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).
نقشهایی کاندر این حمامهاست ** از برون جامه کن چون جامهاست2770
The pictures (phenomena) which are in these hot baths (the world), (when viewed) from outside the undressing-room (of self-abandonment), are like clothes.
تا برونی جامه‌‌ها بینی و بس ** جامه بیرون کن در آ ای هم نفس
So long as you are outside, you see only the clothes (phenomena): put off your clothes and enter (the bath of reality), O kindred spirit,