- O you who have provided yourself with bow and arrows, the prey is near and you have shot far.
- ای کمان و تیرها بر ساخته ** صید نزدیک و تو دور انداخته
- The farther one shoots, the farther away and more separated is he from a treasure like this. 2355
- هرکه دوراندازتر او دورتر ** وز چنین گنجست او مهجورتر
- The philosopher killed (exhausted) himself with thinking: let him run on (in vain), for his back is turned towards the treasure.
- فلسفی خود را از اندیشه بکشت ** گو بدو کوراست سوی گنج پشت
- Let him run on: the more he runs, the more remote does he become from the object of his heart’s desire.
- گو بدو چندانک افزون می‌دود ** از مراد دل جداتر می‌شود
- That (Divine) King said, “(those who) have striven in (for) Us”: He did not say, “(those who) have striven away from Us,” O restless one,
- جاهدوا فینا بگفت آن شهریار ** جاهدوا عنا نگفت ای بی‌قرار
- As (was the case with) Canaan, who in disdain of Noah went up to the top of that great mountain.
- هم‌چو کنعان کو ز ننگ نوح رفت ** بر فراز قله‌ی آن کوه زفت
- The more he sought deliverance (by turning) towards the mountain, the more was he separated from the place of refuge, 2360
- هرچه افزون‌تر همی‌جست او خلاص ** سوی که می‌شد جداتر از مناص
- Like this dervish (who) for the sake of the treasure and the mine (of riches) sought (to thaw) the bow more strongly every morning,
- هم‌چو این درویش بهر گنج و کان ** هر صباحی سخت‌تر جستی کمان
- And the more strongly he gripped the bow each time, the worse luck he had in respect of (finding) the treasure and (hitting) the mark.
- هر کمانی کو گرفتی سخت‌تر ** بود از گنج و نشان بدبخت‌تر
- This parable is of vital import (to the soul) in the world: the soul of the ignorant is worthy of pain (deserves to suffer.)
- این مثل اندر زمانه جانی است ** جان نادانان به رنج ارزانی است