Every one (of them), staff (rod) in hand, says, “I am Moses,” and breathes upon the foolish folk, saying, “I am Jesus.”1425
هر یکی در کف عصا که موسی‌ام ** می‌دمد بر ابلهان که عیسی‌ام
Alas the Day when the touchstone will demand from thee the sincerity of the sincere!
آه از آن روزی که صدق صادقان ** باز خواهد از تو سنگ امتحان
Come, inquire of the Master (what is) the remainder (of the Way); or are the greedy ones all blind and deaf?
آخر از استاد باقی را بپرس ** یا حریصان جمله کورانند و خرس
You craved all and you lost all: this foolish flock are the prey of wolves.
جمله جستی باز ماندی از همه ** صید گرگانند این ابله رمه
Having heard a form (of words), you have become its expounder, (though) ignorant of (the meaning of) your words— like parrots.
صورتی بنشینده گشتی ترجمان ** بی‌خبر از گفت خود چون طوطیان
The instruction given by a Shaykh to disciples, or by a prophet to a people, who are unable to receive the Divine lesson and have no familiar acquaintance with God, may be compared with the case of a parrot which has no such acquaintance with the (inward) form of a man, so that it should be able to receive instruction (directly) from him. God most High holds the Shaykh in front of the disciple, as the mirror (is held) in front of the parrot, while He (Himself) dictates from behind the mirror, saying, “Do not move thy tongue to hasten it (the Revelation); it is naught but an inspiration that is inspired (by God).” This is the beginning of an endless problem. When the parrot, which ye call the image, moves its beak in the mirror, the movement is not (made) by its own volition and power: it is the reflexion of the (movement made in) articulation by the parrot outside, which is the learner; not the reflexion of (the movement made by) the Teacher behind the mirror; but the external parrot's articulation is controlled by the Teacher. This, then, is (only) a comparison, not a (complete) similitude.
تمثیل تلقین شیخ مریدان را و پیغامبر امت را کی ایشان طاقت تلقین حق ندارند و با حق‌الف ندارند چنانک طوطی با صورت آدمی الف ندارد کی ازو تلقین تواند گرفت حق تعالی شیخ را چون آیینه‌ای پیش مرید هم‌چو طوطی دارد و از پس آینه تلقین می‌کند لا تحرک به لسانک ان هو الا وحی یوحی اینست ابتدای مسله‌ی بی‌منتهی چنانک منقار جنبانیدن طوطی اندرون آینه کی خیالش می‌خوانی بی‌اختیار و تصرف اوست عکس خواندن طوطی برونی کی متعلمست نه عکس آن معلم کی پس آینه است و لیکن خواندن طوطی برونی تصرف آن معلم است پس این مثال آمد نه مثل
A parrot sees its reflexion (image) facing it in the mirror.1430
طوطیی در آینه می‌بیند او ** عکس خود را پیش او آورده رو
The teacher is concealed behind the mirror: that sweet-tongued well-instructed man is talking.
در پس آیینه آن استا نهان ** حرف می‌گوید ادیب خوش‌زبان
The little parrot thinks that these words uttered in low tones are spoken by the parrot in the mirror.