So that your knife should not cut (the throat of) Ismá‘íl (Ishmael) and that you should make the depths of the Nile a (dry) highway?
تا نبرد تیغت اسمعیل را ** تا کنی شهراه قعر نیل را
If a blessed one fell from the minaret (and) was saved by the wind filling his raiment,
گر سعیدی از مناره اوفتید ** بادش اندر جامه افتاد و رهید
Why have you, O good man, committed yourself to the wind when you are not sure of that (same) fortune?1350
چون یقینت نیست آن بخت ای حسن ** تو چرا بر باد دادی خویشتن
From this minaret hundreds of thousands (of peoples) like ‘Ád fell down and gave to the wind (lost) their lives and souls.
زین مناره صد هزاران همچو عاد ** در فتادند و سر و سر باد داد
Behold those who have fallen headlong from this minaret, hundreds of thousands on thousands!
سرنگون افتادگان را زین منار ** مینگر تو صد هزار اندر هزار
(If) you have no sure skill in rope-dancing, give thanks for your feet and walk on the ground.
تو رسنبازی نمیدانی یقین ** شکر پاها گوی و میرو بر زمین
Don't make wings of paper and fly from the (top of a) mountain, for many a head has gone (to destruction) in this craze.
پر مساز از کاغذ و از که مپر ** که در آن سودا بسی رفتست سر
Although the Súfí was afire with anger, yet he cast his eye on the consequence.1355
گرچه آن صوفی پر آتش شد ز خشم ** لیک او بر عاقبت انداخت چشم
The highest success belongs permanently to him who does not take the bait and sees (the danger of) imprisonment in the trap.
اول صف بر کسی ماندم به کام ** کو نگیرد دانه بیند بند دام
How excellent are two noble end-discerning eyes that preserve the body from corruption!
حبذا دو چشم پایان بین راد ** که نگه دارند تن را از فساد
That (foresight) was (derived) from the vision of the end that was seen by Ahmad (Mohammed), who even here (in the present life) saw Hell, hair by hair,
آن ز پایاندید احمد بود کو ** دید دوزخ را همینجا مو به مو
And saw the Throne (of God) and the Footstool and the Gardens (of Paradise), so that he rent the veil of (our) forgetfulnesses.
دید عرش و کرسی و جنات را ** تا درید او پردهی غفلات را
If you desire to be safe from harm, close your eye to the beginning and contemplate the end,1360
گر همیخواهی سلامت از ضرر ** چشم ز اول بند و پایان را نگر
That you may regard all (apparent) nonentities as (really) existent and look upon (all) entities, (so far as they are) perceived by the senses, as of low degree.
تا عدمها ار ببینی جمله هست ** هستها را بنگری محسوس پست
At least consider this, that every one who possesses reason is daily and nightly in quest of the (relatively) non-existent.
این ببین باری که هر کش عقل هست ** روز و شب در جست و جوی نیستست
In begging, he seeks a munificence that is not in being; in the shops he seeks a profit that is not in being.
در گدایی طالب جودی که نیست ** بر دکانها طالب سودی که نیست
In the cornfields he seeks an income (crop) that is not in being; in the plantations he seeks a date-palm that is not in being.
در مزارع طالب دخلی که نیست ** در مغارس طالب نخلی که نیست
In the colleges he seeks a knowledge that is not in being; in the Christian monasteries he seeks a morality that is not in being.1365
در مدارس طالب علمی که نیست ** در صوامع طالب حلمی که نیست
They (the intelligent) have thrown the (actually) existent things behind them and are seekers of, and devoted to, the (relatively) non-existent things,
هستها را سوی پس افکندهاند ** نیستها را طالبند و بندهاند
Because the mine and treasury of God's doing is not other than non-existence in (process of) being brought into manifestation.
زانک کان و مخزن صنع خدا ** نیست غیر نیستی در انجلا
We have previously given some indication of this (matter): regard this (present discourse) and that (former discourse) as one, not as two.
پیش ازین رمزی بگفتستیم ازین ** این و آن را تو یکی بین دو مبین
It was stated (formerly) that every craftsman who appeared (in the world) sought the abode of (relative) non-existence in (exercising) his craft.
گفته شد که هر صناعتگر که رست ** در صناعت جایگاه نیست جست
The builder sought an unrepaired place that had become ruined and (where) the roofs (were) fallen in.1370
جست بنا موضعی ناساخته ** گشته ویران سقفها انداخته
The water-carrier sought a pot with no water in it, and the carpenter a house with no door.
جست سقا کوزای کش آب نیست ** وان دروگر خانهای کش باب نیست
At the moment of pursuing (their object) they rushed into (relative) nonexistence; then (afterwards) they all are fleeing from non-existence.
وقت صید اندر عدم بد حملهشان ** از عدم آنگه گریزان جملهشان