If thou art a (devotee of the) heart, go, scorn (the world), do not suffer contumely (from it); and if thou art a (devotee of the) body, do not eat sugar but taste poison.
گر دلی رو ناز کن خواری مکش ** ور تنی شکر منوش و زهر چش
Poison is beneficial to the body, and sugar noxious: ’tis better that the body should be deprived of supplies.
زهر تن را نافعست و قند بد ** تن همان بهتر که باشد بی‌مدد
The body is fuel for Hell, do thou weaken it; and if it produce a (new) growth of fuel, go, destroy it.
هیزم دوزخ تنست و کم کنش ** ور بروید هیزمی رو بر کنش
Else, O (thou who art) firewood, thou wilt be a carrier of firewood in both worlds, like the wife of Bú Lahab.
ورنه حمال حطب باشی حطب ** در دو عالم هم‌چو جفت بولهب
Know (discriminate) the bough of the Sidra from the firewood, though both are green, O youth.1100
از حطب بشناس شاخ سدره را ** گرچه هر دو سبز باشند ای فتی
The origin of that bough is the Seventh Heaven, the origin of this bough is from fire and smoke.
اصل آن شاخست هفتم آسمان ** اصل این شاخست از نار و دخان
To sense-perception they are similar in appearance, for the eye and habit of sense-perception is seeing falsely;
هست مانندا به صورت پیش حس ** که غلط‌بینست چشم و کیش حس
(But) that (difference) is manifest to the eye of the heart (spirit): exert thyself, advance towards the heart (spirit) with the exertion of one whose means are small.
هست آن پیدا به پیش چشم دل ** جهد کن سوی دل آ جهد المقل
And if thou hast no foot (means), (yet) bestir thyself that thou mayst behold every less and more.
ور نداری پا بجنبان خویش را ** تا ببینی هر کم و هر بیش را
On the meaning of this verse: “If thou fare on the Way, the Way will be revealed to thee; and if thou become nonexistent, (real) existence will be conferred on thee.”
در معنی این بیت «گر راه روی راه برت بگشایند ور نیست شوی بهستیت بگرایند»
Though Zalíkhá shut the doors on every side, still Joseph gained return (to safety) by bestirring himself.1105
گر زلیخا بست درها هر طرف ** یافت یوسف هم ز جنبش منصرف