پیش استاد فقیه آن فقه خوان ** فقه خواند نی اصول اندر بیان‌‌

With the master-jurist the student of jurisprudence reads jurisprudence, when he (the teacher) expounds it, not theology.

پیش استادی که او نحوی بود ** جان شاگردش از او نحوی شود

With the master who is a grammarian—the soul of his pupil becomes imbued by him with grammar.

باز استادی که او محو ره است ** جان شاگردش از او محو شه است‌‌

Again, the master who is absorbed in the Way (of Súfism)— because of him the soul of his pupil is absorbed in the King (God).

زین همه انواع دانش روز مرگ ** دانش فقر است ساز راه و برگ‌‌

Of all these various kinds of knowledge, on the day of death the (best) equipment and provision for the road is the knowledge of (spiritual) poverty.

حکایت ماجرای نحوی و کشتیبان‌‌

The story of what passed between the grammarian and the boatman.

آن یکی نحوی به کشتی درنشست ** رو به کشتیبان نهاد آن خود پرست‌‌ 2835

A certain grammarian embarked in a boat. That self-conceited person turned to the boatman

گفت هیچ از نحو خواندی گفت لا ** گفت نیم عمر تو شد در فنا

And said, “Have you ever studied grammar?” “No,” he replied. The other said, “Half your life is gone to naught.”

دل شکسته گشت کشتیبان ز تاب ** لیک آن دم کرد خامش از جواب‌‌

The boatman became heart-broken with grief, but at the time he refrained from answering.

باد کشتی را به گردابی فگند ** گفت کشتیبان به آن نحوی بلند

The wind cast the boat into a whirlpool: the boatman spoke loud (shouted) to the grammarian,

هیچ دانی آشنا کردن بگو ** گفت نی ای خوش جواب خوب رو

“Tell me, do you know how to swim?” “No,” said he, “O fair-spoken good-looking man!”

گفت کل عمرت ای نحوی فناست ** ز آن که کشتی غرق این گردابهاست‌‌ 2840

“O grammarian,” said he, “your whole life is naught, because the boat is sinking in these whirlpools.”