وهم را مژده‌ست و پیش عقل نقد ** ز انک چشم وهم شد محجوب فقد
To Opinion it is (merely) good tidings, whereas in the sight of Reason it is ready cash (actuality), because the eye of Opinion is veiled by missing (the object sought).
کافران را درد و مومن را بشیر ** لیک نقد حال در چشم بصیر
It is pain to the infidels and glad news to the faithful, but in the eye of the seer it is immediate experience.
زانک عاشق در دم نقدست مست ** لاجرم از کفر و ایمان برترست3280
Inasmuch as the lover is intoxicated at the moment of immediacy, he is necessarily superior to infidelity and faith.
کفر و ایمان هر دو خود دربان اوست ** کوست مغز و کفر و دین او را دو پوست
Indeed, both infidelity and faith are his door-keeper (who secures him from intrusion); for he is the kernel, while infidelity and religion are his two rinds.
کفر قشر خشک رو بر تافته ** باز ایمان قشر لذت یافته
Infidelity is the dry peel that has averted its face (from the kernel); faith, again, is the peel (inner integument) that has gained a delicious flavour.
قشرهای خشک را جا آتش است ** قشر پیوسته به مغز جان خوش است
The place for the dry peels is the fire, (but) the peel attached to the spiritual kernel is sweet.
مغز خود از مرتبه‌ی خوش برترست ** برترست از خوش که لذت گسترست
The kernel itself is above the grade of “sweet”: it is above “sweet” because it is the dispenser of deliciousness.
این سخن پایان ندارد باز گرد ** تا برآرد موسیم از بحر گرد3285
This discourse hath no end: turn back, that my Moses may cleave the sea asunder.
درخور عقل عوام این گفته شد ** از سخن باقی آن بنهفته شد
This (preceding part) of the discourse hath been spoken suitably to the intelligence of the vulgar; the remainder thereof hath been concealed.
زر عقلت ریزه است ای متهم ** بر قراضه مهر سکه چون نهم
The gold, (which is) thy intelligence, is in fragments, O suspected one: how should I set the stamp of the die upon clippings?