زشتی خط زشتی نقاش نیست ** بلک از وی زشت را بنمودنیست
The ugliness of the script is not the ugliness of the artist; nay, ’tis an exhibition of the ugly by him.
قوت نقاش باشد آنک او ** هم تواند زشت کردن هم نکو
The power (skill) of the artist is that he can make both the ugly and the beautiful.”
گر کشانم بحث این را من بساز ** تا سال و تا جواب آید دراز
If I develop the investigation of this (subject) methodically, so that question and answer become lengthy,
ذوق نکته‌ی عشق از من می‌رود ** نقش خدمت نقش دیگر می‌شود1375
The savour of Love's mystery will go from me, the form of piety will be deformed.
مثل در بیان آنک حیرت مانع بحث و فکرتست
A parable illustrating the fact that (mystical) bewilderment prevents investigation and consideration.
آن یکی مرد دومو آمد شتاب ** پیش یک آیینه دار مستطاب
A certain man, whose hair was of two colours, came in haste to a highly esteemed barber.
گفت از ریشم سپیدی کن جدا ** که عروس نو گزیدم ای فتی
He said, “Remove the hoariness from my beard, for I have chosen a new bride, O young man.”
ریش او ببرید و کل پیشش نهاد ** گفت تو بگزین مرا کاری فتاد
He cut off his beard and laid the whole of it before him, and said, “Do thou pick out (the white hairs), for it happens that I have some important business.”
این سال وآن جوابست آن گزین ** که سر اینها ندارد درد دین
That “pick (them) out” is dialectic, for religious emotion has no care for these things (hair-splitting disputes).
آن یکی زد سیلیی مر زید را ** حمله کرد او هم برای کید را1380
A certain man slapped Zayd on the neck; he (Zayd) at once rushed at him with warlike purpose.
گفت سیلی‌زن سالت می‌کنم ** پس جوابم گوی وانگه می‌زنم
The assailant said, “I will ask thee a question, so answer me (first) and then strike me.