نرگس چشم خمار هم‌چو جان ** آخر اعمش بین و آب از وی چکان1605
The soul-like intoxicating narcissus-eye (of the beloved)—see it dimmed at last and water trickling from it.
حیدری کاندر صف شیران رود ** آخر او مغلوب موشی می‌شود
The lion (hero) who advances into the ranks of lions (valiant foes)—at last he is conquered by a mouse.
طبع تیز دوربین محترف ** چون خر پیرش ببین آخر خرف
The acute, far-seeing, artful genius—behold it at last imbecile as an old ass.
زلف جعد مشکبار عقل‌بر ** آخرا چون دم زشت خنگ خر
The curly lock that sheds (a fragrance of) musk and takes away the reason—at last it is like the ugly white tail of a donkey.
خوش ببین کونش ز اول باگشاد ** وآخر آن رسواییش بین و فساد
Observe its (the World's) existence, (how) at first (it is) pleasing and joyous; and observe its shamefulness and corruption in the end;
زانک او بنمود پیدا دام را ** پیش تو بر کند سبلت خام را1610
For it showed the snare plainly: it plucked out the fool's moustache in thy presence.
پس مگو دنیا به تزویرم فریفت ** ورنه عقل من ز دامش می‌گریخت
Do not say, then, “The World deceived me by its imposture; otherwise, my reason would have fled from its snare.”
طوق زرین و حمایل بین هله ** غل و زنجیری شدست و سلسله
Come now, see (how) the golden collar and shoulder-belt have become a shackle and gyve and chain.
همچنین هر جزو عالم می‌شمر ** اول و آخر در آرش در نظر
Reckon every particle of the World (to be) like this: bring its beginning and its end into consideration.
هر که آخربین‌تر او مسعودتر ** هر که آخربین‌تر او مطرودتر
The more any one regards the end (ákhir) the more blessed he is; the more any one regards the stable (ákhur) the more banned he is.
روی هر یک چون مه فاخر ببین ** چونک اول دیده شد آخر ببین1615
Regard every one's face as the glorious moon: when the beginning has been seen, see the end (also),
تا نباشی هم‌چو ابلیس اعوری ** نیم بیند نیم نی چون ابتری
Lest thou become a man blind of one eye, like Iblís: he, like a person docked (deprived of perfect sight), sees (the one) half and not (the other) half.
دید طین آدم و دینش ندید ** این جهان دید آن جهان‌بینش ندید
He saw the clay (tín) of Adam but did not see his obedience to God (dín): he saw in him this world but did not see that (spirit) which beholds yonder world.
فضل مردان بر زنان ای بو شجاع ** نیست بهر قوت و کسب و ضیاع
The superiority of men to women, O valorous one, is not on account of strength and money-making and (the possession of) landed estates;
ورنه شیر و پیل را بر آدمی ** فضل بودی بهر قوت ای عمی
Otherwise the lion and elephant because of (their) strength would be superior to the human being, O blind one.
فضل مردان بر زن ای حالی‌پرست ** زان بود که مرد پایان بین‌ترست1620
The superiority of men to women, O time-server, is because man is more regardful of the end.
مرد کاندر عاقبت‌بینی خمست ** او ز اهل عاقبت چون زن کمست
The man who is crooked in respect of seeing the end, he, like a woman, is inferior to those acquainted with the end.
از جهان دو بانگ می‌آید به ضد ** تا کدامین را تو باشی مستعد
From the World are coming two cries in opposition (to each other): (bethink thyself) for which (of them) thou art adapted.
آن یکی بانگش نشور اتقیا ** وان یکی بانگش فریب اشقیا
Its one cry is the (means of) quickening the devout with (spiritual) life; and its other cry is the (means of) cajoling the graceless.
من شکوفه‌ی خارم ای خوش گرمدار ** گل بریزد من بمانم شاخ خار
(The World says), “I am the thorn-blossom, O sweet cherisher (of love for me): the flower will drop and I shall remain a (mere) thorn-bough.”
بانگ اشکوفه‌ش که اینک گل‌فروش ** بانگ خار او که سوی ما مکوش1625
The cry of its (the World's) blossom is, “Here is the flower-seller!” The cry of its thorn is, “Do not strive (to advance) towards me.”
این پذیرفتی بماندی زان دگر ** که محب از ضد محبوبست کر
(If) thou hast accepted (responded to) this (alluring cry), thou art left (unmoved) by the other, for a lover is deaf to the contrary of the object loved (by him).
آن یکی بانگ این که اینک حاضرم ** بانگ دیگر بنگر اندر آخرم
The one cry is this, “Here am I, ready”; the other cry is, “Look upon my latter end.
حاضری‌ام هست چون مکر و کمین ** نقش آخر ز آینه‌ی اول ببین
My readiness is like guile and ambush: behold the image of the end in the mirror of the beginning.”
چون یکی زین دو جوال اندر شدی ** آن دگر را ضد و نا درخور شدی
When thou hast gone into one of these two sacks, thou hast become contrary and unsuitable to the other.