Consider the lowness of the earth and the loftiness of the sky: without these two (attributes) its (the sky's) revolution is not (possible), O such-and-such.
خفض ارضی بین و رفع آسمان ** بی ازین دو نیست دورانش ای فلان
The lowness and loftiness of this earth are of another sort: for one half of the year it is barren and for (the other) half (it is) green and fresh.
خفض و رفع این زمین نوعی دگر ** نیم سالی شوره نیمی سبز و تر
The lowness and loftiness of distressful Time are of another sort: one half day and (the other) half night.1850
خفض و رفع روزگار با کرب ** نوع دیگر نیم روز و نیم شب
The lowness and loftiness of this blended (bodily) temperament (of ours) are now health and now sickness that causes (us) to cry out (in pain).
خفض و رفع این مزاج ممترج ** گاه صحت گاه رنجوری مضج
Know that even so are all the changing conditions of the world—famine and drought and peace and war—(which arise) from (Divine) probation.
هم‌چنین دان جمله احوال جهان ** قحط و جدب و صلح و جنگ از افتتان
By means of these two wings this world is (kept up like a bird) in the air; by means of these twain (all) souls are habitations of fear and hope,
این جهان با این دو پر اندر هواست ** زین دو جانها موطن خوف و رجاست
To the end that the world may be (always) trembling like a leaf in the north wind and simoom of resurrection and death,
تا جهان لرزان بود مانند برگ ** در شمال و در سموم بعث و مرگ
(And) that (ultimately) the vat of the unicolority of our Jesus may destroy the value of the vat containing a hundred dyes;1855
تا خم یک‌رنگی عیسی ما ** بشکند نرخ خم صدرنگ را
For that world (of Unity) is like a salt-mine: whatever has gone thither has become exempt from coloration (dyeing with various colours).
کان جهان هم‌چون نمکسار آمدست ** هر چه آنجا رفت بی‌تلوین شدست
Look at earth: it makes many-coloured (diverse) humankind to be (all) of one colour in their graves.
خاک را بین خلق رنگارنگ را ** می‌کند یک رنگ اندر گورها