- With the master who is a grammarian—the soul of his pupil becomes imbued by him with grammar.
- پیش استادی که او نحوی بود ** جان شاگردش از او نحوی شود
- Again, the master who is absorbed in the Way (of Súfism)— because of him the soul of his pupil is absorbed in the King (God).
- باز استادی که او محو ره است ** جان شاگردش از او محو شه است
- Of all these various kinds of knowledge, on the day of death the (best) equipment and provision for the road is the knowledge of (spiritual) poverty.
- زین همه انواع دانش روز مرگ ** دانش فقر است ساز راه و برگ
- The story of what passed between the grammarian and the boatman.
- حکایت ماجرای نحوی و کشتیبان
- A certain grammarian embarked in a boat. That self-conceited person turned to the boatman 2835
- آن یکی نحوی به کشتی درنشست ** رو به کشتیبان نهاد آن خود پرست
- And said, “Have you ever studied grammar?” “No,” he replied. The other said, “Half your life is gone to naught.”
- گفت هیچ از نحو خواندی گفت لا ** گفت نیم عمر تو شد در فنا
- The boatman became heart-broken with grief, but at the time he refrained from answering.
- دل شکسته گشت کشتیبان ز تاب ** لیک آن دم کرد خامش از جواب
- The wind cast the boat into a whirlpool: the boatman spoke loud (shouted) to the grammarian,
- باد کشتی را به گردابی فگند ** گفت کشتیبان به آن نحوی بلند
- “Tell me, do you know how to swim?” “No,” said he, “O fair-spoken good-looking man!”
- هیچ دانی آشنا کردن بگو ** گفت نی ای خوش جواب خوب رو
- “O grammarian,” said he, “your whole life is naught, because the boat is sinking in these whirlpools.” 2840
- گفت کل عمرت ای نحوی فناست ** ز آن که کشتی غرق این گردابهاست
- Know that here mahw (self-effacement) is needed, not nah? (grammar): if you are mahw (dead to self), plunge into the sea without peril.
- محو می‌‌باید نه نحو اینجا بدان ** گر تو محوی بی‌‌خطر در آب ران