چه خیالست این که این چرخ نگون ** از نهیب این خیالی شد کنون

What fancy is this, from terror of which this inverted sphere (the sky) has now become (as insubstantial as) a phantom?

گرزها و تیغها محسوس شد ** پیش بیمار و سرش منکوس شد

To the sick man the maces and swords became perceptible (visible), and his head dropped down.

او همی‌بیند که آن از بهر اوست ** چشم دشمن بسته زان و چشم دوست

He sees that that (vision) is for his sake: the eye of foe and friend (alike) is barred from it.

حرص دنیا رفت و چشمش تیز شد ** چشم او روشن گه خون‌ریز شد 120

Worldly greed vanished, his eye became keen: his eye became illumined at the moment of bloodshed (death).

مرغ بی‌هنگام شد آن چشم او ** از نتیجه‌ی کبر او و خشم او

That eye of his, from the result of his pride and his anger, became (like) the cock that crows unseasonably.

سر بریدن واجب آید مرغ را ** کو بغیر وقت جنباند درا

It is necessary to cut off the head of the bird that rings the bell (crows) at the wrong time.

هر زمان نزعیست جزو جانت را ** بنگر اندر نزع جان ایمانت را

At every moment thy particular spirit is struggling with death: in thy spirit's death-struggle look to thy faith!

عمر تو مانند همیان زرست ** روز و شب مانند دینار اشمرست

Thy life is like a purse of gold: day and night are like him who counts the gold coins (the money-changer).

می‌شمارد می‌دهد زر بی وقوف ** تا که خالی گردد و آید خسوف 125

He (Time) counts and gives the gold without stopping, until it (the purse) is emptied and there comes the eclipse (death).

گر ز که بستانی و ننهی بجای ** اندر آید کوه زان دادن ز پای

If you take away from a mountain and do not put (anything) in the place (of what you have taken), the mountain will be demolished by that giving.