زهره چنگ مسله در وی زده ** مشتری با نقد جان پیش آمده
Venus lays her hand upon it to beseech (its favour); Jupiter comes forward to offer to it the ready money of his soul.
در هوای دستبوس او زحل ** لیک خود را می‌نبیند از محل 110
Saturn is eager to kiss its hand, but he does not regard himself as worthy of that honour.
دست و پا مریخ چندین خست ازو ** وآن عطارد صد قلم بشکست ازو
On account of it, Mars has inflicted so many wounds on his hands and feet; and on account of it Mercury has broken a hundred pens.
با منجم این همه انجم به جنگ ** کای رها کرده تو جان بگزیده رنگ
All these stars (planets) are at war with the astronomer, saying, “O thou who hast let the spirit go and hast preferred colour (vanity),
جان ویست و ما همه رنگ و رقوم ** کوکب هر فکر او جان نجوم
It is the spirit, and we all are (mere) colour and designs: the star (spark) of every thought in it is the soul of the (material) stars.”
فکر کو آنجا همه نورست پاک ** بهر تست این لفظ فکر ای فکرناک
Where is thought (in relation to it)? There all is pure light: this word “thought” is (used only) for thy sake, O thinker.
هر ستاره خانه دارد در علا ** هیچ خانه در نگنجد نجم ما 115
Every (material) star hath its house on high: our star is not contained in any house.
جای سوز اندر مکان کی در رود ** نور نامحدود را حد کی بود
How should that which burns (transcends) place (spatial relations) enter into space? How should there be a limit for the illimitable light?
لیک تمثیلی و تصویری کنند ** تا که در یابد ضعیفی عشقمند
But they (the mystics) use a comparison and illustration, in order that a loving feeble-minded man may apprehend (the truth).
مثل نبود لیک باشد آن مثال ** تا کند عقل مجمد را گسیل
’Tis not a simile, but ’tis a parable for the purpose of releasing (melting) the frozen intellect.
عقل سر تیزست لیکن پای سست ** زانک دل ویران شدست و تن درست
The intellect is strong in the head but weak in the legs, because it is sick of heart (spiritually decayed) though sound of body (materially flourishing).
عقلشان در نقل دنیا پیچ پیچ ** فکرشان در ترک شهوت هیچ هیچ 120
Their (the unspiritual men's) intellect is deeply involved in the dessert (pleasures) of this world: never, never do they think of abandoning sensuality.
صدرشان در وقت دعوی هم‌چو شرق ** صبرشان در وقت تقوی هم‌چو برق
In the hour of pretension their breasts are (glowing) like the orient sun, (but) in the hour of pious devotion their endurance is (brief) as the lightning.
عالمی اندر هنرها خودنما ** هم‌چو عالم بی‌وفا وقت وفا
A learned man who shows self-conceit in (displaying) his talents is faithless as the world at the time for keeping faith.
وقت خودبینی نگنجد در جهان ** در گلو و معده گم گشته چو نان
At the time when he regards himself (with pride) he is not contained in the world: he has become lost in the gullet and belly, like bread.
این همه اوصافشان نیکو شود ** بد نماند چونک نیکوجو شود
(Yet) all these (evil) qualities of theirs may become good: evil does not remain when it turns to seeking good.
گر منی گنده بود هم‌چون منی ** چون به جان پیوست یابد روشنی 125
If egoism is foul-smelling like semen, (yet) when it attains unto the spirit (spirituality) it gains light.
هر جمادی که کند رو در نبات ** از درخت بخت او روید حیات
Every mineral that sets its face towards (aspires to evolve into) the plant (the vegetative state)—life grows from the tree of its fortune.
هر نباتی کان به جان رو آورد ** خضروار از چشمه‌ی حیوان خورد
Every plant that turns its face towards the (animal) spirit drinks, like Khizr, from the Fountain of Life.
باز جان چون رو سوی جانان نهد ** رخت را در عمر بی‌پایان نهد
Once more, when the (animal) spirit sets its face towards the (Divine) Beloved, it lays down its baggage (and passes) into the life without end.
سال سایل از مرغی کی بر سر ربض شهری نشسته باشد سر او فاضل‌ترست و عزیزتر و شریف‌تر و مکرم‌تر یا دم او و جواب دادن واعظ سایل را به قدر فهم او
How an inquirer asked (a preacher) about a bird that was supposed to have settled on the wall of a city—“Is its head more excellent and estimable and noble and honourable or its tail?”—and how the preacher gave him a reply suited to the measure of his understanding.
واعظی را گفت روزی سایلی ** کای تو منبر را سنی‌تر قایلی
One day an inquirer said to a preacher, “O thou who art the pulpit's most eminent expounder,
یک سالستم بگو ای ذو لباب ** اندرین مجلس سالم را جواب 130
I have a question to ask. Answer my question in this assembly-place, O possessor of the marrow (of wisdom).
بر سر بارو یکی مرغی نشست ** از سر و از دم کدامینش بهست
A bird has settled on the city-wall: which is better—its head or its tail?”
گفت اگر رویش به شهر و دم به ده ** روی او از دم او می‌دان که به
He replied, “If its face is to the town and its tail to the country, know that its face is better than its tail;
ور سوی شهرست دم رویش به ده ** خاک آن دم باش و از رویش بجه
But if its tail is towards the town and its face to the country, be the dust on that tail and spring away from its face.”