Whatever is below has come from above: come on, turn your eye towards the height.
هر چه در پستی است آمد از علا ** چشم را سوی بلندی نه هلا
Looking aloft gives light, though at first it produces dazzlement; yes, it does.1975
روشنی بخشد نظر اندر علی ** گر چه اول خیرگی آرد بلی
Accustom your eye to the light; if you are not a bat, look in that direction.
چشم را در روشنایی خوی کن ** گر نه خفاشی نظر آن سوی کن
Vision of the end is the sign of your (having the) light; the lust of the moment is in truth your (dark) grave.
عاقبت بینی نشان نور تست ** شهوت حالی حقیقت گور تست
The man with vision of the end, who has seen a hundred artifices, is not like him that has (only) heard of one artifice,
عاقبت بینی که صد بازی بدید ** مثل آن نبود که یک بازی شنید
(And who) has been so befooled by that one artifice that in his pride he has become alienated from the masters.
ز آن یکی بازی چنان مغرور شد ** کز تکبر ز اوستادان دور شد
Like Sámirí, when he has seen in himself that (little) skill, through pride he has rebelled against (a) Moses.1980
سامریوار آن هنر در خود چو دید ** او ز موسی از تکبر سر کشید
He has learned that skill from (a) Moses and (then) closed his eyes to his teacher.
او ز موسی آن هنر آموخته ** وز معلم چشم را بر دوخته
Moses, of course, exhibited another artifice, so that it swept away (both) that artifice (of Sámirí) and his life.
لاجرم موسی دگر بازی نمود ** تا که آن بازی و جانش را ربود
Oh, many is the knowledge (talent) that runs in the head (and urges) that he (the owner) should become eminent—in truth, through that (knowledge) his head goes (he loses his life).
ای بسا دانش که اندر سر دود ** تا شود سرور بدان خود سر رود