Desire for the viands and desire for that delight (shown by the Súfís) and for the samá‘ hindered his understanding from (gaining) knowledge (of what had happened).
طمع لوت و طمع آن ذوق و سماع ** مانع آمد عقل او را ز اطلاع
If desire were to arise in the mirror, that mirror would be like us in (respect of) hypocrisy.
گر طمع در آینه برخاستی ** در نفاق آن آینه چون ماستی
If the balance had desire for riches, how would the balance give a true description of the case?
گر ترازو را طمع بودی به مال ** راست کی گفتی ترازو وصف حال
Every prophet has said in sincerity to his people, “I ask not from you the wages for my message.
هر نبیی گفت با قوم از صفا ** من نخواهم مزد پیغام از شما
I am (only) a guide; God is your purchaser: God has appointed me to act as broker on both sides.575
من دلیلم حق شما را مشتری ** داد حق دلالیم هر دو سری
What are the wages for my work? The sight of the Friend (God), even though Abú Bakr give me forty thousand (dirhems).
چیست مزد کار من دیدار یار ** گر چه خود بو بکر بخشد چل هزار
My wages are not his forty thousand (dirhems): how should glass beads be like the pearls of Aden?”
چل هزار او نباشد مزد من ** کی بود شبه شبه در عدن
I will tell you a story: listen to it attentively, that you may know that selfish desire is a plug in the ear.
یک حکایت گویمت بشنو به هوش ** تا بدانی که طمع شد بند گوش
Whosoever hath (such) desire becomes a stammerer (morally confused); with desire (present), how should the (spiritual) eye and the heart become bright?
هر که را باشد طمع الکن شود ** با طمع کی چشم و دل روشن شود
The fancy of power and wealth before his eye is just as a hair in the eye,580
پیش چشم او خیال جاه و زر ** همچنان باشد که موی اندر بصر