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کان منافق در اگر گفتن بمرد ** وز اگر گفتن بجز حسرت نبرد
- For the hypocrite died in saying “if,” and from saying “if” he won nothing but remorse.
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مثل
- Parable.
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آن غریبی خانه میجست از شتاب ** دوستی بردش سوی خانهی خراب
- A certain stranger was hastily seeking a house: a friend took him to a house in ruins.
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گفت او این را اگر سقفی بدی ** پهلوی من مر ترا مسکن شدی 740
- He said (to the stranger), “If this (house) had a roof, it would be a home for you beside me.
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هم عیال تو بیاسودی اگر ** در میانه داشتی حجرهی دگر
- Your family too would be comfortable, if it had another room in it.”
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گفت آری پهلوی یاران خوش است ** لیک ای جان در اگر نتوان نشست
- “Yes,” said he, “it is nice (to be) beside friends, but my dear soul, one cannot lodge in ‘if’.”
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این همه عالم طلبکار خوشند ** وز خوش تزویر اندر آتشند
- All the world are seekers of happiness, and on account of a false happiness they are in the fire.
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طالب زر گشته جمله پیر و خام ** لیک قلب از زر نداند چشم عام
- Old and young have become gold-seekers, but the common eye does not distinguish alloy from gold.
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پرتوی بر قلب زد خالص ببین ** بیمحک زر را مکن از ظن گزین 745
- The pure (gold) shot a beam on the alloy: see that you choose not the gold on the ground of (mere) opinion, without a touchstone.
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گر محک داری گزین کن ور نه رو ** نزد دانا خویشتن را کن گرو
- If you have a touchstone, choose; otherwise, go, devote yourself to him that knows (the difference).
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یا محک باید میان جان خویش ** ور ندانی ره مرو تنها تو پیش
- Either you must have a touchstone within your own soul, or if you know not the Way, do not go forward alone.