پس فقیر آن شیخ را احوال گفت ** عذر را با آن غرامت کرد جفت‏

Then the dervish told the Shaykh how the case stood, and coupled excuses with the discharge of that obligation.

مر سؤال شیخ را داد او جواب ** چون جوابات خضر خوب و صواب‏

To the Shaykh's questions he gave answer good and right, like the answers of Khadir—

آن جوابات سؤالات کلیم ** کش خضر بنمود از رب علیم‏

(Namely) those answers to the questions of Moses which Khadir, (inspired) by the all-knowing Lord, set forth to him,

گشت مشکلهاش حل و افزون زیاد ** از پی هر مشکلش مفتاح داد

(So that) his difficulties became solved, and he (Khadir) gave to him (Moses) the key to every question (in a way) beyond telling.

از خضر درویش هم میراث داشت ** در جواب شیخ همت بر گماشت‏ 3530

The dervish also had (a spiritual) inheritance from Khadir; (hence) he bent his will to answering the Shaykh.

گفت راه اوسط ار چه حکمت است ** لیک اوسط نیز هم با نسبت است‏

He said, “Although the middle path is (the way of) wisdom, yet the middle path too is relative.

آب جو نسبت به اشتر هست کم ** لیک باشد موش را آن همچو یم‏

Relatively to a camel, the water in the stream is little, but to a mouse it is like the ocean.

هر که را باشد وظیفه چار نان ** دو خورد یا سه خورد هست اوسط آن‏

If any one has an allowance of four loaves and eats two or three, that is the mean;

ور خورد هر چار دور از اوسط است ** او اسیر حرص مانند بط است‏

But if he eat all the four, it is far from the mean: he is in bondage to greed, like a duck.

هر که او را اشتها ده نان بود ** شش خورد می‏دان که اوسط آن بود 3535

If one has appetite for ten loaves and eats six, know that that is the mean.