عاشق آن وهم اگر صادق بود ** آن مجاز او حقیقت کش شود2760
If the lover of that (false) conception be sincere, that metaphor (unreal judgement) will lead him to the reality.
شرح میخواهد بیان این سخن ** لیک میترسم ز افهام کهن
The exposition of this saying demands a commentary, but I am afraid of senile (feeble) minds.
فهمهای کهنهی کوته نظر ** صد خیال بد در آرد در فکر
Senile and short-sighted minds bring a hundred evil fancies into their thoughts.
بر سماع راست هر کس چیر نیست ** لقمهی هر مرغکی انجیر نیست
Not every one is able to hear rightly: the fig is not a morsel for every little bird,
خاصه مرغی مردهای پوسیدهای ** پر خیالی اعمیی بیدیدهای
Especially a bird that is dead, putrid; a blind, eyeless (fellow) filled with vain fancy.
نقش ماهی را چه دریا و چه خاک ** رنگ هندو را چه صابون و چه زاک2765
To the picture of a fish what is the difference between sea and land? To the colour of a Hindoo what is the difference between soap and black vitriol?
نقش اگر غمگین نگاری بر ورق ** او ندارد از غم و شادی سبق
If you depict the portrait on the paper as sorrowful, it has no lesson (learns nothing) of sorrow or joy.
صورتش غمگین و او فارغ از آن ** صورتش خندان و او ز آن بینشان
Its appearance is sorrowful, but it is free from that (sorrow); (or) its appearance is smiling, but it has no (inward) impression of that (joy).
وین غم و شادی که اندر دل خفی است ** پیش آن شادی و غم جز نقش نیست
And this (worldly) sorrow and joy which are a lot (received) in the heart (which befall the heart) are naught but a picture in comparison with that (spiritual) joy and sorrow.
صورت خندان نقش از بهر تست ** تا از آن صورت شود معنی درست
The picture's smiling appearance is for your sake, in order that by means of that picture the reality may be established (rightly understood by you).