He is journeying in a long wilderness, now limping in despair and now (advancing) at a run.
شمع نه تا پیشوای خود کند ** نیم شمعی نه که نوری کد کند
He hath neither a candle, that he should make it his leader, nor half a candle, that he should beg a light.
نیست عقلش تا دم زنده زند ** نیم‌عقلی نه که خود مرده کند
He hath neither (perfect) intelligence, that he should breathe the breath of the living, nor hath he a half-intelligence, that he should make himself dead.
مرده‌ی آن عاقل آید او تمام ** تا برآید از نشیب خود به بام
He (the half-intelligent one) becomes wholly dead in (devotion to) the man of (perfect) intelligence, that he may ascend from his own low place to the (lofty) roof.
عقل کامل نیست خود را مرده کن ** در پناه عاقلی زنده‌سخن
(If) you have not perfect intelligence, make yourself dead under the protection of an intelligent man whose words are living.
زنده نی تا همدم عیسی بود ** مرده نی تا دمگه عیسی شود2200
He (the man devoid of intelligence) is not living, that he should breathe in accord with (a) Jesus, nor is he dead, that he should become a channel for the (life-giving) breath of (a) Jesus.
جان کورش گام هر سو می‌نهد ** عاقبت نجهد ولی بر می‌جهد
His blind spirit is stepping in every direction: it will not escape in the end, but it is leaping up.
قصه‌ی آن آبگیر و صیادان و آن سه ماهی یکی عاقل و یکی نیم عاقل وان دگر مغرور و ابله مغفل لاشی و عاقبت هر سه
Story of the lake and the fishermen and the three fishes, one intelligent and one half intelligent and the third deluded, foolish, heedless and good-for-naught; and the end of all three.
قصه‌ی آن آبگیرست ای عنود ** که درو سه ماهی اشگرف بود
This, O obstinate man, is the story of the lake in which there were three great fishes.
در کلیله خوانده باشی لیک آن ** قشر قصه باشد و این مغز جان
You will have read it in Kalíla, but that is (only) the husk of the story, while this is the spiritual kernel.
چند صیادی سوی آن آبگیر ** برگذشتند و بدیدند آن ضمیر
Some fishermen passed beside the lake and saw that concealed (prey).