Behold the inscriptions made without (use of) fingers upon non-existence and the amazement of the madmen at the blackness of them.
بر عدم تحریرها بین بیبنان ** و از سوادش حیرت سوداییان
Every one is infatuated with some phantasy and digs in corners in mad desire for a (buried) treasure.
هر کسی شد بر خیالی ریش گاو ** گشته در سودای گنجی کنجکاو
By a phantasy one person is filled with (desire for) magnificence and turns his face towards the mines (of precious ore) in the mountains;320
از خیالی گشته شخصی پرشکوه ** روی آورده به معدنهای کوه
And, (inspired) by a phantasy, another sets his face with bitter toil towards the sea for the sake of pearls;
وز خیالی آن دگر با جهد مر ** رو نهاده سوی دریا بهر در
And another (goes) into a church to perform religious exercises, while another (betakes himself) to sowing in his greed (for gain).
وآن دگر بهر ترهب در کنشت ** وآن یکی اندر حریصی سوی کشت
Through phantasy that one becomes the waylayer (destroyer) of him who has escaped (unhurt); and through phantasy this (other) becomes the salve (deliverer) of him who has been (sorely) wounded.
از خیال آن رهزن رسته شده ** وز خیال این مرهم خسته شده
One loses his soul in the invocation of demons, while another sets his foot upon the stars.
در پریخوانی یکی دل کرده گم ** بر نجوم آن دیگری بنهاده سم
He (the observer) sees that these modes of action in the external world are diverse (since they arise) from the various phantasies within.325
این روشها مختلف بیند برون ** زان خیالات ملون ز اندرون
This man (engaged in some occupation) is amazed at that man (occupied with something else) and says, “What is he about?” Every taster denies the other (whose taste is different).
این در آن حیران شده کان بر چیست ** هر چشنده آن دگر را نافیست
Unless those phantasies were incongruous, how did the modes of action become diverse externally?
آن خیالات ار نبد نامتلف ** چون ز بیرون شد روشها مختلف