پس نکو گفت آن رسول خوش‌جواز ** ذره‌ای عقلت به از صوم و نماز
Excellently well said the complaisant Prophet, “A mote of intelligence is better for thee than fasting and performing the ritual prayer,”
زانک عقلت جوهرست این دو عرض ** این دو در تکمیل آن شد مفترض 455
Because thy intelligence is the substance, (whereas) these two (things) are accidents: these two are made obligatory in (the case of persons who possess) the full complement of it,
تا جلا باشد مر آن آیینه را ** که صفا آید ز طاعت سینه را
In order that the mirror (intelligence) may have (a bright) lustre; for purity comes to the breast (heart) from piety.
لیک گر آیینه از بن فاسدست ** صیقل او را دیر باز آرد به دست
But if the mirror is fundamentally depraved, (only) after a long time does the polisher get it back (to purity);
وان گزین آیینه که خوش مغرس است ** اندکی صیقل گری آن را بس است
While (in the case of) the fine mirror, which is (like) a goodly planting-ground, a little polishing is enough for it.
تفاوت عقول در اصل فطرت خلاف معتزله کی ایشان گویند در اصل عقول جز وی برابرند این افزونی و تفاوت از تعلم است و ریاضت و تجربه
The diversity of intelligences in their nature as originally created; (a doctrine) opposed to (that of) the Mu‘tazilites, who assert that particular (individual) intelligences are originally equal, and that this superiority and diversity is the result of learning and training and experience.
این تفاوت عقلها را نیک دان ** در مراتب از زمین تا آسمان
Know well that intelligences differ thus in degree from the earth to the sky.
هست عقلی هم‌چو قرص آفتاب ** هست عقلی کمتر از زهره و شهاب 460
There is an intelligence like the orb of the sun; there is an intelligence inferior to (the planet) Venus and the meteor.
هست عقلی چون چراغی سرخوشی ** هست عقلی چون ستاره‌ی آتشی
There is an intelligence like a tipsy (flickering) lamp; there is an intelligence like a star of fire,
زانک ابر از پیش آن چون وا جهد ** نور یزدان‌بین خردها بر دهد
Because, when the cloud is removed from it, it produces intellects that behold the Light of God.
عقل جزوی عقل را بدنام کرد ** کام دنیا مرد را بی‌کام کرد
The particular intelligence has given the (universal) intelligence a bad name: worldly desire has deprived the (worldly) man of his desire (in the world hereafter).