Although an old man's feet are deprived of rapid movement, his intelligence has gotten two wings and has sped to the zenith.
پای پیر از سرعت ار چه باز ماند ** یافت عقل او دو پر بر اوج راند
If you wish for an example (of this), look at Ja‘far: God gave him wings instead of hands and feet.
گر مثل خواهی به جعفر در نگر ** داد حق بر جای دست و پاش پر
Cease from (speaking of) gold (pallor), for this topic is recondite: this heart of mine has become agitated like quicksilver.2060
بگذر از زر کین سخت شد محتجب ** هم‌چو سیماب این دلم شد مضطرب
From within me a hundred sweet-breathing silent ones put their hands on their lips, signifying, “It is enough.”
ز اندرونم صدخموش خوش‌نفس ** دست بر لب می‌زند یعنی که بس
Silence is the sea, and speech is like the river. The sea is seeking thee: do not seek the river.
خامشی بحرست و گفتن هم‌چو جو ** بحر می‌جوید ترا جو را مجو
Do not turn thy head away from the indications given by the sea: conclude (the subject)—and God best knoweth the right course.
از اشارتهای دریا سر متاب ** ختم کن والله اعلم بالصواب
That irreverent (objector) made no pause in the words (which he poured forth) in this fashion from those cold (insipid) lips (of his) in the presence of the Prophet.
هم‌چنین پیوسته کرد آن بی‌ادب ** پیش پیغامبر سخن زان سرد لب
Words were assisting (did not fail) him, (but) he was ignorant that hearsay (traditional knowledge) is mere babble in the presence of sight (immediate vision).2065
دست می‌دادش سخن او بی‌خبر ** که خبر هرزه بود پیش نظر
Indeed, these matters of hearsay are (only) a substitute for sight: they are not for him who is present, (but) for him who is absent.
این خبرها از نظر خود نایبست ** بهر حاضر نیست بهر غایبست
Whoever has been caused to attain unto sight, before him these matters of hearsay are idle.
هر که او اندر نظر موصول شد ** این خبرها پیش او معزول شد