راه چه بود پر نشان پایها ** یار چه بود نردبان رایها 510
What is the road? Full of footprints. What is the comrade? The ladder whereby minds ascend.
گیرم آن گرگت نیابد ز احتیاط ** بی ز جمعیت نیابی آن نشاط
I grant that, through (your) taking precautions, the wolf may not find you, (but) without company you will not find that (spiritual) alacrity.
آنک تنها در رهی او خوش رود ** با رفیقان سیر او صدتو شود
He who cheerfully goes alone on a journey—(if he goes) with companions his progress is increased a hundredfold.
با غلیظی خر ز یاران ای فقیر ** در نشاط آید شود قوت‌پذیر
Notwithstanding the grossness of the ass, it (the ass) is exhilarated, O dervish, by comrades (of its own kind) and becomes capable of (exerting) strength.
هر خری کز کاروان تنها رود ** بر وی آن راه از تعب صدتو شود
To any ass that goes alone (and away) from the caravan the road is (made) a hundredfold (longer) by fatigue.
چند سیخ و چند چوب افزون خورد ** تا که تنها آن بیابان را برد 515
How many more goadings and cudgellings does it suffer that it may cross the desert (unaccompanied and) alone!
مر ترا می‌گوید آن خر خوش شنو ** گر نه‌ای خر هم‌چنین تنها مرو
That ass is saying to you (implicitly), ‘Take good heed! Don't travel alone like this, unless you are an ass!’
آنک تنها خوش رود اندر رصد ** با رفیقان بی‌گمان خوشتر رود
Beyond doubt he who cheerfully goes alone into the custom-house will go more cheerfully (when he is) with companions.
هر نبیی اندرین راه درست ** معجزه بنمود و همراهان بجست
Every prophet (that walked) on this straight road produced evidentiary miracles and sought fellow-travellers.
گر نباشد یاری دیوارها ** کی برآید خانه و انبارها
Were it not for the help given by the walls, how should houses and magazines arise?