Conception is created; it has been begotten: God is not begotten, He is lam yúlad.
وهم مخلوق است و مولود آمده ست ** حق نزاییده ست او لم یولد است
How should he that is in love with his own imagination and conception be one of them that love the Lord of bounties?
عاشق تصویر و وهم خویشتن ** کی بود از عاشقان ذو المنن
If the lover of that (false) conception be sincere, that metaphor (unreal judgement) will lead him to the reality.2760
عاشق آن وهم اگر صادق بود ** آن مجاز او حقیقت کش شود
The exposition of this saying demands a commentary, but I am afraid of senile (feeble) minds.
شرح میخواهد بیان این سخن ** لیک میترسم ز افهام کهن
Senile and short-sighted minds bring a hundred evil fancies into their thoughts.
فهمهای کهنهی کوته نظر ** صد خیال بد در آرد در فکر
Not every one is able to hear rightly: the fig is not a morsel for every little bird,
بر سماع راست هر کس چیر نیست ** لقمهی هر مرغکی انجیر نیست
Especially a bird that is dead, putrid; a blind, eyeless (fellow) filled with vain fancy.
خاصه مرغی مردهای پوسیدهای ** پر خیالی اعمیی بیدیدهای
To the picture of a fish what is the difference between sea and land? To the colour of a Hindoo what is the difference between soap and black vitriol?2765
نقش ماهی را چه دریا و چه خاک ** رنگ هندو را چه صابون و چه زاک
If you depict the portrait on the paper as sorrowful, it has no lesson (learns nothing) of sorrow or joy.
نقش اگر غمگین نگاری بر ورق ** او ندارد از غم و شادی سبق
Its appearance is sorrowful, but it is free from that (sorrow); (or) its appearance is smiling, but it has no (inward) impression of that (joy).
صورتش غمگین و او فارغ از آن ** صورتش خندان و او ز آن بینشان