تا دلیر اندر فتد احمق به جنگ ** و اندر آردشان بدین حیلت به چنگ
To the end that the fool may fall boldly to fighting, and that He may catch them by this device;
تا به پای خویش باشند آمده ** آن فلیوان جانب آتشکده
(And besides He is acting thus), in order that those dolts may have come towards the fire-temple by means of their own feet (by their own free will).
کاه برگی مینماید تا تو زود ** پف کنی کاو را برانی از وجود
He is showing (what seems to you) a blade of straw, in order that you may quickly give a puff so as to make it vanish out of existence.
هین که آن که کوهها بر کنده است ** زو جهان گریان و او در خنده است
Beware! for that straw has uprooted mountains: through it the world is weeping, while it (the straw) is in laughter.
مینماید تا به کعب این آب جو ** صد چو عاج ابن عنق شد غرق او2305
He makes this river-water seem (only) up to the ankle, (but) a hundred such as Áj son of 'Unuq have ben drowned therein.
مینماید موج خونش تل مشک ** مینماید قعر دریا خاک خشک
He makes the wave of blood seem to him a mound of musk: He makes the bottom of the sea seem dry land.
خشک دید آن بحر را فرعون کور ** تا در او راند از سر مردی و زور
Blind Pharaoh deemed that sea dry, so that in (the pride of his) manhood and strength he drave into it.
چون در آید در تگ دریا بود ** دیدهی فرعون کی بینا بود
When he enters (it), he is at the bottom of the sea: how should the eye of Pharaoh be seeing?
دیده بینا از لقای حق شود ** حق کجا هم راز هر احمق شود
The eye is made seeing by meeting with God: how should God become the confidant of every fool?
قند بیند خود شود زهر قتول ** راه بیند خود بود آن بانگ غول2310
He (the fool) sees (what he thinks is) candy: it is, in sooth, deadly poison; he sees (what he thinks is) the road: it is, in sooth, the cry of the ghoul (luring him to destruction).