When there is no manliness, of what use are daggers? When there is no heart (courage), the helmet avails not.
چون که مردی نیست خنجرها چه سود ** چون نباشد دل ندارد سود خود
You may have (the sword) Dhu ’l-faqár as a heritage from ‘Alí, (but) have you the (stout) arm of the Lion of God? (If so), produce it!
از علی میراث داری ذوالفقار ** بازوی شیر خدا هستت بیار
Though you may remember a (life-giving) incantation derived from the Messiah, where (in you) are the lips and teeth of Jesus, O abominable man?
گر فسونی یاد داری از مسیح ** کو لب و دندان عیسی ای قبیح
You may build a ship with money collected (from your friends) or freely given, (but) where is a captain of the ship like Noah?
کشتیی سازی ز توزیع و فتوح ** کو یکی ملاح کشتی همچو نوح
I grant you have (formally) broken the idol, like Abraham, (but) what of devoting the idol, (which is) your body, to the fire (of self-mortification)?2505
بت شکستی گیرم ابراهیموار ** کو بت تن را فدی کردن بنار
If you have the proof (that you are a true saint), put it into practice: by means of that (practice) make your wooden sword (sharp) as Dhu ’l-faqár.
گر دلیلت هست اندر فعل آر ** تیغ چوبین را بدان کن ذوالفقار
The proof that hinders you from the practice (of saintly works) is (the cause of your incurring) the vengeance of the (Divine) Maker.
آن دلیلی که ترا مانع شود ** از عمل آن نقمت صانع بود
You have emboldened those who are afraid of (travelling on) the Way, (but) underneath (inwardly) you are more tremulous (infirm) than all (the rest).
خایفان راه را کردی دلیر ** از همه لرزانتری تو زیر زیر
You lecture to them all on trust in God, (while) you are slitting the vein of the gnat in the air.
بر همه درس توکل میکنی ** در هوا تو پشه را رگ میزنی
O pathice, qui exercitum praecessisti, barbae tuae mendaciam penis tuus testatur. [O impotent sodomite, (making a false show of) going ahead of the army, your penis (is) witness to the falsehood of your beard (your false claim of manhood).]2510
ای مخنث پیش رفته از سپاه ** بر دروغ ریش تو کیرت گواه
When the heart is filled with unmanliness, the beard and moustache are a cause of laughter.
چون ز نامردی دل آکنده بود ** ریش و سبلت موجب خنده بود
Make a (vow of) repentance, shed tears like rain, redeem your beard and moustache from laughter.
توبهای کن اشک باران چون مطر ** ریش و سبلت را ز خنده باز خر
Restore your manliness (by engaging) in (devotional) works, that you may become (like) the hot sun in (the sign of) Aries.
داروی مردی بخور اندر عمل ** تا شوی خورشید گرم اندر حمل
Leave the belly and stride towards the heart (spirit), in order that the salutation may come to you from God without (any) veil.
معده را بگذار و سوی دل خرام ** تا که بیپرده ز حق آید سلام
Advance one or two paces, make a good endeavour: Love will lay hold of your ear and then draw (you onward).2515
یک دو گامی رو تکلف ساز خوش ** عشق گیرد گوش تو آنگاه کش
How the cunning of the fox prevailed over the desire of the ass to preserve and restrain himself (from yielding to temptation), and how the fox led the ass to the lion in the jungle.
غالب شدن حیلهی روباه بر استعصام و تعفف خر و کشیدن روبه خر را سوی شیر به بیشه
The fox embarked on the plot: he seized the ass's beard and led him away.
روبه اندر حیله پای خود فشرد ** ریش خر بگرفت و آن خر را ببرد
Where is the musician of that Súfí monastery, that he may quickly play the tambourine (and sing), “The ass is gone, the ass is gone”?
مطرب آن خانقه کو تا که تفت ** دف زند که خر برفت و خر برفت
Since a hare brings a lion to the well, how should not a fox lead an ass to the grass?
چونک خرگوشی برد شیری به چاه ** چون نیارد روبهی خر تا گیاه
Shut thine ear and do not swallow (beguiling) spells: (swallow naught) but the spell of the righteous saint—
گوش را بر بند و افسونها مخور ** جز فسون آن ولی دادگر
That spell of his, (which is) sweeter than halwá, that (spell) of whose feet a hundred halwá’s are (only) the dust.2520
آن فسون خوشتر از حلوای او ** آنک صد حلواست خاک پای او
The imperial jars full of the wine (of mystical knowledge) have drawn their stock from the wine of his lips.
خنبهای خسروانی پر ز می ** مایه برده از می لبهای وی
(Only) that alien soul which has never seen the wine of his ruby lips is a lover of the wine (of conventional knowledge).
عاشق می باشد آن جان بعید ** کو می لبهای لعلش را ندید
Since the blind bird does not see the sweet water, how should not it circle round the brackish water?
آب شیرین چون نبیند مرغ کور ** چون نگردد گرد چشمهی آب شور
The spiritual Moses makes the breast a Sinai: he makes the blind parrots able to see.
موسی جان سینه را سینا کند ** طوطیان کور را بینا کند
The Khusraw (who is the lover) of the spiritual Shírín has beaten the drum (of sovereignty); consequently sugar has become cheap in the city.2525
خسرو شیرین جان نوبت زدست ** لاجرم در شهر قند ارزان شدست