On this road (men's) souls are tried by terror as a sieve (is used) for sifting bran.
در ره این ترس امتحانهای نفوس ** هم‌چو پرویزن به تمییز سبوس
What is the road? Full of footprints. What is the comrade? The ladder whereby minds ascend.510
راه چه بود پر نشان پایها ** یار چه بود نردبان رایها
I grant that, through (your) taking precautions, the wolf may not find you, (but) without company you will not find that (spiritual) alacrity.
گیرم آن گرگت نیابد ز احتیاط ** بی ز جمعیت نیابی آن نشاط
He who cheerfully goes alone on a journey—(if he goes) with companions his progress is increased a hundredfold.
آنک تنها در رهی او خوش رود ** با رفیقان سیر او صدتو شود
Notwithstanding the grossness of the ass, it (the ass) is exhilarated, O dervish, by comrades (of its own kind) and becomes capable of (exerting) strength.
با غلیظی خر ز یاران ای فقیر ** در نشاط آید شود قوت‌پذیر
To any ass that goes alone (and away) from the caravan the road is (made) a hundredfold (longer) by fatigue.
هر خری کز کاروان تنها رود ** بر وی آن راه از تعب صدتو شود
How many more goadings and cudgellings does it suffer that it may cross the desert (unaccompanied and) alone!515
چند سیخ و چند چوب افزون خورد ** تا که تنها آن بیابان را برد
That ass is saying to you (implicitly), ‘Take good heed! Don't travel alone like this, unless you are an ass!’
مر ترا می‌گوید آن خر خوش شنو ** گر نه‌ای خر هم‌چنین تنها مرو
Beyond doubt he who cheerfully goes alone into the custom-house will go more cheerfully (when he is) with companions.
آنک تنها خوش رود اندر رصد ** با رفیقان بی‌گمان خوشتر رود
Every prophet (that walked) on this straight road produced evidentiary miracles and sought fellow-travellers.
هر نبیی اندرین راه درست ** معجزه بنمود و همراهان بجست