Every mineral that sets its face towards (aspires to evolve into) the plant (the vegetative state)—life grows from the tree of its fortune.
هر جمادی که کند رو در نبات ** از درخت بخت او روید حیات
Every plant that turns its face towards the (animal) spirit drinks, like Khizr, from the Fountain of Life.
هر نباتی کان به جان رو آورد ** خضروار از چشمه‌ی حیوان خورد
Once more, when the (animal) spirit sets its face towards the (Divine) Beloved, it lays down its baggage (and passes) into the life without end.
باز جان چون رو سوی جانان نهد ** رخت را در عمر بی‌پایان نهد
How an inquirer asked (a preacher) about a bird that was supposed to have settled on the wall of a city—“Is its head more excellent and estimable and noble and honourable or its tail?”—and how the preacher gave him a reply suited to the measure of his understanding.
سال سایل از مرغی کی بر سر ربض شهری نشسته باشد سر او فاضل‌ترست و عزیزتر و شریف‌تر و مکرم‌تر یا دم او و جواب دادن واعظ سایل را به قدر فهم او
One day an inquirer said to a preacher, “O thou who art the pulpit's most eminent expounder,
واعظی را گفت روزی سایلی ** کای تو منبر را سنی‌تر قایلی
I have a question to ask. Answer my question in this assembly-place, O possessor of the marrow (of wisdom).130
یک سالستم بگو ای ذو لباب ** اندرین مجلس سالم را جواب
A bird has settled on the city-wall: which is better—its head or its tail?”
بر سر بارو یکی مرغی نشست ** از سر و از دم کدامینش بهست
He replied, “If its face is to the town and its tail to the country, know that its face is better than its tail;
گفت اگر رویش به شهر و دم به ده ** روی او از دم او می‌دان که به
But if its tail is towards the town and its face to the country, be the dust on that tail and spring away from its face.”
ور سوی شهرست دم رویش به ده ** خاک آن دم باش و از رویش بجه
A bird flies to its nest by means of wings: the wings of Man are aspiration, O people.
مرغ با پر می‌پرد تا آشیان ** پر مردم همتست ای مردمان
(In the case of) the lover who is soiled with good and evil, do not regard the good and evil; (only) regard the aspiration.135
عاشقی که آلوده شد در خیر و شر ** خیر و شر منگر تو در همت نگر