Show it to me sensibly and visibly, that I may behold thee as spectators (who fix their eyes on an object of interest).”
مر مرا بنما تو محسوس آشکار ** تا ببینم مر ترا نظاره‌وار
He replied, “Thou canst not (bear this) and hast not the power to endure it; the sense (of sight) is weak and frail: ’twould be grievous for thee (to behold me).”
گفت نتوانی و طاقت نبودت ** حس ضعیفست و تنک سخت آیدت
“Show thyself,” said he, “that this body may perceive to what an extent the senses are frail and resourceless.”
گفت بنما تا ببیند این جسد ** تا چد حد حس نازکست و بی‌مدد
Man's bodily senses are infirm, but he hath a potent nature within.
آدمی را هست حس تن سقیم ** لیک در باطن یکی خلقی عظیم
This body resembles flint and steel, but in quality (intrinsically) it is a striker of fire.3760
بر مثال سنگ و آهن این تنه ** لیک هست او در صفت آتش‌زنه
Flint and steel are the birth-place whence fire is brought into being: (from them) fire is born, domineering over both its parents.
سنگ وآهن مولد ایجاد نار ** زاد آتش بر دو والد قهربار
Fire, again, exercises sway over the bodily nature: it is dominant over the body and flaming;
باز آتش دستکار وصف تن ** هست قاهر بر تن او و شعله‌زن
Yet again, there is in the body an Abraham-like flame whereby the tower of fire is subdued.
باز در تن شعله ابراهیم‌وار ** که ازو مقهور گردد برج نار
In consequence (of this) the all-accomplished Prophet said symbolically, “We are the hindmost and the foremost.”
لاجرم گفت آن رسول ذو فنون ** رمز نحن الاخرون السابقون
The material form of these twain (flint and steel) is vanquished by a (hammer and) anvil, (but) in quality (intrinsically) they are superior to the mine of iron ores.3765
ظاهر این دو بسندانی زبون ** در صفت از کان آهنها فزون