Still thou art (as) dough in the jar of clay, though thou hast been a (whole) lifetime in the fiery oven.
چون حشیشی پا به گل بر پشته‌ای ** گرچه از باد هوس سرگشته‌ای
Thou art like a herb on a hillock: (thy) foot (is fixed immovably) in the earth, though thy head is tossed (to and fro) by the wind of passion.
هم‌چو قوم موسی اندر حر تیه ** مانده‌ای بر جای چل سال ای سفیه
Like the people of Moses in the heat of the Desert, thou hast remained forty years in (the same) place, O foolish man.
می‌روی هر روز تا شب هروله ** خویش می‌بینی در اول مرحله
Daily thou marchest rapidly till nightfall and findest thyself (still) in the first stage of thy journey.
نگذری زین بعد سیصد ساله تو ** تا که داری عشق آن گوساله تو 1790
Thou wilt never traverse this three hundred years' distance so long as thou hast love for the calf.
تا خیال عجل از جانشان نرفت ** بد بریشان تیه چون گرداب زفت
Until the fancy (illusion) of the calf went out of their hearts, the Desert was to them like a blazing whirlpool.
غیر این عجلی کزو یابیده‌ای ** بی‌نهایت لطف و نعمت دیده‌ای
Besides this calf which thou hast obtained from Him (God), thou hast experienced infinite graces and bounties.
گاو طبعی زان نکوییهای زفت ** از دلت در عشق این گوساله رفت
Thou hast the nature of a cow; hence in thy love for this calf (those) mighty benefits have vanished from thy heart.
باری اکنون تو ز هر جزوت بپرس ** صد زبان دارند این اجزای خرس
Prithee now, ask each part of thee: these dumb parts have a hundred tongues
ذکر نعمتهای رزاق جهان ** که نهان شد آن در اوراق زمان 1795
To recall the bounties of the World-Provider which are hidden in the pages of Time.
روز و شب افسانه‌جویانی تو چست ** جزو جزو تو فسانه‌گوی تست
By day and night thou art eagerly seeking (to hear) stories, while each several part of thee is telling thee the story (of His bounties).
جزو جزوت تا برستست از عدم ** چند شادی دیده‌اند و چند غم
(Ever) since each several part of thee grew up from non-existence, how much joy have they experienced and how much pain!
زانک بی‌لذت نروید هیچ جزو ** بلک لاغر گردد از هی پیچ جزو
For without pleasure no part will grow; on the contrary, at every spasm (of pain) the part (affected) becomes thin (dwindles).
جزو ماند و آن خوشی از یاد رفت ** بل نرفت آن خفیه شد از پنج و هفت
The part remained (in being), but the pleasure vanished from memory; nay, it did not vanish, (though) it became concealed from the five (senses) and the seven (members of the body).
هم‌چو تابستان که از وی پنبه‌زاد ** ماند پنبه رفت تابستان ز یاد 1800
(’Tis) like summer, from which cotton is born: the cotton remains, the summer is no more remembered;
یا مثال یخ که زاید از شتا ** شد شتا پنهان و آن یخ پیش ما
Or like the ice which is born of winter: winter disappears, but the ice is with us.
هست آن یخ زان صعوبت یادگار ** یادگار صیف در دی این ثمار
The ice is a souvenir of the hardships (of winter), and in December these fruits are a souvenir of summer.
هم‌چنان هر جزو جزوت ای فتی ** در تنت افسانه گوی نعمتی
Similarly, O youth, every single part in thy body is telling the story of a (past) bounty,
چون زنی که بیست فرزندش بود ** هر یکی حاکی حال خوش بود
As, (in the case of) a woman who has twenty children, each (child) is telling of a (past) delight.
حمل نبود بی ز مستی و ز لاغ ** بی بهاری کی شود زاینده باغ 1805
There is no pregnancy without (past) rapture and amorous sport: how should the orchard produce (fruit) without a Spring?
حاملان و بچگانشان بر کنار ** شد دلیل عشق‌بازی با بهار
The pregnant (trees) and the children on their laps are evidence of dalliance with the Spring.
هر درختی در رضاع کودکان ** هم‌چو مریم حامل از شاهی نهان
Every tree (engaged) in suckling its children is impregnated, like Mary, by a King unseen.
گرچه صد در آب آتشی پوشیده شد ** صد هزاران کف برو جوشیده شد
Although in (boiling) water the heat of fire is concealed (from view), a hundred thousand bubbles froth upon it,