گفته شد آن داستان معنوی ** پیش ازین اندر خلال مثنوی
That spiritual tale has already been related in the course of the Mathnawí.
در دلت خوف افکند از موضعی ** تا نباشد غیر آنت مطمعی
He (God) puts in thy heart the fear of (losing) a certain position, in order that no other (position) may be an object of hope to thee.
در طمع فایده‌ی دیگر نهد ** وآن مرادت از کسی دیگر دهد
To thy hope (of gaining thy wish from that quarter) He attaches another advantage (beneficial result); but He grants thee thy wish from (the hands of) some one else.
ای طمع در بسته در یک جای سخت ** که آیدم میوه از آن عالی‌درخت 4190
O thou who hast fixed thy hopes firmly on one quarter, saying, “The fruit will come to me from that lofty tree,”
آن طمع زان جا نخواهد شد وفا ** بل ز جای دیگر آید آن عطا
Thy hope will not be fulfilled from there; nay, the bounty will come from another place.
آن طمع را پس چرا در تو نهاد ** چون نخواستت زان طرف آن چیز داد
Why, then, did He implant in thee that hope, since He would not give thee the (desired) thing from that quarter?
از برای حکمتی و صنعتی ** نیز تا باشد دلت در حیرتی
(’Tis) for a wise purpose and contrivance; and also in order that thy heart may be in a state of bewilderment.
تا دلت حیران بود ای مستفید ** که مرادم از کجا خواهد رسد
(’Tis) that thy heart may be bewildered, O learner, (wondering) from where the object of thy desire will come (to thee).
تا بدانی عجز خویش و جهل خویش ** تا شود ایقان تو در غیب بیش 4195
(’Tis) that thou mayst know thy weakness and thy ignorance and that consequently thy faith in the Unseen may be increased;
هم دلت حیران بود در منتجع ** که چه رویاند مصرف زین طمع
And, moreover, that thy heart may be perplexed concerning the source whence the (expected) benefit will arrive, and what (result) the (Divine) Disposer will produce from this hope.