تا نبرد تیغت اسمعیل را ** تا کنی شه‌راه قعر نیل را
So that your knife should not cut (the throat of) Ismá‘íl (Ishmael) and that you should make the depths of the Nile a (dry) highway?
گر سعیدی از مناره اوفتید ** بادش اندر جامه افتاد و رهید
If a blessed one fell from the minaret (and) was saved by the wind filling his raiment,
چون یقینت نیست آن بخت ای حسن ** تو چرا بر باد دادی خویشتن 1350
Why have you, O good man, committed yourself to the wind when you are not sure of that (same) fortune?
زین مناره صد هزاران هم‌چو عاد ** در فتادند و سر و سر باد داد
From this minaret hundreds of thousands (of peoples) like ‘Ád fell down and gave to the wind (lost) their lives and souls.
سرنگون افتادگان را زین منار ** می‌نگر تو صد هزار اندر هزار
Behold those who have fallen headlong from this minaret, hundreds of thousands on thousands!
تو رسن‌بازی نمیدانی یقین ** شکر پاها گوی و می‌رو بر زمین
(If) you have no sure skill in rope-dancing, give thanks for your feet and walk on the ground.
پر مساز از کاغذ و از که مپر ** که در آن سودا بسی رفتست سر
Don't make wings of paper and fly from the (top of a) mountain, for many a head has gone (to destruction) in this craze.
گرچه آن صوفی پر آتش شد ز خشم ** لیک او بر عاقبت انداخت چشم 1355
Although the Súfí was afire with anger, yet he cast his eye on the consequence.
اول صف بر کسی ماندم به کام ** کو نگیرد دانه بیند بند دام
The highest success belongs permanently to him who does not take the bait and sees (the danger of) imprisonment in the trap.
حبذا دو چشم پایان بین راد ** که نگه دارند تن را از فساد
How excellent are two noble end-discerning eyes that preserve the body from corruption!
آن ز پایان‌دید احمد بود کو ** دید دوزخ را همین‌جا مو به مو
That (foresight) was (derived) from the vision of the end that was seen by Ahmad (Mohammed), who even here (in the present life) saw Hell, hair by hair,
دید عرش و کرسی و جنات را ** تا درید او پرده‌ی غفلات را
And saw the Throne (of God) and the Footstool and the Gardens (of Paradise), so that he rent the veil of (our) forgetfulnesses.
گر همی‌خواهی سلامت از ضرر ** چشم ز اول بند و پایان را نگر 1360
If you desire to be safe from harm, close your eye to the beginning and contemplate the end,
تا عدمها ار ببینی جمله هست ** هستها را بنگری محسوس پست
That you may regard all (apparent) nonentities as (really) existent and look upon (all) entities, (so far as they are) perceived by the senses, as of low degree.
این ببین باری که هر کش عقل هست ** روز و شب در جست و جوی نیستست
At least consider this, that every one who possesses reason is daily and nightly in quest of the (relatively) non-existent.
در گدایی طالب جودی که نیست ** بر دکانها طالب سودی که نیست
In begging, he seeks a munificence that is not in being; in the shops he seeks a profit that is not in being.
در مزارع طالب دخلی که نیست ** در مغارس طالب نخلی که نیست
In the cornfields he seeks an income (crop) that is not in being; in the plantations he seeks a date-palm that is not in being.
در مدارس طالب علمی که نیست ** در صوامع طالب حلمی که نیست 1365
In the colleges he seeks a knowledge that is not in being; in the Christian monasteries he seeks a morality that is not in being.
هستها را سوی پس افکنده‌اند ** نیستها را طالبند و بنده‌اند
They (the intelligent) have thrown the (actually) existent things behind them and are seekers of, and devoted to, the (relatively) non-existent things,
زانک کان و مخزن صنع خدا ** نیست غیر نیستی در انجلا
Because the mine and treasury of God's doing is not other than non-existence in (process of) being brought into manifestation.
پیش ازین رمزی بگفتستیم ازین ** این و آن را تو یکی بین دو مبین
We have previously given some indication of this (matter): regard this (present discourse) and that (former discourse) as one, not as two.
گفته شد که هر صناعت‌گر که رست ** در صناعت جایگاه نیست جست
It was stated (formerly) that every craftsman who appeared (in the world) sought the abode of (relative) non-existence in (exercising) his craft.
جست بنا موضعی ناساخته ** گشته ویران سقفها انداخته 1370
The builder sought an unrepaired place that had become ruined and (where) the roofs (were) fallen in.
جست سقا کوزای کش آب نیست ** وان دروگر خانه‌ای کش باب نیست
The water-carrier sought a pot with no water in it, and the carpenter a house with no door.
وقت صید اندر عدم بد حمله‌شان ** از عدم آنگه گریزان جمله‌شان
At the moment of pursuing (their object) they rushed into (relative) nonexistence; then (afterwards) they all are fleeing from non-existence.