در نصیحت من شده بار دگر ** گفته امثال و سخنها چون شکر

I went (back) once more to admonition, I spake parables and words (sweet) as sugar,

شیر تازه از شکر انگیخته ** شیر و شهدی با سخن آمیخته‌‌

I produced fresh milk from the sugar, I mingled milk and honey with my words.

در شما چون زهر گشته آن سخن ** ز آن که زهرستان بدید از بیخ و بن‌‌

In you those words became like poison, because ye were filled with poison from the root and foundation.

چون شوم غمگین که غم شد سر نگون ** غم شما بودید ای قوم حرون‌‌ 2555

How should I be grieved that grief is overthrown? Ye were grief (to me), O obstinate people.

هیچ کس بر مرگ غم نوحه کند ** ریش سر چون شد کسی مو بر کند

Does any one lament the death of grief? Does any one tear out his hair when the sore on his head is removed?”

رو به خود کرد و بگفت ای نوحه‌‌گر ** نوحه‌‌ات را می‌‌نیرزد آن نفر

(Then) he turned to himself and said, “O mourner, those folk are not worth thy mourning.”

کژ مخوان ای راست خواننده‌‌ی مبین ** کیف آسی قل لقوم ظالمین‌‌

Do not recite incorrectly, O thou who recitest correctly the perspicuous (Qur'án) “Say, how shall I be grieved for an unjust people?”

باز اندر چشم و دل او گریه یافت ** رحمتی بی‌‌علتی در وی بتافت‌‌

Again he felt a weeping in his eye and heart: an uncaused (involuntary) compassion shone forth in him.

قطره می‌‌بارید و حیران گشته بود ** قطره‌‌ی بی‌‌علت از دریای جود 2560

He was raining drops of water (shedding tears)—and he had become distraught— an uncaused drop from the Ocean of Bounty.

عقل او می‌‌گفت کین گریه ز چیست ** بر چنان افسوسیان شاید گریست‌‌

His intellect was saying, “Wherefore is this weeping? Ought one to weep for such scoffers?

بر چه می‌‌گریی بگو بر فعلشان ** بر سپاه کینه توز بدنشان‌‌

Tell me, what art thou weeping for? For their fraud? For the host of (their) ill-omened exactions of vengeance?

بر دل تاریک پر زنگارشان ** بر زبان زهر همچون مارشان‌‌

For their murky hearts full of rust? For their venomous snake-like tongues?

بر دم و دندان سگسارانه‌‌شان ** بر دهان و چشم کژدم خانه‌‌شان‌‌

For their sagsár-like breath and teeth? For their mouths and eyes teeming with scorpions?

بر ستیز و تسخر و افسوسشان ** شکر کن چون کرد حق محبوسشان‌‌ 2565

For their wrangling and sneering and scoffing? Give thanks, since God has imprisoned (restrained) them.

دستشان کژ پایشان کژ چشم کژ ** مهرشان کژ صلح‌‌شان کژ خشم کژ

Their hands are perverse, their feet perverse, their eyes perverse, their love perverse, their peace perverse, their anger perverse.”

از پی تقلید و معقولات نقل ** پا نهاده بر جمال پیر عقل‌‌

For the sake of blind conformity and (for the sake of following) traditional ideas, they set their feet (trampled) on the camels of Reason, this venerable Guide.

پیر خر نی جمله گشته پیر خر ** از ریای چشم و گوش همدگر

They were not eager for a guide (pír-khar): they all had become (like) an old donkey (pír khar) from paying hypocritical observance to each other's eyes and ears.

از بهشت آورد یزدان بردگان ** تا نمایدشان سقر پروردگان‌‌

God brought the (devout) worshippers from Paradise that He might show unto them the nurslings of Hell-fire.

در معنی آن که مرج البحرين يلتقیان بينهما برزخ لا يبغیان

On the meaning of “He let the two seas go to meet one another: between them is a barrier which they do not seek (to cross).”

اهل نار و خلد را بین هم دکان ** در میانشان برزخ لا یبغیان‌‌ 2570

Behold the people of (destined for) the Fire and those of Paradise dwelling in the same shop, (yet) between them is a barrier which they do not seek to cross.

اهل نار و اهل نور آمیخته ** در میانشان کوه قاف انگیخته‌‌

He hath mixed the people of the Fire and the people of the Light: between them He hath reared the mountain of Qáf.

همچو در کان خاک و زر کرد اختلاط ** در میانشان صد بیابان و رباط

He hath mixed (them) like earth and gold in the mine: between them are a hundred deserts and caravanserays.

همچنان که عقد در در و شبه ** مختلط چون میهمان یک شبه‌‌

(They are) mixed even as pearls and jet beads in the necklace, (soon to be parted) like guests of a single night.

بحر را نیمیش شیرین چون شکر ** طعم شیرین رنگ روشن چون قمر

One half of the sea is sweet like sugar: the taste sweet, the colour bright as the moon.

نیم دیگر تلخ همچون زهر مار ** طمع تلخ و رنگ مظلم قیروار 2575

The other half is bitter as snake's venom: the taste bitter and the colour dark as pitch.

هر دو بر هم می‌‌زنند از تحت و اوج ** بر مثال آب دریا موج موج‌‌

Both (halves) dash against one another, from beneath and from the top, wave on wave like the water of the sea.