The claimant for the cow, the fleshly soul, is eloquent and brings forward hundreds of thousands of unsound pleas.
مدعی گاو نفس آمد فصیح ** صد هزاران حجت آرد ناصحیح
He deceives (all in) the city except the king: he cannot waylay the sagacious king.
شهر را بفریبد الا شاه را ** ره نتاند زد شه آگاه را
The fleshly soul hath glorification of God (on its tongue), and the Qur’án in its right hand; (but) in its sleeve (it hath) dagger and sword.
نفس را تسبیح و مصحف در یمین ** خنجر و شمشیر اندر آستین
Do not believe its Qur’án and hypocritical ostentation, do not make yourself its confidant and comrade;2555
مصحف و سالوس او باور مکن ** خویش با او هم‌سر و هم‌سر مکن
(For) it will take you to the tank to perform the ritual ablution, and will cast you to the bottom thereof.
سوی حوضت آورد بهر وضو ** واندر اندازد ترا در قعر او
The intellect is luminous and a seeker of good: how (then) does the dark fleshly soul prevail over it?
عقل نورانی و نیکو طالبست ** نفس ظلمانی برو چون غالبست
(It prevails) because it is at home, (while) your intellect is a stranger: the dog at his own door is (like) a terrible lion.
زانک او در خانه عقل تو غریب ** بر در خود سگ بود شیر مهیب
Wait till the lions go (back) to the jungle and these blind dogs’ will believe (in them) there.
باش تا شیران سوی بیشه روند ** وین سگان کور آنجا بگروند
The common folk of the city do not know the deceit of the fleshly soul and of the body: it (the fleshly soul) is not subdued save by (Divine) inspiration in the heart.2560
مکر نفس و تن نداند عام شهر ** او نگردد جز بوحی القلب قهر
Every one that is its congener becomes its friend, except, to be sure, the David who is your Shaykh;
هر که جنس اوست یار او شود ** جز مگر داود کان شیخت بود