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.
طمع داری روزیی در درزیی ** تا ز خیاطی بی زر تا زیی
Thou hopest (to find) a means of livelihood in tailoring, so that by working as a tailor thou mayst earn money all thy life;
رزق تو در زرگری آرد پدید ** که ز وهمت بود آن مکسب بعید
(But) He causes thy daily bread to come to thee in the goldsmith's craft—a means of gain that was far from (entering) thy imagination.
پس طمع در درزیی بهر چه بود ** چون نخواست آن رزق زان جانب گشود
Wherefore, then, were thy hopes set on tailoring, when He did not intend to let thy daily bread reach thee from that side?
بهر نادر حکمتی در علم حق ** که نبشت آن حکم را در ما سبق 4200
(’Twas) by reason of a marvellous providence in the knowledge of God— an edict which He wrote in the (eternal) past;
نیز تا حیران بود اندیشه‌ات ** تا که حیرانی بود کل پیشه‌ات
And also to the end that thy thoughts should be bewildered, so that bewilderment should be thy whole occupation.
یا وصال یار زین سعیم رسد ** یا ز راهی خارج از سعی جسد
(The eldest prince said), “My union with the Beloved will be achieved either by this effort or by some means outside of bodily effort.
من نگویم زین طریق آید مراد ** می‌طپم تا از کجا خواهد گشاد
I do not assert that my object will be gained in this (particular) way: I am palpitating (restlessly seeking) to ascertain from what quarter it will appear.
سربریده مرغ هر سو می‌فتد ** تا کدامین سو رهد جان از جسد
The decapitated bird tumbles in every direction to see in what direction its (vital) spirit may escape from its body.