گوش کنعان کی پذیرد این کلام ** که برو مهر خدایست و ختام
How should Canaan's ear accept these words? for God's seal and signet is upon it.
کی گذارد موعظه بر مهر حق ** کی بگرداند حدث حکم سبق
How should admonition pass through God's seal? How should the new (admonition) avert the (eternal) pre-ordainment?
لیک می‌گویم حدیث خوش‌پیی ** بر امید آنک تو کنعان نه‌ای
But I am telling the news of good fortune in the hope that thou art not (like) Canaan.
آخر این اقرار خواهی کرد هین ** هم ز اول روز آخر را ببین
Thou wilt make this confession at last. Hark, from the first day do thou behold the last!
می‌توانی دید آخر را مکن ** چشم آخربینت را کور کهن3370
Thou canst see the end: do not make blind and old thine eye that sees the end.
هر که آخربین بود مسعودوار ** نبودش هر دم ز ره رفتن عثار
Whosoever is blessedly a seer of the end will never stumble in wayfaring.
گر نخواهی هر دمی این خفت‌خیز ** کن ز خاک پایی مردی چشم تیز
Unless thou desire this incessant lying down and rising up (this stumbling on the way), sharpen thine eye with the dust on the foot of a holy man.
کحل دیده ساز خاک پاش را ** تا بیندازی سر اوباش را
Make the dust of his foot collyrium for thine eye, that thou mayst strike off the head of the blackguards;
که ازین شاگردی و زین افتقار ** سوزنی باشی شوی تو ذوالفقار
For through this pupilage and this poverty (of spirit), (though) thou be (as) a needle, thou wilt become (a trenchant sword like) Dhu ’l-faqár.
سرمه کن تو خاک هر بگزیده را ** هم بسوزد هم بسازد دیده را3375
Use the dust of every elect one as collyrium: it will both burn the eye and do it good.
چشم اشتر زان بود بس نوربار ** کو خورد از بهر نور چشم خار
The eye of the camel is very luminous because he (the camel) eats thorns for the sake of (increasing) the light of his eye.
قصه‌ی شکایت استر با شتر کی من بسیار در رو می‌افتم در راه رفتن تو کم در روی می‌آیی این چراست و جواب گفتن شتر او را
Story of the mule's complaining to the camel (and saying), "I often fall on my face when going along, while you seldom do so: why is this?" and the camel's answer to him.
اشتری را دید روزی استری ** چونک با او جمع شد در آخری
One day a mule saw a camel, since he had been put into a stable with him.
گفت من بسیار می‌افتم برو ** در گریوه و راه و در بازار و کو
He (the mule) said, “I often fall on my face in hill and road and in market and street.
خاصه از بالای که تا زیر کوه ** در سر آیم هر زمانی از شکوه
Particularly (in descending) from the top of the mountain to the bottom I come down on my head every moment from terror.
کم همی‌افتی تو در رو بهر چیست ** یا مگر خود جان پاکت دولتیست3380
Thou dost not fall on thy face: why is it? Or maybe in sooth thy pure spirit is destined to felicity.
در سر آیم هر دم و زانو زنم ** پوز و زانو زان خطا پر خون کنم
I come down on my head every instant and strike my knees (on the ground): by that slipping I make muzzle and knees all bloody.
کژ شود پالان و رختم بر سرم ** وز مکاری هر زمان زخمی خورم
My pack-saddle and trappings become awry (lie in disorder) on my head, and I always get a beating from the muleteer;
هم‌چو کم عقلی که از عقل تباه ** بشکند توبه بهر دم در گناه
Like the unintelligent man who, from corrupt understanding, in (the case of his committing) sin continually breaks (his vow of) penitence.
مسخره‌ی ابلیس گردد در زمن ** از ضعیفی رای آن توبه‌شکن
Through weakness of resolution that breaker of (vows of) penitence becomes the laughing-stock of Iblís in the world.
در سر آید هر زمان چون اسپ لنگ ** که بود بارش گران و راه سنگ3385
He constantly comes down on his head, like a lame horse, for his load is heavy and the road is (full of) stones.
می‌خورد از غیب بر سر زخم او ** از شکست توبه آن ادبارخو
He is always getting blows on his head from the Unseen, that man of luckless nature, from breaking (his vows of) penitence.
باز توبه می‌کند با رای سست ** دیو یک تف کرد و توبه‌ش را سکست
Then again he repents with infirm resolution: the Devil spits (in scorn) and shatters his penitence.
ضعف اندر ضعف و کبرش آنچنان ** که به خواری بنگرد در واصلان
Weakness on weakness! (Yet) his arrogance is such that he regards with contempt those that attain (to God).
ای شتر که تو مثال مومنی ** کم فتی در رو و کم بینی زنی
O camel, thou who art a type of the true believer dost not fall on thy face, nor dost thou turn up thy nose (in disdain).
تو چه داری که چنین بی‌آفتی ** بی‌عثاری و کم اندر رو فتی3390
What hast thou that thou art so untouched by bane and free from stumbling and dost not fall on thy face?”