He (God) bestowed a throat on the rod of justice, (so that) it devoured all those many rods and ropes;
حلق بخشید او عصای عدل را ** خورد آن چندان عصا و حبل را
And in it was no increase from all that eating, because its eating and its form were not animal.
واندرو افزون نشد زان جمله اکل ** زانک حیوانی نبودش اکل و شکل
To Faith also He gave a throat like (that of) the rod, so that it devoured every vain fancy that was born.
مر یقین را چون عصا هم حلق داد ** تا بخورد او هر خیالی را که زاد
Hence the spiritual and intelligible things, like the concrete (sensible) things, have throats, and the giver of food to the throat of the spiritual and intelligible things is also (none but) God.40
پس معانی را چو اعیان حلقهاست ** رازق حلق معانی هم خداست
Therefore from the Moon to the Fish there is nothing in creation that hath not a throat in respect of its drawing sustenance (from God).
پس ز مه تا ماهی هیچ از خلق نیست ** که بجذب مایه او را حلق نیست
(When) the spirit's throat is emptied of thought for the body, then its apportioned sustenance becomes Majestical.
حلق جان از فکر تن خالی شود ** آنگهان روزیش اجلالی شود
Know that the necessary condition (for gaining this sustenance) is the transformation of the (sensual) nature, for the death of evil men is (arises) from (their) evil nature.
شرط تبدیل مزاج آمد بدان ** کز مزاج بد بود مرگ بدان
When it has become natural to a human being to eat clay, he grows pale and ill-complexioned and sickly and miserable;
چون مزاج آدمی گل‌خوار شد ** زرد و بدرنگ و سقیم و خوار شد
(But) when his ugly nature has been transformed, the ugliness departs from his face, and he shines like a candle.45
چون مزاج زشت او تبدیل یافت ** رفت زشتی از رخش چون شمع تافت
Where is a nurse for the suckling babe?—that with kindness she may sweeten the inner part of its mouth,
دایه‌ای کو طفل شیرآموز را ** تا بنعمت خوش کند پدفوز را