Ask of Him the life of love and do not ask for the (animal) soul: ask of Him that (spiritual) provision and do not ask for bread.
زو حیات عشق خواه و جان مخواه ** تو ازو آن رزق خواه و نان مخواه
Know that (the world of) created beings is like pure and limpid water in which the attributes of the Almighty are shining.
خلق را چون آب دان صاف و زلال ** اندر آن تابان صفات ذوالجلال
Their knowledge and their justice and their clemency are like a star of heaven (reflected) in running water.
علمشان و عدلشان و لطفشان ** چون ستاره‌ی چرخ در آب روان
Kings are the theatre for the manifestation of God's kingship; the learned (divines) are the mirrors for God's wisdom.
پادشاهان مظهر شاهی حق ** فاضلان مرآت آگاهی حق
Generations have passed away, and this is a new generation: the moon is the same moon, the water is not the same water.3175
قرنها بگذشت و این قرن نویست ** ماه آن ماهست آب آن آب نیست
The justice is the same justice, and the learning is the same learning too; but those generations and peoples have been changed (supplanted by others).
عدل آن عدلست و فضل آن فضل هم ** لیک مستبدل شد آن قرن و امم
Generations on generations have gone, O sire, but these Ideas (Divine attributes) are permanent and everlasting.
قرنها بر قرنها رفت ای همام ** وین معانی بر قرار و بر دوام
The water in this channel has been changed many times: the reflexion of the moon and of the stars remains unaltered.
آن مبدل شد درین جو چند بار ** عکس ماه و عکس اختر بر قرار
Therefore its foundation is not in the running water; nay, but in the regions of the breadth (wide expanse) of Heaven.
پس بنااش نیست بر آب روان ** بلک بر اقطار عرض آسمان
These attributes are like Ideal stars: know that they are stablished in the sphere of the Ideas (Realities).3180
این صفتها چون نجوم معنویست ** دانک بر چرخ معانی مستویست