عدل قسامست و قسمت کردنیست ** این عجب که جبر نی و ظلم نیست
’Tis the Justice of the Dispenser, ’tis an act of (just) dispensation: the wonder is this, that (in the Divine dispensation) there is neither compulsion nor injustice.
جبر بودی کی پشیمانی بدی ** ظلم بودی کی نگهبانی بدی
Were there compulsion, how would there be repentance? Were there injustice, how would there be protection?
روز آخر شد سبق فردا بود ** راز ما را روز کی گنجا بود1645
The day is ended: the lesson will be to-morrow: how should the day (of this life) contain our mystery?
ای بکرده اعتماد واثقی ** بر دم و بر چاپلوس فاسقی
O thou who hast put firm confidence in the breath (vain words) and flattery of a scoundrel,
قبه‌ای بر ساختستی از حباب ** آخر آن خیمه‌ست بس واهی‌طناب
Thou hast raised up a tent of bubbles: in the end (thou wilt find that) that tent has exceedingly weak ropes.
زرق چون برقست و اندر نور آن ** راه نتوانند دیدن ره‌روان
Hypocrisy is like lightning, and in its gleam the travellers cannot see the way.
این جهان و اهل او بی‌حاصل‌اند ** هر دو اندر بی‌وفایی یکدل‌اند
This world and its people are good-for-nothing: both are unanimous in respect of (their) faithlessness.
زاده‌ی دنیا چو دنیا بی‌وفاست ** گرچه رو آرد به تو آن رو قفاست1650
The son of the world (the worldling) is faithless like the world: though he turn the face towards thee, that face is (really) the nape (back).
اهل آن عالم چو آن عالم ز بر ** تا ابد در عهد و پیمان مستمر
The people of that (other) world, like that world, on account of (their) probity continue for ever in (observance of their) covenant and promise.
خود دو پیغمبر به هم کی ضد شدند ** معجزات از همدگر کی بستدند
When, in sooth, did two prophets oppose each other? When did they wrest (their) evidential miracles (spiritual powers and privileges) from one another?