On account of laziness and avarice and egoism you are drawing your head back (behaving in a headstrong manner) and making yourself the head.
از کسل وز بخل وز ما و منی ** می‌کشی سر خویش را سر می‌کنی
(You are) like the beast that flees from the burden: it takes its head (goes its own way) into the mountains.
هم‌چو استوری که بگریزد ز بار ** او سر خود گیرد اندر کوهسار
Its master is running after it, crying, “O giddy-headed one, on every side there is a wolf in quest of an ass.
صاحبش در پی دوان کای خیره سر ** هر طرف گرگیست اندر قصد خر
If thou disappear now from mine eye, the mighty wolf will approach thee from every direction.
گر ز چشمم این زمان غایب شوی ** پیشت آید هر طرف گرگ قوی
He will chew thy bones like sugar, so that thou wilt never see life again.2000
استخوانت را بخاید چون شکر ** که نبینی زندگانی را دگر
(Or) do not suppose that (immediate destruction); at any rate thou wilt be left without fodder: fire is (finally) extinguished by lack of faggots.
آن مگیر آخر بمانی از علف ** آتش از بی‌هیزمی گردد تلف
Beware! Do not flee from my control and from the heaviness of the burden, for I am thy (rational) soul.”
هین بمگریز از تصرف کردنم ** وز گرانی بار که جانت منم
You also are a beast (of burden), for your carnal soul predominates: the predominant (quality) determines (a thing's nature), O worshipper of self.
تو ستوری هم که نفست غالبست ** حکم غالب را بود ای خودپرست
The Almighty did not call you an ass, He called you a horse: the Arabs say to the Arab horse “ta‘ál” (“come”).
خر نخواندت اسپ خواندت ذوالجلال ** اسپ تازی را عرب گوید تعال
Mustafá (Mohammed) was God's stable-overseer for the beasts, (which are) the iniquitous carnal soul.2005
میر آخر بود حق را مصطفی ** بهر استوران نفس پر جفا
Moved by lovingkindness, He (God) said, “Say, ‘ta‘álaw (come ye), to the end that I may train you: I am the trainer.’”
قل تعالوا گفت از جذب کرم ** تا ریاضتتان دهم من رایضم
(The Prophet said), “Since I have trained the carnal souls, I have suffered many kicks from these beasts.
نفسها را تا مروض کرده‌ام ** زین ستوران بس لگدها خورده‌ام
Wherever there is one fond of training, he hath no means of avoiding kicks.
هر کجا باشد ریاضت‌باره‌ای ** از لگدهااش نباشد چاره‌ای
Of necessity the most affliction falls on the prophets, for ’tis an affliction to give training to the raw (ignorant).
لاجرم اغلب بلا بر انبیاست ** که ریاضت دادن خامان بلاست
Ye are stumbling along: at my word (in obedience to my command) go at a jog-trot, that ye may become gentle and be suitable for the king to ride.2010
سکسکانید از دمم یرغا روید ** تا یواش و مرکب سلطان شوید
The Lord said, ‘Say, Come ye, say, Come ye, O beasts that have shied away from discipline.
قل تعالوا قل تعالو گفت رب ** ای ستوران رمیده از ادب
If they come not, O Prophet, be not grieved: be not full of hatred on account of those twain without steadfastness.’”
گر نیایند ای نبی غمگین مشو ** زان دو بی‌تمکین تو پر از کین مشو
The ears of some are deaf to these (cries of) ta‘álaw: every beast hath a different stable.
گوش بعضی زین تعالواها کرست ** هر ستوری را صطبلی دیگرست
Some are put to flight by this call: the stall of every horse is separate.
منهزم گردند بعضی زین ندا ** هست هر اسپی طویله‌ی او جدا
Some are chagrined by this story, for every bird hath a separate cage.2015
منقبض گردند بعضی زین قصص ** زانک هر مرغی جدا دارد قفص
Even the angels too were not peers: for this reason they formed diverse ranks in Heaven.
خود ملایک نیز ناهمتا بدند ** زین سبب بر آسمان صف صف شدند
Children, though they are at one (the same) school, surpass each other in (their) lessons.
کودکان گرچه به یک مکتب درند ** در سبق هر یک ز یک بالاترند
Sense-perceptions are possessed by Easterner and Westerner, (but) the function of sight belongs to the ocular sense (alone).
مشرقی و مغربی را حسهاست ** منصب دیدار حس چشم‌راست
Though a hundred thousand ears be arrayed in rank, they all are in need of the clear eye.
صد هزاران گوشها گر صف زنند ** جمله محتاجان چشم روشن‌اند
Again, the ranks of ears have a (special) function in respect of hearing the (words of the) Spirit and the Traditions (of the Prophet) and the Revelation.2020
باز صف گوشها را منصبی ** در سماع جان و اخبار و نبی