Thy spiritual principle and kernel is dominant over the Fire, but thy skins (sensual faculties) are fuel for the Fire.
معنی و مغزت بر آتش حاکمست ** لیک آتش را قشورت هیزمست
(In the case of) a wooden pot in which river-water is (contained), the power of fire is entirely (directed) against the vessel containing it.1935
کوزه‌ی چوبین که در وی آب جوست ** قدرت آتش همه بر ظرف اوست
Man's spiritual principle is a ruler over the Fire: when is Málik (the Ruler) of Hell destroyed therein?
معنی انسان بر آتش مالکست ** مالک دوزخ درو کی هالکست
Do not, then, increase (pamper) thy body; increase (cherish and cultivate) thy spiritual principle, in order that thou mayst be the Fire's sovereign, like Málik.
پس میفزا تو بدن معنی فزا ** تا چو مالک باشی آتش را کیا
Thou hast ever been adding skins to thy skin: necessarily thou art (black) as a skin (enveloped) in (layers of) soot.
پوستها بر پوست می‌افزوده‌ای ** لاجرم چون پوست اندر دوده‌ای
Since the Fire hath no fodder (fuel) except the skin, the vengeance of God will tear the skin off that pride (of thine).
زانک آتش را علف جز پوست نیست ** قهر حق آن کبر را پوستین کنیست
This arrogance is a product of the skin; hence power and riches are friends to that pride.1940
این تکبر از نتیجه‌ی پوستست ** جاه و مال آن کبر را زان دوستست
What is this arrogance? (It consists in) being oblivious to the essential principle and frozen (insensible)—like the oblivion of ice to the sun.
این تکبر چیست غفلت از لباب ** منجمد چون غفلت یخ ز آفتاب
When it (the ice) becomes conscious of the sun, the ice does not endure: it becomes soft and warm and moves on rapidly.
چون خبر شد ز آفتابش یخ نماند ** نرم گشت و گرم گشت و تیز راند
From seeing the kernel (essential principle) the whole body becomes (filled with) desire: it becomes miserable and passionately in love, for “Wretched is he who desires.”
شد ز دید لب جمله‌ی تن طمع ** خوار و عاشق شد که ذل من طمع