بار دیگر ما به قصه آمدیم ** ما از آن قصه برون خود کی شدیم‌‌

Once more we come back to the tale: when, indeed, did we go forth from the tale?

گر به جهل آییم آن زندان اوست ** ور به علم آییم آن ایوان اوست‌‌ 1510

If we come to ignorance, that is His prison, and if we come to knowledge, that is His palace;

ور به خواب آییم مستان وی‌‌ایم ** ور به بیداری به دستان وی‌‌ایم‌‌

And if we come to sleep, we are His intoxicated ones; and if to wakefulness, we are in His hands;

ور بگرییم ابر پر زرق وی‌‌ایم ** ور بخندیم آن زمان برق وی‌‌ایم‌‌

And if we weep, we are His cloud shedding rain-drops abundantly; and if we laugh, at that time we are His lightning;

ور به خشم و جنگ عکس قهر اوست ** ور به صلح و عذر عکس مهر اوست‌‌

And if (we come) to wrath and war, ’tis the reflexion of His Might; and if to peace and forgiveness, ’tis the reflexion of His Love.

ما که‌‌ایم اندر جهان پیچ پیچ ** چون الف او خود چه دارد هیچ هیچ‌‌

Who are we? In this tangled (complex) world what (thing other than He) indeed hath He (who is single) like alif? Nothing, nothing.

سؤال کردن رسول روم از عمر از سبب ابتلای ارواح با این آب و گل اجساد

How the ambassador asked ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, concerning the cause of the tribulation suffered by spirits in this clay of the body.

گفت یا عمر چه حکمت بود و سر ** حبس آن صافی در این جای کدر 1515

He said, “O ‘Umar, what was the wisdom and mystery of imprisoning that pure one (the spirit) in this dirty place?

آب صافی در گلی پنهان شده ** جان صافی بسته‌‌ی ابدان شده‌‌

The pure water has become hidden in mud: the pure spirit has become bound in bodies.”

گفت تو بحثی شگرفی می‌‌کنی ** معنیی را بند حرفی می‌‌کنی‌‌

He (‘Umar) said, “Thou art making a profound inquiry, thou art confining a meaning in a word.

حبس کردی معنی آزاد را ** بند حرفی کرده ای تو یاد را

Thou hast imprisoned the free (unconditioned) meaning, thou hast bound the wind in a word.