How remote is the sugar of wisdom from the crow! How remote is the dung-beetle from the orchard!
قند حکمت از کجا زاغ از کجا ** کرم سرگین از کجا باغ از کجا
It is not suitable for an effeminate man to go to fight against the carnal soul: aloes-wood and musk are not suitable for the arse of an ass.
نیست لایق غزو نفس و مرد غر ** نیست لایق عود و مشک و کون خر
Since women are not at all adapted for fighting, how should they be adapted for that (fight) which is the greater holy war?
چون غزا ندهد زنان را هیچ دست ** کی دهد آنک جهاد اکبرست
A Rustam may (sometimes) have been concealed in a woman's body, as (was the case with) a Mary; (but) only seldom.
جز بنادر در تن زن رستمی ** گشته باشد خفیه هم‌چون مریمی
Similarly, women are (sometimes) concealed in men's bodies, and they (such men) are (virtually) female because of (their) faintness of heart.1885
آنچنان که در تن مردان زنان ** خفیه‌اند و ماده از ضعف جنان
In that world, if any one has not found in his manhood the capacity (for spiritual combat), his feminality takes (visible) shape.
آن جهان صورت شود آن مادگی ** هر که در مردی ندید آمادگی
The Day (of Judgement) is justice, and justice consists in giving (to every one) what is proper: the shoe belongs to the foot, and the cap belongs to the head.
روز عدل و عدل داد در خورست ** کفش آن پا کلاه آن سرست
(This is) in order that every seeker may attain to the object of his search, and that everything destined to set may go to its point of setting.
تا به مطلب در رسد هر طالبی ** تا به غرب خود رود هر غاربی
No object of search is withheld from the seeker: the sun is paired with heat and the cloud with water.
نیست هر مطلوب از طالب دریغ ** جفت تابش شمس و جفت آب میغ
The present world is the Creator's penitentiary: since you have chosen (to incur) punishment, suffer punishment!1890
هست دنیا قهرخانه‌ی کردگار ** قهر بین چون قهر کردی اختیار