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
The water of the sea places the dead one on its head (causes him to float on the surface); but if he be living, how shall he escape from the sea?
آب دریا مرده را بر سر نهد ** ور بود زنده ز دریا کی رهد
Inasmuch as you have died to the attributes of the flesh, the Sea of (Divine) consciousness will place you on the crown of its head (will raise you to honour).
چون بمردی تو ز اوصاف بشر ** بحر اسرارت نهد بر فرق سر
(But) O thou who hast called the people asses, at this time thou art left (floundering), like an ass, upon this ice.
ای که خلقان را تو خر می‌‌خوانده‌‌ای ** این زمان چون خر بر این یخ مانده‌‌ای
If in the world thou art the most learned scholar of the time, behold the passing away of this world and this time!2845
گر تو علامه‌‌ی زمانی در جهان ** نک فنای این جهان بین وین زمان