- The Khwája said, “My body and soul are eager for the meeting, but every change depends on the decree of Him (God).
- گفت خواجه جسم و جانم وصل‌جوست ** لیک هر تحویل اندر حکم هوست
- Man is like a ship or sail: (he must wait) to see when the Driver of the wind shall send the (favourable) breeze.” 255
- آدمی چون کشتی است و بادبان ** تا کی آرد باد را آن بادران
- Once more he (the countryman) adjured him, crying, “O generous man, take your children and come and behold the pleasures (of the country).”
- باز سوگندان بدادش کای کریم ** گیر فرزندان بیا بنگر نعیم
- He took his hand three times in covenant, saying, “In God's name, come quickly, make the utmost effort!”
- دست او بگرفت سه کرت بعهد ** کالله الله زو بیا بنمای جهد
- After ten years—and every year the same sugared entreaties and promises—
- بعد ده سال و بهر سالی چنین ** لابه‌ها و وعده‌های شکرین
- The Khwája's children said, “O father, the moon and the clouds and the shadows too have their journeys.
- کودکان خواجه گفتند ای پدر ** ماه و ابر و سایه هم دارد سفر
- You have laid obligations on him, you have taken great pains on his account, 260
- حقها بر وی تو ثابت کرده‌ای ** رنجها در کار او بس برده‌ای
- And he wishes to repay some part of that obligation when you become his guest.
- او همی‌خواهد که بعضی حق آن ** وا گزارد چون شوی تو میهمان
- He gave us many injunctions in secret: ‘Bring him to the country,’ said he, ‘coaxing (him to come).’”
- بس وصیت کرد ما را او نهان ** که کشیدش سوی ده لابه‌کنان
- He (the townsman) said, “This is true, but, O Síbawayh, be on thy guard against the malice of him to whom thou hast shown kindness.
- گفت حقست این ولی ای سیبویه ** اتق من شر من احسنت الیه
- Love is the seed (that bears fruit at the moment) of the last breath: I fear that it may be corrupted by estrangement.”
- دوستی تخم دم آخر بود ** ترسم از وحشت که آن فاسد شود
- There is a friendship like a cutting sword, (destructive) as December in the gardens and cornfields; 265
- صحبتی باشد چو شمشیر قطوع ** همچو دی در بوستان و در زروع
- There is a friendship like the season of spring, whence (come) restorations and produce incalculable.
- صحبتی باشد چو فصل نوبهار ** زو عمارتها و دخل بی‌شمار
- Prudence is this, that you think evil, so that you may flee and become quit of evil.
- حزم آن باشد که ظن بد بری ** تا گریزی و شوی از بد بری
- The Prophet has said, “Prudence is (consists in) thinking evil”: know that for every footstep there is a snare, O fool!
- حزم س الظن گفتست آن رسول ** هر قدم را دام می‌دان ای فضول
- The surface of the plateau is level and broad, (but at) every step there is a snare: do not advance boldly.
- روی صحرا هست هموار و فراخ ** هر قدم دامیست کم ران اوستاخ
- The mountain-goat runs on, saying, “Where is the snare?” As it speeds onward, the snare lights on its throat. 270
- آن بز کوهی دود که دام کو ** چون بتازد دامش افتد در گلو
- O thou who saidst “Where?” look and see! Thou sawest the plain, (but) thou didst not see the ambush.
- آنک می‌گفتی که کو اینک ببین ** دشت می‌دیدی نمی‌دیدی کمین
- Without ambush and snare and hunter, O cunning one, how should there be a sheep's tail (laid in a trap) amidst the cornfield?
- بی کمین و دام و صیاد ای عیار ** دنبه کی باشد میان کشت‌زار
- They that came along boldly on the earth—see their bones and skulls!
- آنک گستاخ آمدند اندر زمین ** استخوان و کله‌هاشان را ببین
- When you go to the graveyard, O you with whom God is pleased, ask their bones concerning that which is past,
- چون به گورستان روی ای مرتضا ** استخوانشان را بپرس از ما مضی
- That you may see clearly how those blind intoxicated men went down into the pit of delusion. 275
- تا بظاهر بینی آن مستان کور ** چون فرو رفتند در چاه غرور
- If you have eyes, do not walk blindly; and if you have not eyes, take a staff in your hand.
- چشم اگر داری تو کورانه میا ** ور نداری چشم دست آور عصا
- When you have not the staff of prudence and judgement, make the (seer's) eye your leader;
- آن عصای حزم و استدلال را ** چون نداری دید می‌کن پیشوا
- And if there is no staff of prudence and judgement, do not stand on every road without a guide.
- ور عصای حزم و استدلال نیست ** بی عصاکش بر سر هر ره مه‌ایست