گر بیان معنوی کافی شدی ** خلق عالم عاطل و باطل بدی‌‌

If the spiritual explanation were sufficient, the creation of the world would have been vain and idle.

گر محبت فکرت و معنیستی ** صورت روزه و نمازت نیستی‌‌ 2625

If love were (only spiritual) thought and reality, the form of your fasting and prayer would be non-existent.

هدیه‌‌های دوستان با همدیگر ** نیست اندر دوستی الا صور

The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect of love, naught but forms;

تا گواهی داده باشد هدیه‌ها ** بر محبتهای مضمر در خفا

(But the purpose is) that the gifts may have borne testimony to feelings of love which are concealed in secrecy,

ز آن که احسانهای ظاهر شاهدند ** بر محبتهای سر ای ارجمند

Because outward acts of kindness bear witness to feelings of love in the heart, O dear friend.

شاهدت گه راست باشد گه دروغ ** مست گاهی از می و گاهی ز دوغ‌‌

Your witness is sometimes true, sometimes false, sometimes drunken with wine, sometimes with sour curds.

دوغ خورده مستیی پیدا کند ** های و هوی و سر گرانیها کند 2630

He that has drunk sour curds makes a show of intoxication, shouts ecstatically, and behaves like one whose head is heavy (with the fumes of wine);

آن مرایی در صیام و در صلاست ** تا گمان آید که او مست ولاست‌‌

That hypocrite is (assiduous) in fasting and praying, in order that it may be supposed that he is drunken with devotion (to God).

حاصل افعال برونی دیگر است ** تا نشان باشد بر آن چه مضمر است‌‌

In short, external acts are different (from internal feelings), (and their purpose is) to indicate that which is hidden.

یا رب آن تمییز ده ما را به خواست ** تا شناسیم آن نشان کژ ز راست‌‌

O Lord, grant us according to our desire such discernment that we may know the false indication from the true.