خاک را بین خلق رنگارنگ را ** می‌کند یک رنگ اندر گورها
Look at earth: it makes many-coloured (diverse) humankind to be (all) of one colour in their graves.
این نمکسار جسوم ظاهرست ** خود نمکسار معانی دیگرست
This is the salt-mine for visible (material) bodies, (but) in sooth the salt-mine for ideal (supersensible) things is different.
آن نمکسار معانی معنویست ** از ازل آن تا ابد اندر نویست
The salt-mine for ideal things is ideal (spiritual and real): it remains new from eternity unto everlasting.
این نوی را کهنگی ضدش بود ** آن نوی بی ضد و بی ند و عدد 1860
This (earthly) newness has oldness as its opposite, but that newness (belonging to the world of Reality) is without opposite or like or number.
آنچنان که از صقل نور مصطفی ** صد هزاران نوع ظلمت شد ضیا
’Tis (even) as by the polishing action of the Light of Mustafá (Mohammed) a hundred thousand sorts of darkness became radiant.
از جهود و مشرک و ترسا و مغ ** جملگی یک‌رنگ شد زان الپ الغ
Jew and polytheist and Christian and Magian—all were made of one colour by that Alp Ulugh (great hero).
صد هزاران سایه کوتاه و دراز ** شد یکی در نور آن خورشید راز
A hundred thousand shadows short and long became one in the light of that Sun of mystery.
نه درازی ماند نه کوته نه پهن ** گونه گونه سایه در خورشید رهن
Neither a long (shadow) remained nor a short nor a wide: shadows of every kind were given in pawn to (absorbed in) the Sun.
لیک یک‌رنگی که اندر محشرست ** بر بد و بر نیک کشف و ظاهرست 1865
But the unicolority that is (everywhere) at the Resurrection is (then) revealed and (made) manifest to the evil and the good (alike);
که معانی آن جهان صورت شود ** نقشهامان در خور خصلت شود
For in that world ideas are endued with form, and our (visible) shapes become congruous with our (moral and spiritual) qualities.
گردد آنگه فکر نقش نامه‌ها ** این بطانه روی کار جامه‌ها
The (secret) thoughts will then become (materialised in) the form of the books (recording good and evil actions): this lining will become the working surface of the garments.
این زمان سرها مثال گاو پیس ** دوک نطق اندر ملل صد رنگ ریس
During this (present) time (men's) inward beliefs are (as variegated) as a piebald cow, and in the (different) religious sects the spindle of speech is spinning (threads of) a hundred colours.
نوبت صدرنگیست و صددلی ** عالم یک رنگ کی گردد جلی
’Tis the turn (reign) of many-colouredness and many-mindedness: how should the one-coloured world become unveiled?
نوبت زنگست رومی شد نهان ** این شبست و آفتاب اندر رهان 1870
’Tis the turn (reign) of the Ethiopian; the Greek is hidden (from view): this is night, and the sun is in pawn.
نوبت گرگست و یوسف زیر چاه ** نوبت قبطست و فرعونست شاه
’Tis the turn (reign) of the wolf, and Joseph is at the bottom of the well; ’tis the turn (reign) of the Egyptians, and Pharaoh is king.
تا ز رزق بی‌دریغ خیره‌خند ** این سگان را حصه باشد روز چند
(Such is the Divine purpose), in order that for a few days these curs may have their allotted portion of the unstinted and deluding (worldly) provision.
در درون بیشه شیران منتظر ** تا شود امر تعالوا منتشر
(But) within the jungle (of this world) are lions (righteous and holy men), waiting for the command “Come!” to be spread abroad.
پس برون آیند آن شیران ز مرج ** بی‌حجابی حق نماید دخل و خرج
Then those lions will come forth from the (worldly) pasture, and God will show (unto them) their income and expenditure without any veil (disguise).
جوهر انسان بگیرد بر و بحر ** پیسه گاوان بسملان آن روز نحر 1875
The (spiritual) essence of Man will encompass land and sea, (while) the piebald cattle will be killed as victims on the Day of Slaughter.
روز نحر رستخیز سهمناک ** مومنان را عید و گاوان را هلاک
The terrible Day of Slaughter at the Resurrection is a festival for the true believers and (the hour of) destruction for the cattle.
جمله‌ی مرغان آب آن روز نحر ** هم‌چو کشتیها روان بر روی بحر
On that Day of Slaughter all the water-birds (will be) sailing along like ships on the surface of the Sea.
تا که یهلک من هلک عن بینه ** تا که ینجو من نجا واستیقنه
(This Day is ordained) to the end that they who perish may perish by a clear proof, and that they who are saved and have sure knowledge thereof may be saved (by a clear proof),
تا که بازان جانب سلطان روند ** تا که زاغان سوی گورستان روند
And that the falcons may go to the Sultan and that the crows may go to the graveyard;
که استخوان و اجزاء سرگین هم‌چو نان ** نقل زاغان آمدست اندر جهان 1880
For in this world the dessert of the crows was bones and pieces of dung like bread.
قند حکمت از کجا زاغ از کجا ** کرم سرگین از کجا باغ از کجا
How remote is the sugar of wisdom from the crow! How remote is the dung-beetle from the orchard!