Mile after mile through the night the lightning's deception leads thee on, without a guide, in a dark wilderness.
بر که افتی گاه و در جوی اوفتی ** گه بدین سو گه بدان سوی اوفتی
Now thou fallest on a mountain, now into a river; now thou wanderest in this direction, now in that.
خود نبینی تو دلیل ای جاه‌جو ** ور ببینی رو بگردانی ازو 4100
O seeker of worldly estate, thou wilt never find the guide; and if thou find him, thou wilt avert thy face from him,
که سفر کردم درین ره شصت میل ** مر مرا گمراه گوید این دلیل
Saying, “I have travelled sixty miles on this road, and (now) this guide tells me I have lost my way.
گر نهم من گوش سوی این شگفت ** ز امر او راهم ز سر باید گرفت
If I give ear to this marvel, I must begin my journey again under his authority.
من درین ره عمر خود کردم گرو ** هرچه بادا باد ای خواجه برو
I have devoted my life to this journey: (I will pursue it) come what may. Begone, O Khwája!”
راه کردی لیک در ظن چو برق ** عشر آن ره کن پی وحی چو شرق
“(Yes), thou hast journeyed (far), but (only) in opinion (unsubstantial) as lightning: (come), make a tenth part of that journey for the sake of (Divine) inspiration (glorious) as the sunrise.
ظن لایغنی من الحق خوانده‌ای ** وز چنان برقی ز شرقی مانده‌ای 4105
Thou hast read (the Verse), Opinion cannot serve instead of truth, and (yet) by a lightning-flash like that thou hast been blinded to a rising sun.
هی در آ در کشتی ما ای نژند ** یا تو آن کشتی برین کشتی ببند
Hark, come into our boat, O wretched man, or (at least) tie that boat (of thine) to this boat (of ours).”
گوید او چون ترک گیرم گیر و دار ** چون روم من در طفیلت کوروار
He replies, “How should I abandon power and dominion? How should I follow thee blindly?”
کور با رهبر به از تنها یقین ** زان یکی ننگست و صد ننگست ازین
A blind man is certainly better off with a guide than (when he goes) alone: in the former case there is (only) one ignominy, while in the latter there are a hundred.
می‌گریزی از پشه در کزدمی ** می‌گریزی در یمی تو از نمی
Thou art fleeing from a gnat to a scorpion, thou art fleeing from a dewdrop into an ocean.
می‌گریزی از جفاهای پدر ** در میان لوطیان و شور و شر 4110
Thou art fleeing from thy father's unkindnesses into the midst of scoundrels and mischief and trouble.
می‌گریزی هم‌چو یوسف ز اندهی ** تا ز نرتع نلعب افتی در چهی
Like Joseph, thou art fleeing from one sorrow to fall into a well (of woe) through (being beguiled by) “let us frolic and play.”
در چه افتی زین تفرج هم‌چو او ** مر ترا لیک آن عنایت یار کو
Because of this pastime thou fallest into a well, like him; but where is the (Divine) favour to help thee (as it helped him)?
گر نبودی آن به دستوری پدر ** برنیاوردی ز چه تا حشر سر
Had it not been (done) by his father's leave, he would never have emerged from the well till the Resurrection;
آن پدر بهر دل او اذن داد ** گفت چون اینست میلت خیر باد
(But) in order to please him his father gave the permission and said, “Since this is thy desire, may good come (of it)!”