رنگ باقی صبغة الله است و بس ** غیر آن بر بسته دان هم‌چون جرس
The only lasting colour is the dye of Allah: know that all the rest are tied (stuck) on (superficially) like a bell.
رنگ صدق و رنگ تقوی و یقین ** تا ابد باقی بود بر عابدین
The colour of sincerity and the colour of piety and intuitive faith will endure in the (devout) worshippers for evermore;
رنگ شک و رنگ کفران و نفاق ** تا ابد باقی بود بر جان عاق
And the colour of doubt and the colour of ingratitude and hypocrisy will endure in the undutiful soul for evermore;
چون سیه‌رویی فرعون دغا ** رنگ آن باقی و جسم او فنا
Like wicked Pharaoh's blackness of face, the colour whereof is enduring, though his body passes away.
برق و فر روی خوب صادقین ** تن فنا شد وان به جا تو یومن دین 4715
(And so with) the radiance and glory in the beauteous faces of the sincere (believers): their bodies pass away, but that remains till the Day of Judgement.
زشت آن زشتست و خوب آن خوب و بس ** دایم آن ضحاک و این اندر عبس
The only ugly one is that (eternally) ugly one; the only beautiful one is that (eternally) beautiful one: this one is always laughing and that one scowling.
خاک را رنگ و فن و سنگی دهد ** طفل‌خویان را بر آن جنگی دهد
He (God) gives to earth a certain colour and variety and value, and causes childish folk to wrangle over it.
از خمیری اشتر وشیری پزند ** کودکان از حرص آن کف می‌گزند
(When) a piece of dough is baked in the shape of a camel or lion, (these) children bite their fingers (excitedly) in their greed for it.
شیر و اشتر نان شود اندر دهان ** در نگیرد این سخن با کودکان
The lion or camel turns to bread in the mouth, but it is futile to tell this to children.
کودک اندر جهل و پندار و شکیست ** شکر باری قوت او اندکیست 4720
The child is in a (state of) ignorance and fancy and doubt: at any rate, thank God, his strength is (but) little.
طفل را استیزه و صد آفتست ** شکر این که بی‌فن و بی‌قوتست
The child is quarrelsome and very mischievous: thank God for his lack of skill and strength.
وای ازین پیران طفل ناادیب ** گشته از قوت بلای هر رقیب
(But) alas for these childish undisciplined elders who in their strength have become an affliction to every guardian!
چون سلاح و جهل جمع آید به هم ** گشت فرعونی جهان‌سوز از ستم
When weapons and ignorance are brought together, he (such an one) becomes in his tyranny a world-consuming Pharaoh.
شکر کن ای مرد درویش از قصور ** که ز فرعونی رهیدی وز کفور
O poor man, thank God for thy deficiency (of means), for (thereby) thou art delivered from being a Pharaoh and ungrateful (for Divine blessings).
شکر که مظلومی و ظالم نه‌ای ** آمن از فرعونی و هر فتنه‌ای 4725
Thank God that thou art the oppressed, not the oppressor: thou art secure from acting like Pharaoh and from every temptation.
اشکم تی لاف اللهی نزد ** که آتشش را نیست از هیزم مدد
An empty belly never bragged of Divinity, for it has no faggots to feed its fire.
اشکم خالی بود زندان دیو ** کش غم نان مانعست از مکر و ریو
An empty belly is the Devil's prison, because anxiety for bread prevents him from plotting and deceiving.
اشکم پر لوت دان بازار دیو ** تاجران دیو را در وی غریو
Know that a belly full of viands is the Devil's market, where the Devil's merchants raise a clamour:
تاجران ساحر لاشی‌فروش ** عقل‌ها را تیره کرده از خروش
Merchants who practise sorcery and sell worthless goods and obfuscate (men's) wits by vociferation.
خم روان کرده ز سحری چون فرس ** کرده کرباسی ز مهتاب و غلس 4730
By a (trick of) sorcery they cause a vat to run like a horse and make a piece of linen out of moonshine and twilight.
چون بریشم خاک را برمی‌تنند ** خاک در چشم ممیز می‌زنند
They weave earth like silk and throw earth (dust) in the eyes of the discerning.
چندلی را رنگ عودی می‌دهند ** بر کلوخیمان حسودی می‌دهند
They give to a bit of (fragrant) sandal-wood the appearance of a piece of (common) wood; they put in us the envious desire for a clod.
پاک آنک خاک را رنگی دهد ** هم‌چو کودکمان بر آن جنگی دهد
(But) holy is He who giveth (mere) earth a (specious) colour and causes us to quarrel over it like children.
دامنی پر خاک ما چون طفلکان ** در نظرمان خاک هم‌چون زر کان
(The world is) a skirtful of earth, and we are like little children: in our sight the earth is as gold of the mine.
طفل را با بالغان نبود مجال ** طفل را حق کی نشاند با رجال 4735
There is no room for a child beside (grown-up) men: how should God let a child sit with men?