چون تو عاشق نیستی ای نرگدا ** هم‌چو کوهی بی‌خبر داری صدا
O sturdy beggar, unless thou art a lover (of God), thou hast (only) an echo, like the unconscious mountain.
کوه را گفتار کی باشد ز خود ** عکس غیرست آن صدا ای معتمد 4660
How should the mountain possess a voice of its own? The echo is reflected from another, O trusty man.
گفت تو زان سان که عکس دیگریست ** جمله احوالت به جز هم عکس نیست
In the same fashion as thy speech is the reflexion of another, so all thy feelings are nothing but a reflexion.
خشم و ذوقت هر دو عکس دیگران ** شادی قواده و خشم عوان
Both thy anger and thy pleasure are (only) reflected from others, (like) the joy of the procuress and the rage of the night-patrol.
آن عوان را آن ضعیف آخر چه کرد ** که دهد او را به کینه زجر و درد
Pray, what (harm) did that poor fellow do to the night-patrol that he should punish and torment him in revenge?
تا بکی عکس خیال لامعه ** جهد کن تا گرددت این واقعه
How long (wilt thou follow) the glittering phantom reflected (from another)?Strive to make this (experience) actual for thyself,
تا که گفتارت ز حال تو بود ** سیر تو با پر و بال تو بود 4665
So that thy words will be (prompted) by thy immediate feelings, and thy flight will be made with thine own wings and pinions.
صید گیرد تیر هم با پر غیر ** لاجرم بی‌بهره است از لحم طیر
’Tis with alien feathers that the arrow captures its prey; consequently it gets no share of the bird's flesh;
باز صید آرد به خود از کوهسار ** لاجرم شاهش خوراند کبک و سار
(But) the falcon brings its quarry from the mountains itself; consequently the king lets it eat partridge and starling.
منطقی کز وحی نبود از هواست ** هم‌چو خاکی در هوا و در هباست
The speech that is not (derived) from (Divine) inspiration springs from self-will: it is like dust (floating) in the air and among the motes (in the sunbeams).