And if a beggar speak a word like the (pure) gold of the mine, his wares will not find the way to the shop.
ور گدا گوید سخن چون زر کان ** ره نیابد کاله‌‌ی او در دکان
The affair of (spiritual) poverty is beyond thy apprehension: do not look on poverty with contempt,
کار درویشی ورای فهم تست ** سوی درویشی بمنگر سست سست
Because dervishes are beyond property and wealth: they possess an abundant portion from the Almighty.
ز آن که درویشان ورای ملک و مال ** روزیی دارند ژرف از ذو الجلال
The High God is just, and how should the just behave tyrannously to the dispirited (poor and weak)?
حق تعالی عادل است و عادلان ** کی کنند استمگری بر بی‌‌دلان
(How should they) give fortune and goods to that one, while they put this one on the fire?2355
آن یکی را نعمت و کالا دهند ** وین دگر را بر سر آتش نهند
May the fire consume him, because he hath this (evil) thought about the Lord who created both worlds.
آتشش سوزا که دارد این گمان ** بر خدای خالق هر دو جهان
Is (the saying) ‘Poverty is my pride’ vain and false? No; ’tis thousands of hidden glories and disdains.
فقر فخری از گزاف است و مجاز ** نی هزاران عز پنهان است و ناز
Thou in anger hast poured nicknames on me: thou hast called me a catcher (deceiver) of friends and a catcher of snakes.
از غضب بر من لقبها راندی ** یارگیر و مار گیرم خواندی
If I catch the snake, I extract its fangs in order that it may not suffer harm by having its head crushed.
گر بگیرم بر کنم دندان مار ** تاش از سر کوفتن نبود ضرار
Because those fangs are an enemy to its life, I am making the enemy a friend by means of this skill.2360
ز آن که آن دندان عدوی جان اوست ** من عدو را می‌‌کنم زین علم دوست
Never do I chant my spell from (motives of) cupidity: I have turned this cupidity upside down (I have entirely vanquished it).
از طمع هرگز نخوانم من فسون ** این طمع را کرده‌‌ام من سر نگون
God forbid! I desire nothing from created beings: through contentment there is a (whole) world within my heart.
حاش لله طمع من از خلق نیست ** از قناعت در دل من عالمی است
Thou, (sitting) on the top of the pear-tree, seest (things) like that: come down from it, that the (evil) thought may not continue.
بر سر امرودبن بینی چنان ** ز آن فرود آ تا نماند آن گمان
When thou turnest round and round and becomest giddy, thou seest the house turning round, and ’tis thou (thyself) art that (revolving object).
چون که بر گردی و سر گشته شوی ** خانه را گردنده بینی و آن توی
Explaining how every one's movement (action) proceeds from the place where he is, (so that) he sees every one (else) from the circle of his own self-existence: a blue glass shows the sun as blue, a red glass as red, (but) when the glass escapes from (the sphere of) colour, it becomes white, (and then) it is more truthful than all other glasses and is the Imám (exemplar to them all).
در بیان آن که جنبیدن هر کسی از آن جا که وی است هر کس را از چنبره‌‌ی وجود خود بیند، تابه‌‌ی کبود آفتاب را کبود نماید و سرخ سرخ نماید چون تابه از رنگها بیرون آید سپید شود از همه تابه‌‌های دیگر او راست‌‌گوتر باشد و امام باشد
Abú Jahl saw Ahmad (Mohammed) and said, ‘’Tis an ugly figure that has sprung from the sons of Háshim!’2365
دید احمد را ابو جهل و بگفت ** زشت نقشی کز بنی هاشم شگفت
Ahmad said to him, ‘Thou art right, thou hast spoken truth, although thou art impertinent.’
گفت احمد مر و را که راستی ** راست گفتی گر چه کار افزاستی
The Siddíq (Abú Bakr) saw him and said, ‘O Sun, thou art neither of East nor of West: shine beauteously!’
دید صدیقش بگفت ای آفتاب ** نی ز شرقی نی ز غربی خوش بتاب
Ahmad said, ‘Thou hast spoken the truth, O dear friend, O thou that hast escaped from this world of nothingness.’
گفت احمد راست گفتی ای عزیز ** ای رهیده تو ز دنیای نه چیز
They that were present said, ‘O Prince of mankind, why didst thou call both of them truth-tellers when they contradicted each other?’
حاضران گفتند ای صدر الوری ** راست گو گفتی دو ضد گو را چرا