آن یکی موری گرفت از راه جو ** مور دیگر گندمی بگرفت و دو
One ant picks up (a grain of) barley on the road, another ant picks up a grain of wheat and runs away.
جو سوی گندم نمی‌تازد ولی ** مور سوی مور می‌آید بلی
The barley does not hurry to the wheat, but the ant comes to the ant; yes (it does).
رفتن جو سوی گندم تابعست ** مور را بین که به جنسش راجعست
The going of the barley to the wheat is (merely) consequential: (’tis) the ant, mark you, (that) returns to its congener.
تو مگو گندم چرا شد سوی جو ** چشم را بر خصم نه نی بر گرو 2960
Do not say, “Why did the wheat go to the barley?” Fix your eye on the holder, not on that which he holds in pawn.
مور اسود بر سر لبد سیاه ** مور پنهان دانه پیدا پیش راه
(As when) a black ant (moves along) on a black felt cloth: the ant is hidden (from view), (only) the grain is visible on its way,
عقل گوید چشم را نیکو نگر ** دانه هرگز کی رود بی دانه‌بر
(But) Reason says, “Look well to your eye: when does a grain ever go along without a grain-bearer?”
زین سبب آمد سوی اصحاب کلب ** هست صورتها حبوب و مور قلب
(’Twas) on this account (that) the dog came to the Companions (of the Cave): the (outward) forms are (like) the grains, while the heart (spirit) is (like) the ant.
زان شود عیسی سوی پاکان چرخ ** بد قفس‌ها مختلف یک جنس فرخ
Hence Jesus goes (ascends) to the holy ones of Heaven: the cages (bodies) were diverse, (but) the young birds (spirits) were of the same kind.
این قفس پیدا و آن فرخش نهان ** بی‌قفس کش کی قفس باشد روان 2965
This cage is visible, but the young bird in it is hidden (from sight): how should the cage be moving without a cage-carrier?
ای خنک چشمی که عقلستش امیر ** عاقبت‌بین باشد و حبر و قریر
Oh, blessed is the eye that is ruled by reason, (the eye) that discerns the end and is wise and cool.
فرق زشت و نغز از عقل آورید ** نی ز چشمی کز سیه گفت و سپید
Get (learn) the distinction between evil and good from reason, not from the eye that tells (only) of black and white.
چشم غره شد به خضرای دمن ** عقل گوید بر محک ماش زن
The eye is beguiled by the verdure on dunghills, (but) reason says, “Put it to my touchstone.”
آفت مرغست چشم کام‌بین ** مخلص مرغست عقل دام‌بین
The eye that sees (only) its (object of) desire is the bird's bane; reason, which sees the trap, is the bird's means of deliverance.
دام دیگر بد که عقلش در نیافت ** وحی غایب‌بین بدین سو زان شتافت 2970
(But) there was another trap which reason did not perceive; hence the inspiration which beholds the unseen sped in this direction.
جنس و ناجنس از خرد دانی شناخت ** سوی صورتها نشاید زود تاخت
By reason you can recognise congener and non-congener: you ought not to run at once to (outward) forms.
نیست جنسیت به صورت لی و لک ** عیسی آمد در بشر جنس ملک
My being your congener is not in respect of (outward) form: Jesus, in the form of man, was (really) homogeneous with the angels
برکشیدش فوق این نیلی‌حصار ** مرغ گردونی چو چغزش زاغ‌وار
The celestial Bird (Gabriel) carried him up above this dark-blue fortress (vault) as the raven (carried) the frog.
قصه‌ی عبدالغوث و ربودن پریان او را و سالها میان پریان ساکن شدن او و بعد از سالها آمدن او به شهر و فرزندان خویش را باز ناشکیفتن او از آن پریان بحکم جنسیت و همدلی او با ایشان
Story of ‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth and his being carried off by the peris and staying among them for years, and how after (many) years he returned to his (native) town and his children, but could not endure to be parted from the peris, because he was really their congener and spiritually one with them.
بود عبدالغوث هم‌جنس پری ** چون پری نه سال در پنهان‌پری
‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth was a congener of the peri: for nine years he was flying about invisibly, like a peri.
شد زنش را نسل از شوی دگر ** وآن یتیمانش ز مرگش در سمر 2975
His wife had offspring by another husband, and his (‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth's) orphans used to talk of his death,
که مرورا گرگ زد یا ره‌زنی ** یا فتاد اندر چهی یا مکمنی
Saying, “A wolf or a brigand (must have) attacked him, or (perhaps) he fell into a pit or ambush.”
جمله فرزندانش در اشغال مست ** خود نگفتندی که بابایی بدست
All his children were passionately absorbed in (worldly) occupations: they never said (thought) that they had a father (who might be alive).
بعد نه سال آمد او هم عاریه ** گشت پیدا باز شد متواریه
After nine years he came (back) temporarily: he appeared and (then) disappeared again.
یک مهی مهمان فرزندان خویش ** بود و زان پس کس ندیدش رنگ بیش
He was the guest of his children for one month, and after that nobody saw any more of him.
برد هم جنسی پریانش چنان ** که رباید روح را زخم سنان 2980
(Inward) homogeneity with the peris carried him off, just as a spear-thrust ravishes the spirit (from the body).
چون بهشتی جنس جنت آمدست ** هم ز جنسیت شود یزدان‌پرست
Since one who is destined for Paradise is (inwardly) homogeneous with Paradise, on account of homogeneity he also becomes a worshipper of God.