D: The poet is Abu Sai’d Abu al-Khayr (967-1049)\r\nرفتم به کلیسیای ترسا و یهود دیدم همه با یاد تو در گفت و شنود\r\nبا یاد وصال تو به بتخانه شدم تسبیح بتان زمزمه ذکر تو بود\r\n \r\n Card E: Poem not identified\r\nفتاح ازل بفیض بی اندازه انداخت ز مقدمت بشهر آواره\r\nشد باغ مراد نامرادان خرم شد کشت امید ناامیدان تازه\r\n \r\n Card F: Poem most probably from Sana’i Mashhadi (16th century)\r\nلبهات به گفتن چو شکربار شوند زنهار! چنان مکن که بیکار شوند\r\nترسم که زهم جدا نگردند اگر از لذت یکدگر خبردار شوند\r\n\r\n Card G: Poem is from Sa’di (1210-1291); The two verses are from a Ghazal which has fifteen verses. The two verses quoted above are the third and the fifteenth verses of the Ghazal.\r\nصدف وار گوهرشناسان راز دهان جز به لؤلؤ نکردند باز\r\nازان مرد دانا دهان دوختهست که بیند که شمع از زبان سوختهست\r\n\r\n The ghazal is from Sa’di’s Būstan, the section on education. \r\n