صد زبان و هر زبانش صد لغت ** زرق و دستانش نیاید در صفت
(He hath) a hundred tongues, and each tongue of him (hath) a hundred languages: his fraud and guile come not into (the bounds of) description.
مدعی گاو نفس آمد فصیح ** صد هزاران حجت آرد ناصحیح
The claimant for the cow, the fleshly soul, is eloquent and brings forward hundreds of thousands of unsound pleas.
شهر را بفریبد الا شاه را ** ره نتاند زد شه آگاه را
He deceives (all in) the city except the king: he cannot waylay the sagacious king.
نفس را تسبیح و مصحف در یمین ** خنجر و شمشیر اندر آستین
The fleshly soul hath glorification of God (on its tongue), and the Qur’án in its right hand; (but) in its sleeve (it hath) dagger and sword.
مصحف و سالوس او باور مکن ** خویش با او هم‌سر و هم‌سر مکن2555
Do not believe its Qur’án and hypocritical ostentation, do not make yourself its confidant and comrade;
سوی حوضت آورد بهر وضو ** واندر اندازد ترا در قعر او
(For) it will take you to the tank to perform the ritual ablution, and will cast you to the bottom thereof.
عقل نورانی و نیکو طالبست ** نفس ظلمانی برو چون غالبست
The intellect is luminous and a seeker of good: how (then) does the dark fleshly soul prevail over it?
زانک او در خانه عقل تو غریب ** بر در خود سگ بود شیر مهیب
(It prevails) because it is at home, (while) your intellect is a stranger: the dog at his own door is (like) a terrible lion.
باش تا شیران سوی بیشه روند ** وین سگان کور آنجا بگروند
Wait till the lions go (back) to the jungle and these blind dogs’ will believe (in them) there.
مکر نفس و تن نداند عام شهر ** او نگردد جز بوحی القلب قهر2560
The common folk of the city do not know the deceit of the fleshly soul and of the body: it (the fleshly soul) is not subdued save by (Divine) inspiration in the heart.