ورنه شیر و پیل را بر آدمی ** فضل بودی بهر قوت ای عمی
Otherwise the lion and elephant because of (their) strength would be superior to the human being, O blind one.
فضل مردان بر زن ای حالی‌پرست ** زان بود که مرد پایان بین‌ترست1620
The superiority of men to women, O time-server, is because man is more regardful of the end.
مرد کاندر عاقبت‌بینی خمست ** او ز اهل عاقبت چون زن کمست
The man who is crooked in respect of seeing the end, he, like a woman, is inferior to those acquainted with the end.
از جهان دو بانگ می‌آید به ضد ** تا کدامین را تو باشی مستعد
From the World are coming two cries in opposition (to each other): (bethink thyself) for which (of them) thou art adapted.
آن یکی بانگش نشور اتقیا ** وان یکی بانگش فریب اشقیا
Its one cry is the (means of) quickening the devout with (spiritual) life; and its other cry is the (means of) cajoling the graceless.
من شکوفه‌ی خارم ای خوش گرمدار ** گل بریزد من بمانم شاخ خار
(The World says), “I am the thorn-blossom, O sweet cherisher (of love for me): the flower will drop and I shall remain a (mere) thorn-bough.”
بانگ اشکوفه‌ش که اینک گل‌فروش ** بانگ خار او که سوی ما مکوش1625
The cry of its (the World's) blossom is, “Here is the flower-seller!” The cry of its thorn is, “Do not strive (to advance) towards me.”
این پذیرفتی بماندی زان دگر ** که محب از ضد محبوبست کر
(If) thou hast accepted (responded to) this (alluring cry), thou art left (unmoved) by the other, for a lover is deaf to the contrary of the object loved (by him).
آن یکی بانگ این که اینک حاضرم ** بانگ دیگر بنگر اندر آخرم
The one cry is this, “Here am I, ready”; the other cry is, “Look upon my latter end.
حاضری‌ام هست چون مکر و کمین ** نقش آخر ز آینه‌ی اول ببین
My readiness is like guile and ambush: behold the image of the end in the mirror of the beginning.”
چون یکی زین دو جوال اندر شدی ** آن دگر را ضد و نا درخور شدی
When thou hast gone into one of these two sacks, thou hast become contrary and unsuitable to the other.
ای خنک آنکو ز اول آن شنید ** کش عقول و مسمع مردان شنید1630
Oh, happy is he who, from the first, heard that which the intelligences and the (spiritual) ears of (holy) men have heard.
خانه خالی یافت و جا را او گرفت ** غیر آنش کژ نماید یا شگفت
(If) it (the World) has found the house (the heart) empty and taken abode (there), all else appears to him (the owner of the house) perverted or wonderful (extraordinary).
کوزه‌ی نو کو به خود بولی کشید ** آن خبث را آب نتواند برید
(So with) the new pot that has drawn to itself some urine: water cannot detach that filth (from it).
در جهان هر چیز چیزی می‌کشد ** کفر کافر را و مرشد را رشد
Everything in the world draws something (to itself): infidelity (draws) the infidel and righteousness him who is guided aright.
کهربا هم هست و مقناطیس هست ** تا تو آهن یا کهی آیی بشست
There is both the amber and the magnet (lodestone): whether thou art iron or straw thou wilt come to the hook (thou wilt be attracted).
برد مقناطیست ار تو آهنی ** ور کهی بر کهربا بر می‌تنی1635
The magnet carries thee off if thou art iron; and if thou art straw, thou wilt be in contact with the amber.
آن یکی چون نیست با اخیار یار ** لاجرم شد پهلوی فجار جار
When any one is not associated with the good, he inevitably becomes a neighbour to the wicked.
هست موسی پیش قبطی بس ذمیم ** هست هامان پیش سبطی بس رجیم
Moses is very despicable in the eyes of the Egyptian; Hámán is exceedingly accursed in the eyes of the Israelite.
جان هامان جاذب قبطی شده ** جان موسی طالب سبطی شده
The spirit of Hámán has drawn the Egyptian (to itself); the spirit of Moses has sought the Israelite.
معده‌ی خر که کشد در اجتذاب ** معده‌ی آدم جذوب گندم آب
The belly of the ass draws straw (to itself) at the (moment of) indrawing (deglutition); the belly of Adam (Man) is an attractor of wheat-broth.
گر تو نشناسی کسی را از ظلام ** بنگر او را کوش سازیدست امام1640
If, on account of the darkness (of ignorance), thou dost not recognise a person (so as to discern his real nature), look at him whom he has made his imam (leader);
بیان آنک عارف را غذاییست از نور حق کی ابیت عند ربی یطعمنی و یسقینی و قوله الجوع طعام الله یحیی به ابدان الصدیقین ای فی الجوع یصل طعام‌الله
Explaining that the gnostic hath a nutriment (consisting) of the Light of God, for (the Prophet said), "I pass the night with my Lord: He giveth me meat and drink"; and "Hunger is God's food whereby He revives the bodies of the siddíqs," that is, "in hunger God's food reaches (them)."
زانک هر کره پی مادر رود ** تا بدان جنسیتش پیدا شود
For every foal goes after its dam, so that thereby (the fact of) its being a congener becomes apparent.
آدمی را شیر از سینه رسد ** شیر خر از نیم زیرینه رسد
The human creature's milk comes from the breast (the upper half); the milk of the ass comes from the under-half.
عدل قسامست و قسمت کردنیست ** این عجب که جبر نی و ظلم نیست
’Tis the Justice of the Dispenser, ’tis an act of (just) dispensation: the wonder is this, that (in the Divine dispensation) there is neither compulsion nor injustice.
جبر بودی کی پشیمانی بدی ** ظلم بودی کی نگهبانی بدی
Were there compulsion, how would there be repentance? Were there injustice, how would there be protection?
روز آخر شد سبق فردا بود ** راز ما را روز کی گنجا بود1645
The day is ended: the lesson will be to-morrow: how should the day (of this life) contain our mystery?
ای بکرده اعتماد واثقی ** بر دم و بر چاپلوس فاسقی
O thou who hast put firm confidence in the breath (vain words) and flattery of a scoundrel,
قبه‌ای بر ساختستی از حباب ** آخر آن خیمه‌ست بس واهی‌طناب
Thou hast raised up a tent of bubbles: in the end (thou wilt find that) that tent has exceedingly weak ropes.
زرق چون برقست و اندر نور آن ** راه نتوانند دیدن ره‌روان
Hypocrisy is like lightning, and in its gleam the travellers cannot see the way.
این جهان و اهل او بی‌حاصل‌اند ** هر دو اندر بی‌وفایی یکدل‌اند
This world and its people are good-for-nothing: both are unanimous in respect of (their) faithlessness.
زاده‌ی دنیا چو دنیا بی‌وفاست ** گرچه رو آرد به تو آن رو قفاست1650
The son of the world (the worldling) is faithless like the world: though he turn the face towards thee, that face is (really) the nape (back).
اهل آن عالم چو آن عالم ز بر ** تا ابد در عهد و پیمان مستمر
The people of that (other) world, like that world, on account of (their) probity continue for ever in (observance of their) covenant and promise.
خود دو پیغمبر به هم کی ضد شدند ** معجزات از همدگر کی بستدند
When, in sooth, did two prophets oppose each other? When did they wrest (their) evidential miracles (spiritual powers and privileges) from one another?
کی شود پژمرده میوه‌ی آن جهان ** شادی عقلی نگردد اندهان
How should the fruit of that world become stale? Intellectual joy does not turn into sorrows.
نفس بی‌عهدست زان رو کشتنیست ** او دنی و قبله‌گاه او دنیست
The fleshly soul is unplighted (bound by no covenant); for that reason it ought to be killed: it is base, and base is the spot to which its desires are directed.
نفسها را لایقست این انجمن ** مرده را درخور بود گور و کفن1655
This assembly (the world) is well-adapted for fleshly souls: the grave and shroud are suitable to the dead.
نفس اگر چه زیرکست و خرده‌دان ** قبله‌اش دنیاست او را مرده دان
Although the fleshly soul is sagacious and acute, its qibla (objective) is this world, (therefore) regard it as dead.
آب وحی حق بدین مرده رسید ** شد ز خاک مرده‌ای زنده پدید
(But when) the water of God's inspiration has reached this dead (soul), the living (soul) comes into view (rises) from the tomb of a corpse.
تا نیاید وحش تو غره مباش ** تو بدان گلگونه‌ی طال بقاش
Until inspiration comes, do not thou (meanwhile) be duped by that rouge (vanity) of “May his life be long!”
بانگ و صیتی جو که آن خامل نشد ** تاب خورشیدی که آن آفل نشد
Seek the applause and renown that does not die away, the splendour of the sun that does not sink.
آن هنرهای دقیق و قال و قیل ** قوم فرعون‌اند اجل چون آب نیل1660
Those abstruse sciences and disputations are (like) the people of Pharaoh: Death is like the water of the Nile.
رونق و طاق و طرنب و سحرشان ** گرچه خلقان را کشد گردن کشان
Although their brilliance and pomp and show and enchantment drag the people along by the scruff of the neck,
سحرهای ساحران دان جمله را ** مرگ چوبی دان که آن گشت اژدها
Know that all (that) is (like) the enchantments of the magicians; know that Death is (like) the rod (of Moses) which became a dragon.
جادویها را همه یک لقمه کرد ** یک جهان پر شب بد آن را صبح خورد
It made one mouthful of all (their) sorceries. There was a world filled with night: the dawn devoured it.
نور از آن خوردن نشد افزون و بیش ** بل همان سانست کو بودست پیش
The light is not made greater and more by that (act of) devouring; nay, it is just the same as it has (always) been before.
در اثر افزون شد و در ذات نی ** ذات را افزونی و آفات نی1665
It is increased in respect of the effect (which it has produced), but not in respect of its essence: the essence hath (suffers) no increase or diminution.
حق ز ایجاد جهان افزون نشد ** آنچ اول آن نبود اکنون نشد
God was not increased by (His) bringing the world into existence: that which He was not formerly He has not become now;
لیک افزون گشت اثر ز ایجاد خلق ** در میان این دو افزونیست فرق
But the effect (phenomenal being) was increased by (His) bringing created things into existence: there is (a great) difference between these two increases.
هست افزونی اثر اظهار او ** تا پدید آید صفات و کار او
The increase of the effect is His manifestation, in order that His attributes and action may be made visible.