عقل ایمانی چو شحنه‌ی عادلست ** پاسبان و حاکم شهر دلست
The reason that is allied to Faith is like a just police-inspector: it is the guardian and magistrate of the city of the heart.
هم‌چو گربه باشد او بیدارهوش ** دزد در سوراخ ماند هم‌چو موش
It is mentally alert like a cat: the thief remains in the hole, like a mouse.
در هر آنجا که برآرد موش دست ** نیست گربه یا که نقش گربه است
Wherever the mouse gets the upper hand, no cat is there, or (at least) there is (only) the (unreal) form of a cat.
گربه‌ی چه شیر شیرافکن بود ** عقل ایمانی که اندر تن بود
What cat (is to be compared with the reason)? The Faith-regarding reason which is in the body is the lion that overthrows the lions.
غره‌ی او حاکم درندگان ** نعره‌ی او مانع چرندگان1990
Its roar is the magistrate (controller) of the tearing (carnivorous) animals; its shout is the preventer of the browsing (herbivorous) animals.
شهر پر دزدست و پر جامه‌کنی ** خواه شحنه باش گو و خواه نی
(If) the city is full of thieves and clothes-robbers, let there be a police-inspector if you will, or let there be none.
امیر کردن رسول علیه‌السلام جوان هذیلی را بر سریه‌ای کی در آن پیران و جنگ آزمودگان بودند
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, appointed a youth of Hudhayl to be commander of an expeditionary force in which there were elders and veteran warriors.
یک سریه می‌فرستادش رسول ** به هر جنگ کافر و دفع فضول
The Prophet was sending a force to fight against the unbelievers and repel insolence.
یک جوانی را گزید او از هذیل ** میر لشکر کردش و سالار خیل
He chose a youth of Hudhayl and appointed him commander of the army and leader of the cavalry.
اصل لشکر بی‌گمان سرور بود ** قوم بی‌سرور تن بی‌سر بود
The foundation of an army is unquestionably the chief in command: a people without a chief are a body without a head.
این همه که مرده و پژمرده‌ای ** زان بود که ترک سرور کرده‌ای1995
That you are (spiritually) dead and decrepit—all this is because you have abandoned the chief.
از کسل وز بخل وز ما و منی ** می‌کشی سر خویش را سر می‌کنی
On account of laziness and avarice and egoism you are drawing your head back (behaving in a headstrong manner) and making yourself the head.
هم‌چو استوری که بگریزد ز بار ** او سر خود گیرد اندر کوهسار
(You are) like the beast that flees from the burden: it takes its head (goes its own way) into the mountains.
صاحبش در پی دوان کای خیره سر ** هر طرف گرگیست اندر قصد خر
Its master is running after it, crying, “O giddy-headed one, on every side there is a wolf in quest of an ass.
گر ز چشمم این زمان غایب شوی ** پیشت آید هر طرف گرگ قوی
If thou disappear now from mine eye, the mighty wolf will approach thee from every direction.
استخوانت را بخاید چون شکر ** که نبینی زندگانی را دگر2000
He will chew thy bones like sugar, so that thou wilt never see life again.
آن مگیر آخر بمانی از علف ** آتش از بی‌هیزمی گردد تلف
(Or) do not suppose that (immediate destruction); at any rate thou wilt be left without fodder: fire is (finally) extinguished by lack of faggots.
هین بمگریز از تصرف کردنم ** وز گرانی بار که جانت منم
Beware! Do not flee from my control and from the heaviness of the burden, for I am thy (rational) soul.”
تو ستوری هم که نفست غالبست ** حکم غالب را بود ای خودپرست
You also are a beast (of burden), for your carnal soul predominates: the predominant (quality) determines (a thing's nature), O worshipper of self.
خر نخواندت اسپ خواندت ذوالجلال ** اسپ تازی را عرب گوید تعال
The Almighty did not call you an ass, He called you a horse: the Arabs say to the Arab horse “ta‘ál” (“come”).
میر آخر بود حق را مصطفی ** بهر استوران نفس پر جفا2005
Mustafá (Mohammed) was God's stable-overseer for the beasts, (which are) the iniquitous carnal soul.
قل تعالوا گفت از جذب کرم ** تا ریاضتتان دهم من رایضم
Moved by lovingkindness, He (God) said, “Say, ‘ta‘álaw (come ye), to the end that I may train you: I am the trainer.’”
نفسها را تا مروض کرده‌ام ** زین ستوران بس لگدها خورده‌ام
(The Prophet said), “Since I have trained the carnal souls, I have suffered many kicks from these beasts.
هر کجا باشد ریاضت‌باره‌ای ** از لگدهااش نباشد چاره‌ای
Wherever there is one fond of training, he hath no means of avoiding kicks.
لاجرم اغلب بلا بر انبیاست ** که ریاضت دادن خامان بلاست
Of necessity the most affliction falls on the prophets, for ’tis an affliction to give training to the raw (ignorant).
سکسکانید از دمم یرغا روید ** تا یواش و مرکب سلطان شوید2010
Ye are stumbling along: at my word (in obedience to my command) go at a jog-trot, that ye may become gentle and be suitable for the king to ride.