Through him the eye of thy reason starts out (of the socket): his (vicious) thrusts deliver thee into the hands of pestilence.
جواب گفتن روبه خر را
The answer of the fox to the ass.
گفت روبه صاف ما را درد نیست ** لیک تخییلات وهمی خورد نیست 2640
The fox said, “There are no dregs in my pure liquor, but the illusions of imagination are not small.
این همه وهم توست ای ساده‌دل ** ورنه بر تو نه غشی دارم نه غل
All this is your imagination, O simpleton, for I bear no malice and rancour against you.
از خیال زشت خود منگر به من ** بر محبان از چه داری س ظن
Do not regard me from (the standpoint of) your evil fancy: wherefore do you cherish ill thoughts against your lovers?
ظن نیکو بر بر اخوان صفا ** گرچه آید ظاهرا زیشان جفا
Think well of the sincere, even though unkindness come from them in appearance.
این خیال و وهم بد چون شد پدید ** صد هزاران یار را از هم برید
When this evil fancy and imagination is manifested, it severs a hundred thousand friends from one another.
مشفقی گر کرد جور و امتحان ** عقل باید که نباشد بدگمان 2645
If an affectionate (friend) has behaved unjustly and made a trial (of one's loyalty), understanding is needed to prevent one from thinking ill (of him).
خصاه من بدرگ نبودم زشت‌اسم ** آنک دیدی بد نبد بود آن طلسم
In particular, I, who have a bad name, was not evil-natured (in regard to you): what you saw was nothing evil, it was (only) a magic spell;
ور بدی بد آن سگالش قدرا ** عفو فرمایند یاران زان خطا
And if, hypothetically, that purpose (of mine) had been evil, (still) friends pardon such a fault.”
عالم وهم و خیال طمع و بیم ** هست ره‌رو را یکی سدی عظیم
The world of imagination and the phantom of hope and fear is a great obstacle to the traveller (on the mystic Way).
نقشهای این خیال نقش‌بند ** چون خلیلی را که که بد شد گزند
The pictures (illusions) of this picture-making phantasy were harmful (even) to one like Khalíl (Abraham), who was (firm as) a mountain.
گفت هذا ربی ابراهیم راد ** چونک اندر عالم وهم اوفتاد 2650
The noble Abraham said, “This is my Lord,” when he fell into the world (fell under the sway) of imagination.
ذکر کوکب را چنین تاویل گفت ** آن کسی که گوهر تاویل سفت
That person who bored the pearl of interpretation, interpreted the mention of the star thus—