(Divine) mercy has the precedence (over Divine wrath): it (the good eye) is (derived) from (Divine) mercy, (while) the evil eye is the product of (Divine) wrath and execration.
سبق رحمتراست و او از رحمتست ** چشم بد محصول قهر و لعنتست
His (God's) mercy overcomes His vengeance: hence every prophet prevailed over his adversary;515
رحمتش بر نقمتش غالب شود ** چیره زین شد هر نبی بر ضد خود
For he (the prophet) is the result of (Divine) mercy and is the opposite of him (the adversary): that ill-favoured one was the result of (Divine) wrath.
کو نتیجهی رحمتست و ضد او ** از نتیجهی قهر بود آن زشترو
The greed of the duck is single, (but) this (greed of the peacock) is fiftyfold: the greed of lust is (only) a snake, while this (greed for) eminence is a dragon.
حرص بط یکتاست این پنجاه تاست ** حرص شهوت مار و منصب اژدهاست
The duck's greed arises from the appetite of the gullet and pudendum, (but) twenty times as much (greed) is included in (the ambition to) rule.
حرص بط از شهوت حلقست و فرج ** در ریاست بیست چندانست درج
He (who is) in power (really) pretends to Divinity: how should one ambitious of co-partnership (with God) be saved?
از الوهیت زند در جاه لاف ** طامع شرکت کجا باشد معاف
The sin of Adam arose from the belly and sexual intercourse, and that of Iblís from pride and power.520
زلت آدم ز اشکم بود و باه ** وآن ابلیس از تکبر بود و جاه
Consequently, he (Adam) at once besought pardon, while the accursed (Iblís) disdained to repent.
لاجرم او زود استغفار کرد ** وآن لعین از توبه استکبار کرد
The greed of the gullet and pudendum is in truth (a mark of) depravity; but it is not (headstrong like) ambition: it is abasement.
حرص حلق و فرج هم خود بدرگیست ** لیک منصب نیست آن اشکستگیست
If I should relate the root and branch (the whole story) of dominion, another Book would be needed.
بیخ و شاخ این ریاست را اگر ** باز گویم دفتری باید دگر