Mile after mile through the night the lightning's deception leads thee on, without a guide, in a dark wilderness.
بر که افتی گاه و در جوی اوفتی ** گه بدین سو گه بدان سوی اوفتی
Now thou fallest on a mountain, now into a river; now thou wanderest in this direction, now in that.
خود نبینی تو دلیل ای جاه‌جو ** ور ببینی رو بگردانی ازو 4100
O seeker of worldly estate, thou wilt never find the guide; and if thou find him, thou wilt avert thy face from him,
که سفر کردم درین ره شصت میل ** مر مرا گمراه گوید این دلیل
Saying, “I have travelled sixty miles on this road, and (now) this guide tells me I have lost my way.
گر نهم من گوش سوی این شگفت ** ز امر او راهم ز سر باید گرفت
If I give ear to this marvel, I must begin my journey again under his authority.
من درین ره عمر خود کردم گرو ** هرچه بادا باد ای خواجه برو
I have devoted my life to this journey: (I will pursue it) come what may. Begone, O Khwája!”
راه کردی لیک در ظن چو برق ** عشر آن ره کن پی وحی چو شرق
“(Yes), thou hast journeyed (far), but (only) in opinion (unsubstantial) as lightning: (come), make a tenth part of that journey for the sake of (Divine) inspiration (glorious) as the sunrise.
ظن لایغنی من الحق خوانده‌ای ** وز چنان برقی ز شرقی مانده‌ای 4105
Thou hast read (the Verse), Opinion cannot serve instead of truth, and (yet) by a lightning-flash like that thou hast been blinded to a rising sun.
هی در آ در کشتی ما ای نژند ** یا تو آن کشتی برین کشتی ببند
Hark, come into our boat, O wretched man, or (at least) tie that boat (of thine) to this boat (of ours).”
گوید او چون ترک گیرم گیر و دار ** چون روم من در طفیلت کوروار
He replies, “How should I abandon power and dominion? How should I follow thee blindly?”
کور با رهبر به از تنها یقین ** زان یکی ننگست و صد ننگست ازین
A blind man is certainly better off with a guide than (when he goes) alone: in the former case there is (only) one ignominy, while in the latter there are a hundred.
می‌گریزی از پشه در کزدمی ** می‌گریزی در یمی تو از نمی
Thou art fleeing from a gnat to a scorpion, thou art fleeing from a dewdrop into an ocean.
می‌گریزی از جفاهای پدر ** در میان لوطیان و شور و شر 4110
Thou art fleeing from thy father's unkindnesses into the midst of scoundrels and mischief and trouble.
می‌گریزی هم‌چو یوسف ز اندهی ** تا ز نرتع نلعب افتی در چهی
Like Joseph, thou art fleeing from one sorrow to fall into a well (of woe) through (being beguiled by) “let us frolic and play.”
در چه افتی زین تفرج هم‌چو او ** مر ترا لیک آن عنایت یار کو
Because of this pastime thou fallest into a well, like him; but where is the (Divine) favour to help thee (as it helped him)?
گر نبودی آن به دستوری پدر ** برنیاوردی ز چه تا حشر سر
Had it not been (done) by his father's leave, he would never have emerged from the well till the Resurrection;
آن پدر بهر دل او اذن داد ** گفت چون اینست میلت خیر باد
(But) in order to please him his father gave the permission and said, “Since this is thy desire, may good come (of it)!”
هر ضریری کز مسیحی سر کشد ** او جهودانه بماند از رشد 4115
Any blind man who turns away in scorn from a Messiah will be left, like the Jews, without guidance;
قابل ضو بود اگر چه کور بود ** شد ازین اعراض او کور و کبود
(For) though he was blind, he was capable of receiving light; (but) from showing this aversion he becomes blind and blue (miserably lost).