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!
مرد نحوی را از آن در دوختیم ** تا شما را نحو محو آموختیم
We have stitched in (inserted) the (story of the) grammarian, that we might teach you the grammar (nahw) of self-effacement (mahw).
فقه فقه و نحو نحو و صرف صرف ** در کم آمد یابی ای یار شگرف
In self-loss, O venerated friend, thou wilt find the jurisprudence of jurisprudence, the grammar of grammar, and the accidence of accidence.
آن سبوی آب دانشهای ماست ** و آن خلیفه دجله‌‌ی علم خداست
That jug of water is (an emblem of) our different sorts of knowledge, and the Caliph is the Tigris of God's knowledge.
ما سبوها پر به دجله می‌‌بریم ** گر نه خر دانیم خود را ما خریم
We are carrying jugs full (of water) to the Tigris: if we do not know ourselves to be asses, asses we are.