Hypocrisy is like lightning, and in its gleam the travellers cannot see the way.
زرق چون برقست و اندر نور آن ** راه نتوانند دیدن ره‌روان
This world and its people are good-for-nothing: both are unanimous in respect of (their) faithlessness.
این جهان و اهل او بی‌حاصل‌اند ** هر دو اندر بی‌وفایی یکدل‌اند
The son of the world (the worldling) is faithless like the world: though he turn the face towards thee, that face is (really) the nape (back).1650
زاده‌ی دنیا چو دنیا بی‌وفاست ** گرچه رو آرد به تو آن رو قفاست
The people of that (other) world, like that world, on account of (their) probity continue for ever in (observance of their) covenant and promise.
اهل آن عالم چو آن عالم ز بر ** تا ابد در عهد و پیمان مستمر
When, in sooth, did two prophets oppose each other? When did they wrest (their) evidential miracles (spiritual powers and privileges) from one another?
خود دو پیغمبر به هم کی ضد شدند ** معجزات از همدگر کی بستدند
How should the fruit of that world become stale? Intellectual joy does not turn into sorrows.
کی شود پژمرده میوه‌ی آن جهان ** شادی عقلی نگردد اندهان
The fleshly soul is unplighted (bound by no covenant); for that reason it ought to be killed: it is base, and base is the spot to which its desires are directed.
نفس بی‌عهدست زان رو کشتنیست ** او دنی و قبله‌گاه او دنیست
This assembly (the world) is well-adapted for fleshly souls: the grave and shroud are suitable to the dead.1655
نفسها را لایقست این انجمن ** مرده را درخور بود گور و کفن
Although the fleshly soul is sagacious and acute, its qibla (objective) is this world, (therefore) regard it as dead.
نفس اگر چه زیرکست و خرده‌دان ** قبله‌اش دنیاست او را مرده دان
(But when) the water of God's inspiration has reached this dead (soul), the living (soul) comes into view (rises) from the tomb of a corpse.
آب وحی حق بدین مرده رسید ** شد ز خاک مرده‌ای زنده پدید