امر امر آن فلان خواجه‌ست هین ** چیست یعنی با جز او کمتر نشین
(Suppose you are told that) the command (supreme power) is vested in such and such a lord. Hark, what does this mean? It means, ‘Do not sit (consort) with any one except him.
گرد خواجه گرد چون امر آن اوست ** کو کشد دشمن رهاند جان دوست
Move round (pay constant homage to) the lord, since the (power to) command belongs to him; for he slays his enemy and saves the life of his friend.
هرچه او خواهد همان یابی یقین ** یاوه کم رو خدمت او برگزین
Whatsoever he wills, that same thing you will certainly obtain: do not go astray, prefer his service (to all else).’
نی چو حاکم اوست گرد او مگرد ** تا شوی نامه سیاه و روی زود
(It does) not (mean), ‘Since he is possessed of (supreme) authority, do not move round him (do not frequent his court), so that you may fall into his black books and be disgraced.’
حق بود تاویل که آن گرمت کند ** پر امید و چست و با شرمت کند 3125
The interpretation that makes you ardent and hopeful and active and reverent is the true one;
ور کند سستت حقیقت این بدان ** هست تبدیل و نه تاویلست آن
And if it make you slack (in service), know the real truth to be this, that it is an alteration (of the right sense of the saying), not an interpretation.
این برای گرم کردن آمدست ** تا بگیرد ناامیدان را دو دست
This (saying) has come (down) in order to make (men) ardent (in serving God), that He may take the hands of those who have lost hope (and deliver them).
معنی قرآن ز قرآن پرس و بس ** وز کسی که آتش زدست اندر هوس
Ask the meaning of the Qur’án from the Qur’án alone, and from that one who has set fire to (and extinguished) his idle fancy,
پیش قرآن گشت قربانی و پست ** تا که عین روح او قرآن شدست
And has become a sacrifice to the Qur’án and is (laid) low (in self-abasement), so that the Qur’án has become the essence of his spirit.
روغنی کو شد فدای گل به کل ** خواه روغن بوی کن خواهی تو گل 3130
The oil that has wholly devoted itself to the rose—smell either the oil or the rose as you please.
و هم‌چنین قد جف القلم یعنی جف القلم و کتب لا یستوی الطاعة والمعصیة لا یستوی الامانة و السرقة جف القلم ان لا یستوی الشکر و الکفران جف القلم ان الله لا یضیع اجر المحسنین
And similarly (the Tradition), ‘the Pen has dried’ means that the Pen has dried after writing (the words), ‘Obedience and disobedience (to God) are not on the same level, honesty and stealing are not on the same level.’ The Pen has dried (after writing) that thanksgiving and ingratitude are not on the same level. The Pen has dried (after writing) that God does not let the reward of the righteous be lost.