نقش او می‌گشت اندر راهشان ** در دل و در گوش و در افواهشان
In (all) their way his form was coming into their hearts and into their ears and into their mouths.
نقش او را کی بیابد هر شعال ** بلک فرع نقش او یعنی خیال
How should every jackal perceive his (real) form? Nay, (they perceived only) the derivative of his form, that is to say, the imaginal idea (of it).
نقش او بر روی دیوار ار فتد ** از دل دیوار خون دل چکد
If his (real) form should fall on the face of a wall, heart's blood would trickle from the heart of the wall;
آنچنان فرخ بود نقشش برو ** که رهد در حال دیوار از دو رو3845
And his form would be so auspicious for it (would bestow such blessing on it) that the wall would at once be saved from having a double face.
گشته با یک‌رویی اهل صفا ** آن دورویی عیب مر دیوار را
Beside the single-facedness (sincerity) of the pure (in spirit), that double-facedness has become a fault (even) in the wall.
این همه تعظیم و تفخیم و وداد ** چون بدیدندش به صورت برد باد
All this veneration and magnification and affection (which they had shown towards the Prophet) the wind swept away, as soon as they saw him in (bodily) form.
قلب آتش دید و در دم شد سیاه ** قلب را در قلب کی بودست راه
The false coin saw the fire and immediately became black: when has there (ever) been a way for the false coin (of hypocrisy) to enter the (pure) heart?
قلب می‌زد لاف اشواق محک ** تا مریدان را دراندازد به شک
The false coin was talking boastfully of its desire for the touchstone, that it might cast the (sincere) disciples into doubt.
افتد اندر دام مکرش ناکسی ** این گمان سر بر زند از هر خسی3850
A worthless one falls into the snare of its deceit; (for) from every base fellow the thought pops up,
کین اگر نه نقد پاکیزه بدی ** کی به سنگ امتحان راغب شدی
That if this were not genuine coin, how should it have become eager for the touchstone?
او محک می‌خواهد اما آنچنان ** که نگردد قلبی او زان عیان
It desires the touchstone, but one of such a kind that its falseness will not be clearly exposed thereby.
آن محک که او نهان دارد صفت ** نی محک باشد نه نور معرفت
The touchstone that keeps hidden the quality (of that which is tested) is not a (true) touchstone, nor (is it) the (discriminating) light of knowledge.
آینه کو عیب رو دارد نهان ** از برای خاطر هر قلتبان
The mirror that keeps hidden the defects of the face to flatter every cuckold
آینه نبود منافق باشد او ** این چنین آیینه تا توانی مجو3855
Is not a (true) mirror; it is hypocritical. Do not seek such a mirror so long as you can (help).