کشتن این کار عقل و هوش نیست ** شیر باطن سخره‌‌ی خرگوش نیست‌‌

To slay this (enemy) is not the work of reason and intelligence: the inward lion is not subdued by the hare.

دوزخ است این نفس و دوزخ اژدهاست ** کاو به دریاها نگردد کم و کاست‌‌ 1375

This carnal self (nafs) is Hell, and Hell is a dragon (the fire of) which is not diminished by oceans (of water).

هفت دریا را در آشامد هنوز ** کم نگردد سوزش آن خلق سوز

It would drink up the Seven Seas, and still the blazing of that consumer of all creatures would not become less.

سنگها و کافران سنگ دل ** اندر آیند اندر او زار و خجل‌‌

Stones and stony-hearted infidels enter it, miserable and shamefaced,

هم نگردد ساکن از چندین غذا ** تا ز حق آید مر او را این ندا

(But) still it is not appeased by all this food, until there comes to it from God this call—

سیر گشتی سیر گوید نی هنوز ** اینت آتش اینت تابش اینت سوز

“Art thou filled, art thou filled?” It says, “Not yet; lo, here is the fire, here is the glow, here is the burning!”

عالمی را لقمه کرد و در کشید ** معده‌‌اش نعره زنان هل من مزید 1380

It made a mouthful of and swallowed a whole world, its belly crying aloud, “Is there any more?”

حق قدم بر وی نهد از لا مکان ** آن گه او ساکن شود از کن فکان‌‌

God, from (the realm) where place is not, sets His foot on it: then it subsides at (the command) Be, and it was.

چون که جزو دوزخ است این نفس ما ** طبع کل دارد همیشه جزوها

Inasmuch as this self of ours is a part of Hell, and the parts always have the nature of the whole,

این قدم حق را بود کاو را کشد ** غیر حق خود کی کمان او کشد

To God (alone) belongs this foot (power) to kill it: who, indeed, but God should draw its bow (vanquish it)?