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
Until inspiration comes, do not thou (meanwhile) be duped by that rouge (vanity) of “May his life be long!”
تا نیاید وحش تو غره مباش ** تو بدان گلگونهی طال بقاش
Seek the applause and renown that does not die away, the splendour of the sun that does not sink.
بانگ و صیتی جو که آن خامل نشد ** تاب خورشیدی که آن آفل نشد
Those abstruse sciences and disputations are (like) the people of Pharaoh: Death is like the water of the Nile.1660
آن هنرهای دقیق و قال و قیل ** قوم فرعوناند اجل چون آب نیل
Although their brilliance and pomp and show and enchantment drag the people along by the scruff of the neck,
رونق و طاق و طرنب و سحرشان ** گرچه خلقان را کشد گردن کشان