چون مزاج آدمی گل‌خوار شد ** زرد و بدرنگ و سقیم و خوار شد

When it has become natural to a human being to eat clay, he grows pale and ill-complexioned and sickly and miserable;

چون مزاج زشت او تبدیل یافت ** رفت زشتی از رخش چون شمع تافت 45

(But) when his ugly nature has been transformed, the ugliness departs from his face, and he shines like a candle.

دایه‌ای کو طفل شیرآموز را ** تا بنعمت خوش کند پدفوز را

Where is a nurse for the suckling babe?—that with kindness she may sweeten the inner part of its mouth,

گر ببندد راه آن پستان برو ** برگشاید راه صد بستان برو

And, though she bar its way to her teat, may open up for it the way to a hundred gardens (of delight)?—

زانک پستان شد حجاب آن ضعیف ** از هزاران نعمت و خوان و رغیف

Because the teat has become to that feeble (infant) a barrier (separating it) from thousands of pleasures and dishes (of food) and loaves (of bread).

پس حیات ماست موقوف فطام ** اندک اندک جهد کن تم الکلام

Our life, then, depends on weaning. Endeavour (to wean yourself) little by little. The discourse is (now) complete.

ون جنین بد آدمی بد خون غذا ** از نجس پاکی برد مومن کذا 50

When man was an embryo his nourishment was blood: in like fashion the true believer draws purity from filth.

از فطام خون غذااش شیر شد ** وز فطام شیر لقمه‌گیر شد

Through (his) being weaned from blood, his nourishment became milk; and through (his) being weaned from milk, he became a taker of (solid) food.

وز فطام لقمه لقمانی شود ** طالب اشکار پنهانی شود

And through (his) being weaned from food he becomes (a sage) like Luqmán; he becomes a seeker (hunter) of the hidden game.

گر جنین را کس بگفتی در رحم ** هست بیرون عالمی بس منتظم

If any one were to say to the embryo in the womb, “Outside is a world exceedingly well-ordered,