تا ترا مشغول آن مشکل کند ** وز نهاد زشت خود غافل کند
So that he may preoccupy you with that difficult question and make you oblivious of his own evil nature.
علامت عاقل تمام و نیم‌عاقل و مرد تمام و نیم‌مرد و علامت شقی مغرور لاشی
The marks of the wholly intelligent and the half-intelligent and the whole man and the half-man and the deluded worthless wretch doomed to perdition.
عاقل آن باشد که او با مشعله‌ست ** او دلیل و پیشوای قافله‌ست
The intelligent man is he who hath the lamp: he is the guide and leader of the caravan.
پیرو نور خودست آن پیش‌رو ** تابع خویشست آن بی‌خویش‌رو
That leader is one who goes after his own light: that selfless traveller is the follower of himself.
مومن خویشست و ایمان آورید ** هم بدان نوری که جانش زو چرید2190
He is the one that puts faith in himself; and do ye too put faith in the light on which his soul has browsed.
دیگری که نیم‌عاقل آمد او ** عاقلی را دیده‌ی خود داند او
The other, who is the half-intelligent, deems an (entirely) intelligent person to be his eye,
دست در وی زد چو کور اندر دلیل ** تا بدو بینا شد و چست و جلیل
And has clutched him as the blind man clutches the guide, so that through him he has become seeing and active and illustrious.
وآن خری کز عقل جوسنگی نداشت ** خود نبودش عقل و عاقل را گذاشت
But (as for) the ass who had not a single barley-corn's weight of intelligence, who possessed no intelligence himself and forsook the intelligent (guide),
ره نداند نه کثیر و نه قلیل ** ننگش آید آمدن خلف دلیل
(Who) knows neither much nor little of the way (and yet) disdains to go behind the guide,
He is journeying in a long wilderness, now limping in despair and now (advancing) at a run.
شمع نه تا پیشوای خود کند ** نیم شمعی نه که نوری کد کند
He hath neither a candle, that he should make it his leader, nor half a candle, that he should beg a light.
نیست عقلش تا دم زنده زند ** نیم‌عقلی نه که خود مرده کند
He hath neither (perfect) intelligence, that he should breathe the breath of the living, nor hath he a half-intelligence, that he should make himself dead.
مرده‌ی آن عاقل آید او تمام ** تا برآید از نشیب خود به بام
He (the half-intelligent one) becomes wholly dead in (devotion to) the man of (perfect) intelligence, that he may ascend from his own low place to the (lofty) roof.
عقل کامل نیست خود را مرده کن ** در پناه عاقلی زنده‌سخن
(If) you have not perfect intelligence, make yourself dead under the protection of an intelligent man whose words are living.
زنده نی تا همدم عیسی بود ** مرده نی تا دمگه عیسی شود2200
He (the man devoid of intelligence) is not living, that he should breathe in accord with (a) Jesus, nor is he dead, that he should become a channel for the (life-giving) breath of (a) Jesus.
جان کورش گام هر سو می‌نهد ** عاقبت نجهد ولی بر می‌جهد
His blind spirit is stepping in every direction: it will not escape in the end, but it is leaping up.
قصه‌ی آن آبگیر و صیادان و آن سه ماهی یکی عاقل و یکی نیم عاقل وان دگر مغرور و ابله مغفل لاشی و عاقبت هر سه
Story of the lake and the fishermen and the three fishes, one intelligent and one half intelligent and the third deluded, foolish, heedless and good-for-naught; and the end of all three.
قصه‌ی آن آبگیرست ای عنود ** که درو سه ماهی اشگرف بود
This, O obstinate man, is the story of the lake in which there were three great fishes.
در کلیله خوانده باشی لیک آن ** قشر قصه باشد و این مغز جان
You will have read it in Kalíla, but that is (only) the husk of the story, while this is the spiritual kernel.
چند صیادی سوی آن آبگیر ** برگذشتند و بدیدند آن ضمیر
Some fishermen passed beside the lake and saw that concealed (prey).
پس شتابیدند تا دام آورند ** ماهیان واقف شدند و هوشمند2205
Then they hastened to bring the net: the fishes noticed and became aware (of their intention).
آنک عاقل بود عزم راه کرد ** عزم راه مشکل ناخواه کرد
The intelligent one resolved to journey, resolved to make the difficult unwelcome journey.
گفت با اینها ندارم مشورت ** که یقین سستم کنند از مقدرت
He said, “I will not consult these (others), for assuredly they will make me weak (deficient) in power (to fulfil my purpose).
مهر زاد و بوم بر جانشان تند ** کاهلی و جهلشان بر من زند
Love of their native place and abode holds sway over their souls: their indolence and ignorance will strike on (affect) me.”
مشورت را زنده‌ای باید نکو ** که ترا زنده کند وان زنده کو
For consultation, some goodly and (spiritually) living person is required, that he may make thee living; and where is that living one (to be found)?
ای مسافر با مسافر رای زن ** زانک پایت لنگ دارد رای زن2210
O traveller, take counsel with a traveller, for a woman's counsel will keep thy foot lame.
از دم حب الوطن بگذر مه‌ایست ** که وطن آن سوست جان این سوی نیست
Pass on from the (literal) expression, “love of country”; do not stop (at its outward sense), for thy (real) country is Yonder, O soul: ’tis not on this side.