شکر دانستیم آغاز ترا ** انبیا گفتند آن راز ترا

Thanks (to God), we have come to know thy beginning: the prophets have told that secret of thine.

آدمی داند که خانه حادث است ** عنکبوتی نه که در وی عابث است‏ 2320

A man knows that a house is made (at some time or other); the spider which plays idly in it (knows) not (this).

پشه کی داند که این باغ از کی است ** کاو بهاران زاد و مرگش در دی است‏

How should the gnat know of what date this garden is?––for ‘twas born in spring, and its death is in the (following) winter.

کرم کاندر چوب زاید سست حال ** کی بداند چوب را وقت نهال‏

The worm that is born miserably in (dry) wood––how should it know the wood at the time when it was a (sappy) shoot?

ور بداند کرم از ماهیتش ** عقل باشد کرم باشد صورتش‏

And if the worm should know (this), it would be intellect in its essential substance; the worm would be (only) its (outward) form.

عقل خود را می‏نماید رنگها ** چون پری دور است از آن فرسنگ‏ها

Intellect shows itself (in many) guises, (but) like the Jinn is leagues removed from them (in its real nature).

از ملک بالاست چه جای پری ** تو مگس پری به پستی می‏پری‏ 2325

It is above the angels––what occasion is there for (comparing it with) the Jinn? (But) you have the wings of a gnat, you are flying downwards.

گر چه عقلت سوی بالا می‏پرد ** مرغ تقلیدت به پستی می‏چرد

Although your intellect is flying upward, the bird of your conventional notions is feeding below.

علم تقلیدی وبال جان ماست ** عاریه ست و ما نشسته کان ماست‏

Conventional knowledge is the bane of our souls; it is a borrowed thing, but we rest (at ease in the belief) that it is ours.

زین خرد جاهل همی باید شدن ** دست در دیوانگی باید زدن‏

It behoves us to become ignorant of this (worldly) wisdom; (rather) must we clutch at madness.