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 گردابهاست2840
“O grammarian,” said he, “your whole life is naught, because the boat is sinking in these whirlpools.”
محو می‌‌باید نه نحو اینجا بدان ** گر تو محوی بی‌‌خطر در آب ران
Know that here mahw (self-effacement) is needed, not nah? (grammar): if you are mahw (dead to self), plunge into the sea without peril.
آب دریا مرده را بر سر نهد ** ور بود زنده ز دریا کی رهد
The water of the sea places the dead one on its head (causes him to float on the surface); but if he be living, how shall he escape from the sea?
چون بمردی تو ز اوصاف بشر ** بحر اسرارت نهد بر فرق سر
Inasmuch as you have died to the attributes of the flesh, the Sea of (Divine) consciousness will place you on the crown of its head (will raise you to honour).
ای که خلقان را تو خر می‌‌خوانده‌‌ای ** این زمان چون خر بر این یخ مانده‌‌ای
(But) O thou who hast called the people asses, at this time thou art left (floundering), like an ass, upon this ice.
گر تو علامه‌‌ی زمانی در جهان ** نک فنای این جهان بین وین زمان2845
If in the world thou art the most learned scholar of the time, behold the passing away of this world and this time!