تاج از آن اوست آن ما کمر ** وای او کز حد خود دارد گذر
His (God's) is the crown (of sovereignty), ours the belt (of servitude): woe to him that passes beyond his proper bound!
فتنه‌ی تست این پر طاووسیت ** که اشتراکت باید و قدوسیت 535
Thy peacock-feathers are a (sore) temptation to thee, for thou must needs have co-partnership (with God) and All-holiness.
قصه‌ی آن حکیم کی دید طاوسی را کی پر زیبای خود را می‌کند به منقار و می‌انداخت و تن خود را کل و زشت می‌کرد از تعجب پرسید کی دریغت نمی‌آید گفت می‌آید اما پیش من جان از پر عزیزتر است و این پر عدوی جان منست
Story of the Sage who saw a peacock tearing out his handsome feathers with his beak and dropping them (on the ground) and making himself bald and ugly. In astonishment he asked, “Hast thou no feeling of regret?” “I have,” said the peacock, “but life is dearer to me than feathers, and these (feathers) are the enemy of my life.”
پر خود می‌کند طاوسی به دشت ** یک حکیمی رفته بود آنجا بگشت
A peacock was tearing out his feathers in the open country, where a sage had gone for a walk.
گفت طاوسا چنین پر سنی ** بی‌دریغ از بیخ چون برمی‌کنی
He said, “O peacock, how art thou tearing out such fine feathers remorselessly from the root?
خود دلت چون می‌دهد تا این حلل ** بر کنی اندازیش اندر وحل
How indeed is thy heart consenting that thou shouldst tear off these gorgeous robes and let them fall in the mud?
هر پرت را از عزیزی و پسند ** حافظان در طی مصحف می‌نهند
Those who commit the Qur’án to memory place every feather of thine, on account of its being prized and acceptable, within the folding of the (Holy) Book.
بهر تحریک هوای سودمند ** از پر تو بادبیزن می‌کنند 540
For the sake of stirring the healthful air thy feathers are used as fans.
این چه ناشکری و چه بی‌باکیست ** تو نمی‌دانی که نقاشش کیست
What ingratitude and what recklessness is this! Dost not thou know who is their decorator?
یا همی‌دانی و نازی می‌کنی ** قاصدا قلع طرازی می‌کنی
Or dost thou know (that) and art thou showing disdain and purposely tearing out (such) a (fine) broidery?
ای بسا نازا که گردد آن گناه ** افکند مر بنده را از چشم شاه
Oh, there is many a disdain that becomes a sin and causes the servant to fall from favour with the King (God).
ناز کردن خوشتر آید از شکر ** لیک کم خایش که دارد صد خطر
To show disdain is sweeter than sugar; but chew it not, for it hath a hundred perils.
ایمن آبادست آن راه نیاز ** ترک نازش گیر و با آن ره بساز 545
The place of safety is the way of want (lowliness): abandon disdain and make up with (be satisfied with) that way.
ای بسا نازآوری زد پر و بال ** آخر الامر آن بر آن کس شد وبال
Oh, many a disdainfulness flapped its wings and plumes, (but) in the end it became a bane to that (arrogant) person.
Become dead, that the Lord who brings forth the living may bring forth a (spiritually) living one from this dead one.
دی شوی بینی تو اخراج بهار ** لیل گردی بینی ایلاج نهار
(If) thou become December (Winter), thou wilt experience the bringing forth of Spring; (if) thou become night, thou wilt experience the advent of day.
بر مکن آن پر که نپذیرد رفو ** روی مخراش از عزا ای خوب‌رو
Do not tear out thy feathers, for ’tis irreparable: do not rend thy face in grief, O beauteous one.
آنچنان رویی که چون شمس ضحاست ** آنچنان رخ را خراشیدن خطاست
Such a face that resembles the morning sun—’tis sinful to rend a countenance like that.
زخم ناخن بر چنان رخ کافریست ** که رخ مه در فراق او گریست 555
’Tis (an act of) infidelity (to inflict) scratches upon a countenance (of) such (beauty) that the moon's countenance wept at parting from it.
یا نمی‌بینی تو روی خویش را ** ترک کن خوی لجاج اندیش را
Or dost not thou see (the beauty of) thy face? Abandon that contumacious disposition (which prevents thee from seeing it).”
در بیان آنک صفا و سادگی نفس مطمنه از فکرتها مشوش شود چنانک بر روی آینه چیزی نویسی یا نقش کنی اگر چه پاک کنی داغی بماند و نقصانی
Explaining that the purity and simplicity of the tranquil soul are disturbed by thoughts, just as (when) you write or depict anything on the surface of a mirror, though you may (afterwards) obliterate it entirely, (yet) a mark and blemish will remain (on the mirror).
روی نفس مطمنه در جسد ** زخم ناخنهای فکرت می‌کشد
The face of the tranquil soul in the body suffers wounds inflicted by the nails of thought.
فکرت بد ناخن پر زهر دان ** می‌خراشد در تعمق روی جان
Know that evil thought is a poisonous nail: in (the case of) deep reflection it rends the face of the soul.