گفت این از بهر تسکین غم است ** کز مصیبت بر نژاد آدم است‌‌

He said, “This (rain) was for the purpose of allaying the grief that is upon the race of Adam in calamity.

گر بر آن آتش بماندی آدمی ** بس خرابی در فتادی و کمی‌‌

If man were to remain in that fire (of grief), much ruin and loss would befall.

این جهان ویران شدی اندر زمان ** حرصها بیرون شدی از مردمان‌‌ 2065

This world would at once become desolate: (all) selfish desires would go forth from men.”

استن این عالم ای جان غفلت است ** هوشیاری این جهان را آفت است‌‌

Forgetfulness (of God), O beloved, is the pillar (prop) of this world: (spiritual) intelligence is a bane to this world.

هوشیاری ز آن جهان است و چو آن ** غالب آید پست گردد این جهان‌‌

Intelligence belongs to that (other) world, and when it prevails, this world is overthrown.

هوشیاری آفتاب و حرص یخ ** هوشیاری آب و این عالم وسخ‌‌

Intelligence is the sun and cupidity the ice; intelligence is the water and this world the dirt.

ز آن جهان اندک ترشح می‌‌رسد ** تا نغرد در جهان حرص و حسد

A little trickle (of intelligence) is coming from yonder world, that cupidity and envy may not roar (too loudly) in this world.

گر ترشح بیشتر گردد ز غیب ** نی هنر ماند در این عالم نه عیب‌‌ 2070

If the trickle from the Unseen should become greater, in this world neither virtue nor vice will be left.

این ندارد حد سوی آغاز رو ** سوی قصه‌‌ی مرد مطرب باز رو

This (topic) has no bound. Go to the starting-point, go back to the tale of the minstrel.

بقیه‌‌ی قصه‌‌ی پیر چنگی و بیان مخلص آن‌‌

The remainder of the story of the old harper and the explanation of its issue (moral)

مطربی کز وی جهان شد پر طرب ** رسته ز آوازش خیالات عجب‌‌

That minstrel by whom the world was filled with rapture, from whose voice wondrous phantasies grew (arose in the minds of those who heard him),