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 کند2630
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.
حس را تمییز دانی چون شود ** آن که حس ینظر بنور الله بود
Do you know how the sense-perception becomes discerning? In this way, that the sense-perception should be seeing by the light of God.
ور اثر نبود سبب هم مظهر است ** همچو خویشی کز محبت مخبر است2635
And if there be no effect (outward sign), the cause too makes manifest (that which is hidden), as (for example) kinship gives information concerning love (enables you to infer the presence of love).