چون تو گوشی او زبان نی جنس تو ** گوشها را حق بفرمود أنصتوا

Inasmuch as thou art an ear and he a tongue, not thy congener: God said to the ears, “Be silent.”

کودک اول چون بزاید شیر نوش ** مدتی خامش بود او جمله گوش‌‌

When the sucking babe is born, at first it keeps silence for a while, it is all ear.

مدتی می‌‌بایدش لب دوختن ** از سخن تا او سخن آموختن‌‌

For a while it must close its lips (and refrain) from speech, until it learns to speak;

ور نباشد گوش و تی‌‌تی می‌‌کند ** خویشتن را گنگ گیتی می‌‌کند 1625

And if it is not (silent like) an ear but makes babbling sounds, it makes itself the dumbest creature in the world.

کر اصلی کش نبود آغاز گوش ** لال باشد کی کند در نطق جوش‌‌

He that is deaf by nature, he that had no ear at the beginning, is dumb: how should he burst into speech?

ز آن که اول سمع باید نطق را ** سوی منطق از ره سمع اندر آ

Since, in order to speak, one must first hear, do thou come to speech by the way of hearing.

ادخلوا الأبیات من أبوابها ** و اطلبوا الأغراض فی أسبابها

And enter ye the houses by their doors, and seek ye the ends in their causes.

نطق کان موقوف راه سمع نیست ** جز که نطق خالق بی‌‌طمع نیست‌‌

There is no speech independent of the way of hearing except the speech of the Creator who is without want.

مبدع است او تابع استاد نی ** مسند جمله و را اسناد نی‌‌ 1630

He is the Originator, He follows no master; He is the support of all things, He hath no support,

باقیان هم در حرف هم در مقال ** تابع استاد و محتاج مثال‌‌

(While) the rest, (engaged) in handicrafts and talk, follow a master and have need of a pattern.