مار در موزه ببینم بر هوا ** نیست از من عکس تست ای مصطفی

(If) I, in the air, see the serpent in the boot, ’tis not of myself, ’tis thy reflexion, O Mustafá.”

عکس نورانی همه روشن بود ** عکس ظلمانی همه گلخن بود

The reflexion of the man of light is wholly resplendent; the reflexion of the man of darkness is wholly (like) a bath-stove (ash-heap).

عکس عبدالله همه نوری بود ** عکس بیگانه همه کوری بود

The reflexion of the servant of God is wholly luminous; the reflexion of the stranger (to God) is wholly blindness.

عکس هر کس را بدان ای جان ببین ** پهلوی جنسی که خواهی می‌نشین

Know every one's reflexion: see (it plainly), O my soul. (Then) ever sit beside the congener whom thou desirest.

وجه عبرت گرفتن ازین حکایت و یقین دانستن کی ان مع العسر یسرا

The right way of taking a lesson from this story and knowing with certainty that “verily, together with hardship there is ease.”

عبرتست آن قصه ای جان مر ترا ** تا که راضی باشی در حکم خدا 3255

That tale is a lesson to thee, O my soul, to the end that thou mayst acquiesce in the decree of God;

تا که زیرک باشی و نیکوگمان ** چون ببینی واقعه‌ی بد ناگهان

So that thou wilt be quick to understand and wilt have good thoughts (of God) when thou seest a calamity (befall thee) of a sudden.

دیگران گردند زرد از بیم آن ** تو چو گل خندان گه سود و زیان

(While) others turn pale from dread of it, thou (wilt be) laughing in the hour of gain or loss, like the rose.

زانک گل گر برگ برگش می‌کنی ** خنده نگذارد نگردد منثنی

Because the rose, though thou tear it petal by petal, does not leave off laughing and does not become bent (with grief).

گوید از خاری چرا افتم بغم ** خنده را من خود ز خار آورده‌ام

“Why,” it says, “should I fall into grief on account of a thorn? Indeed I have brought laughter (into my possession) by means of the thorn.”

هرچه از تو یاوه گردد از قضا ** تو یقین دان که خریدت از بلا 3260

Whatsoever by (Divine) destiny becomes lost to thee, know for sure that it has redeemed thee from affliction.