-
بود اندر عهده خود سحر افتخار ** چون عصا شد مار آنها گشت عار
- Magic was glorious in its own time: when the rod became a dragon, those (magic arts) were disgraced.
-
هر کسی را دعوی حسن و نمک ** سنگ مرگ آمد نمکها را محک
- Every one pretends to excellence and elegance: the stone of Death is the touchstone for (these) elegances.
-
سحر رفت و معجزهی موسی گذشت ** هر دو را از بام بود افتاد طشت 1675
- Magic is gone and the miracle of Moses is past: as regards both, the bowl has fallen from the roof of (their) being.
-
بانگ طشت سحر جز لعنت چه ماند ** بانگ طشت دین به جز رفعت چه ماند
- What has the noise of the bowl of magic left behind but execration? What has the noise of the bowl of religion left behind but sublimity?
-
چون محک پنهان شدست از مرد و زن ** در صف آ ای قلب و اکنون لاف زن
- Since the touchstone has become hidden from man and woman, O adulterated coin, come now into line (with the genuine coin) and brag!
-
وقت لافستت محک چون غایبست ** میبرندت از عزیزی دست دست
- ’Tis the time for thee to brag. Since the touchstone is absent, they will pass thee in honour from hand to hand.
-
قلب میگوید ز نخوت هر دمم ** ای زر خالص من از تو کی کمم
- The adulterated coin is ever saying to me arrogantly, “O pure gold, how am I inferior to thee?”
-
زر همیگوید بلی ای خواجهتاش ** لیک میآید محک آماده باش 1680
- The gold says, “Yes, O fellow-servant; but the touchstone is coming: be prepared.”
-
مرگ تن هدیهست بر اصحاب راز ** زر خالص را چه نقصانست گاز
- The death of the body is a (welcome) gift to the adepts of the mystery: what damage is (done by) the scissors to pure gold?
-
قلب اگر در خویش آخربین بدی ** آن سیه که آخر شد او اول شدی
- If the adulterated coin had seen the end in regard to itself, it would have become at first the black (thing) which it became in the end.