During this (present) time (men's) inward beliefs are (as variegated) as a piebald cow, and in the (different) religious sects the spindle of speech is spinning (threads of) a hundred colours.
این زمان سرها مثال گاو پیس ** دوک نطق اندر ملل صد رنگ ریس
’Tis the turn (reign) of many-colouredness and many-mindedness: how should the one-coloured world become unveiled?
نوبت صدرنگیست و صددلی ** عالم یک رنگ کی گردد جلی
’Tis the turn (reign) of the Ethiopian; the Greek is hidden (from view): this is night, and the sun is in pawn.1870
نوبت زنگست رومی شد نهان ** این شبست و آفتاب اندر رهان
’Tis the turn (reign) of the wolf, and Joseph is at the bottom of the well; ’tis the turn (reign) of the Egyptians, and Pharaoh is king.
نوبت گرگست و یوسف زیر چاه ** نوبت قبطست و فرعونست شاه
(Such is the Divine purpose), in order that for a few days these curs may have their allotted portion of the unstinted and deluding (worldly) provision.
تا ز رزق بی‌دریغ خیره‌خند ** این سگان را حصه باشد روز چند
(But) within the jungle (of this world) are lions (righteous and holy men), waiting for the command “Come!” to be spread abroad.
در درون بیشه شیران منتظر ** تا شود امر تعالوا منتشر
Then those lions will come forth from the (worldly) pasture, and God will show (unto them) their income and expenditure without any veil (disguise).
پس برون آیند آن شیران ز مرج ** بی‌حجابی حق نماید دخل و خرج
The (spiritual) essence of Man will encompass land and sea, (while) the piebald cattle will be killed as victims on the Day of Slaughter.1875
جوهر انسان بگیرد بر و بحر ** پیسه گاوان بسملان آن روز نحر
The terrible Day of Slaughter at the Resurrection is a festival for the true believers and (the hour of) destruction for the cattle.
روز نحر رستخیز سهمناک ** مومنان را عید و گاوان را هلاک
On that Day of Slaughter all the water-birds (will be) sailing along like ships on the surface of the Sea.
جمله‌ی مرغان آب آن روز نحر ** هم‌چو کشتیها روان بر روی بحر
(This Day is ordained) to the end that they who perish may perish by a clear proof, and that they who are saved and have sure knowledge thereof may be saved (by a clear proof),
تا که یهلک من هلک عن بینه ** تا که ینجو من نجا واستیقنه
And that the falcons may go to the Sultan and that the crows may go to the graveyard;
تا که بازان جانب سلطان روند ** تا که زاغان سوی گورستان روند
For in this world the dessert of the crows was bones and pieces of dung like bread.1880
که استخوان و اجزاء سرگین هم‌چو نان ** نقل زاغان آمدست اندر جهان
How remote is the sugar of wisdom from the crow! How remote is the dung-beetle from the orchard!
قند حکمت از کجا زاغ از کجا ** کرم سرگین از کجا باغ از کجا
It is not suitable for an effeminate man to go to fight against the carnal soul: aloes-wood and musk are not suitable for the arse of an ass.
نیست لایق غزو نفس و مرد غر ** نیست لایق عود و مشک و کون خر
Since women are not at all adapted for fighting, how should they be adapted for that (fight) which is the greater holy war?
چون غزا ندهد زنان را هیچ دست ** کی دهد آنک جهاد اکبرست
A Rustam may (sometimes) have been concealed in a woman's body, as (was the case with) a Mary; (but) only seldom.
جز بنادر در تن زن رستمی ** گشته باشد خفیه هم‌چون مریمی
Similarly, women are (sometimes) concealed in men's bodies, and they (such men) are (virtually) female because of (their) faintness of heart.1885
آنچنان که در تن مردان زنان ** خفیه‌اند و ماده از ضعف جنان
In that world, if any one has not found in his manhood the capacity (for spiritual combat), his feminality takes (visible) shape.
آن جهان صورت شود آن مادگی ** هر که در مردی ندید آمادگی
The Day (of Judgement) is justice, and justice consists in giving (to every one) what is proper: the shoe belongs to the foot, and the cap belongs to the head.
روز عدل و عدل داد در خورست ** کفش آن پا کلاه آن سرست
(This is) in order that every seeker may attain to the object of his search, and that everything destined to set may go to its point of setting.
تا به مطلب در رسد هر طالبی ** تا به غرب خود رود هر غاربی
No object of search is withheld from the seeker: the sun is paired with heat and the cloud with water.
نیست هر مطلوب از طالب دریغ ** جفت تابش شمس و جفت آب میغ
The present world is the Creator's penitentiary: since you have chosen (to incur) punishment, suffer punishment!1890
هست دنیا قهرخانه‌ی کردگار ** قهر بین چون قهر کردی اختیار
Contemplate the bones and hair of the punished ones (whom) the sword of (Divine) punishment overthrew on sea and land.
استخوان و موی مقهوران نگر ** تیغ قهر افکنده اندر بحر و بر
Consider the bird's feathers and feet (lying) around the trap and silently expounding (the nature of) God's punishment.
پر و پای مرغ بین بر گرد دام ** شرح قهر حق کننده بی‌کلام