From vain desire, the reflexion (distorting influence) of the ghoul, (which is) greed, was causing the trap to appear a (delicious) berry, though in truth it was unripe.
از هوس آن دام دانه می‌نمود ** عکس غول حرص و آن خود خام بود
Seek greed (seek to be eager) in the practice of religion and in good works: they are (still) beautiful, (even) when the greed (eagerness) remains not.1130
حرص اندر کار دین و خیر جو ** چون نماند حرص باشد نغزرو
Good works are beautiful (in themselves), not through the re flexion of any other thing: if the glow of greed is gone, the glow of good remains;
خیرها نغزند نه از عکس غیر ** تاب حرص ار رفت ماند تاب خیر
(But) when the glow of greed is gone from worldly work, of the red-hot coal (only) the black ashes are left.
تاب حرص از کار دنیا چون برفت ** فحم باشد مانده از اخگر بتفت
Folly excites greed (for amusement) in children, so that from gleefulness of heart they ride a cock-horse
کودکان را حرص می‌آرد غرار ** تا شوند از ذوق دل دامن‌سوار
When that evil greed of his is gone from the child, he begins to laugh at the other children,
چون ز کودک رفت آن حرص بدش ** بر دگر اطفال خنده آیدش
Saying, “What was I doing? What was I seeing in this?” From the reflexion of greed the vinegar appeared to be honey.1135
که چه می‌کردم چه می‌دیدم درین ** خل ز عکس حرص بنمود انگبین
That edifice of the prophets was (raised) without greed (self- interest); hence the splendours (of its renown) increased so uninterruptedly.
آن بنای انبیا بی حرص بود ** زان چنان پیوسته رونقها فزود
Oh, many a mosque have the noble (prophets) erected, but “the Farther mosque” is not its name.
ای بسا مسجد بر آورده کرام ** لیک نبود مسجد اقصاش نام
The grandeur which at every moment accrued to the Ka’ba— that (grandeur) was (derived) from the acts done in pure de voti on by Abraham.
کعبه را که هر دمی عزی فزود ** آن ز اخلاصات ابراهیم بود