دان که هر رنجی ز مردن پارهای است ** جزو مرگ از خود بران گر چارهای است
Know that every pain is a piece of Death: expel (that) part of Death from thee, if there be a means (of doing so).
چون ز جزو مرگ نتوانی گریخت ** دان که کلش بر سرت خواهند ریخت
When thou canst not flee from the part of Death, know that the whole of it will be poured upon thy head.
جزو مرگ ار گشت شیرین مر ترا ** دان که شیرین میکند کل را خدا2300
If the part of Death has become sweet to thee, know that God will make the whole sweet.
دردها از مرگ میآید رسول ** از رسولش رو مگردان ای فضول
Pains are coming from Death as (his) messengers: do not avert thy face from his messenger, O foolish one!
هر که شیرین میزید او تلخ مرد ** هر که او تن را پرستد جان نبرد
Whoever lives sweetly (pleasantly) dies bitterly (painfully): whoever serves his body does not save his soul.
گوسفندان را ز صحرا میکشند ** آن که فربه تر مر آن را میکشند
Sheep are driven from the plains (to the town): they kill those that are fattest.
شب گذشت و صبح آمد ای تمر ** چند گیری این فسانهی زر ز سر
The night is past and dawn is come. O my soul, how long wilt thou take up (again) this tale of gold from the beginning?
تو جوان بودی و قانعتر بدی ** زر طلب گشتی خود اول زر بدی2305
Thou wert young (once), and (then) thou wert more contented: (now) thou hast become a seeker of gold, (but) at first thou wert gold indeed (precious and perfect).
رز بدی پر میوه چون کاسد شدی ** وقت میوه پختنت فاسد شدی
Thou wert a fruitful vine: how hast thou become unsaleable (worthless)? How hast thou become rotten when thy fruit is ripening?
میوهات باید که شیرینتر شود ** چون رسن تابان نه واپستر رود
Thy fruit ought to become sweeter and not move farther backwards like rope-makers.
جفت مایی جفت باید هم صفت ** تا بر آید کارها با مصلحت
Thou art my wife: the wife must be of the same quality (as the husband) in order that things may go rightly.
جفت باید بر مثال همدگر ** در دو جفت کفش و موزه در نگر
The married pair must match one another: look at a pair of shoes or boots.
گر یکی کفش از دو تنگ آید بپا ** هر دو جفتش کار ناید مر ترا2310
If one of the shoes is too tight for the foot, the pair of them is of no use to thee.
جفت در یک خرد و آن دیگر بزرگ ** جفت شیر بیشه دیدی هیچ گرگ
Hast thou ever seen one leaf of a (folding) door small and the other large, or a wolf mated with the lion of the jungle?
راست ناید بر شتر جفت جوال ** آن یکی خالی و این پر مال مال
A pair of sacks on a camel do not balance properly when one is empty and one full to the brim.
من روم سوی قناعت دل قوی ** تو چرا سوی شناعت میروی
I march with stout heart towards contentment: why art thou betaking thyself to revilement?”
مرد قانع از سر اخلاص و سوز ** زین نسق میگفت با زن تا به روز
In this fashion the contented man, moved by sincerity and ardour, was talking to his wife till daybreak.
نصیحت کردن زن مر شوی را که سخن افزون از قدم و از مقام خود مگو لم تقولون ما لا تفعلونکه این سخنها اگر چه راست است این مقام توکل ترا نیست و این سخن گفتن فوق مقام و معاملهی خود زیان دارد و کبر مقتا عند الله باشد
How the wife counselled her husband, saying, "Don't talk in excess of (beyond) thy merit and (spiritual) rank—'why say ye that which ye do not?'—for although these words are true, yet thou hast not attained to the degree of trust in God, and to speak thus above thy station and devotional practice is harmful and 'exceedingly hateful in the sight of God.'"
زن بر او زد بانگ کای ناموس کیش ** من فسون تو نخواهم خورد بیش2315
The wife cried out at him, saying, “O thou who makest reputation thy religion, I will not swallow thy spells (deceiving speeches) any more.
ترهات از دعوی و دعوت مگو ** رو سخن از کبر وز نخوت مگو
Don't talk nonsense in thy presumption and pretension: begone, don't speak from pride and arrogance.
چند حرف طمطراق و کار و بار ** کار و حال خود ببین و شرم دار
How long (wilt thou utter) pompous and artificial phrases? Look at thine own acts and feelings and be ashamed!
کبر زشت و از گدایان زشتتر ** روز سرد و برف و آن گه جامه تر
Pride is ugly, and in beggars (all the) more ugly: (it is like) wet clothes after a cold snowy day.
چند دعوی و دم و باد و بروت ** ای ترا خانه چو بیت العنکبوت
How long (this) pretension and palaver and bluster, O thou whose house is (frail) as the house of the spider?
از قناعت کی تو جان افروختی ** از قناعتها تو نام آموختی2320
When hast thou illumined thy soul by contentment? Of contentment thou hast learned (only) the name.
گفت پیغمبر قناعت چیست گنج ** گنج را تو وا نمیدانی ز رنج
The Prophet said, ‘What is contentment? A treasure.’ Thou canst not distinguish the gain from the pain.
این قناعت نیست جز گنج روان ** تو مزن لاف ای غم و رنج روان
This contentment is the soul's treasure: do not thou boast (of possessing it), O (thou who art) grief and pain to my soul.