ماجرای مرد و زن افتاد نقل ** آن مثال نفس خود می‌‌دان و عقل
The altercation of the man and wife has been related (as a story): know that it is a parable of your own flesh (nafs) and reason.
این زن و مردی که نفس است و خرد ** نیک بایسته ست بهر نیک و بد
This man and wife, which are the flesh and the reason, are very necessary for (the manifestation of) good and evil;
وین دو بایسته در این خاکی سرا ** روز و شب در جنگ و اندر ماجرا
And this necessary pair in this house of earth are (engaged) in strife and altercation day and night.
زن همی‌‌خواهد هویج خانگاه ** یعنی آب رو و نان و خوان و جاه2620
The wife is craving requisites for the household, that is to say, reputation and bread and viands and rank.
نفس همچون زن پی چاره‌‌گری ** گاه خاکی گاه جوید سروری
Like the wife, the flesh, in order to contrive the means (of gratifying its desires), is at one time seeking (having recourse to) humility and at another time to domination.
عقل خود زین فکرها آگاه نیست ** در دماغش جز غم الله نیست
The reason is really unconscious of these (worldly) thoughts: in its brain is nothing but love of God.
گر چه سر قصه این دانه ست و دام ** صورت قصه شنو اکنون تمام
Although the inner meaning of the tale is this bait and trap, listen now to the outward form of the tale in its entirety.
گر بیان معنوی کافی شدی ** خلق عالم عاطل و باطل بدی
If the spiritual explanation were sufficient, the creation of the world would have been vain and idle.
گر محبت فکرت و معنیستی ** صورت روزه و نمازت نیستی2625
If love were (only spiritual) thought and reality, the form of your fasting and prayer would be non-existent.
هدیه‌‌های دوستان با همدیگر ** نیست اندر دوستی الا صور
The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect of love, naught but forms;