آن کشنده‌ی گاو عقل تست رو ** بر کشنده گاو تن منکر مشو
The slayer of the cow is your intellect (rational soul): go, do not be offended with the’ slayer of the cow, (which is) your body.
عقل اسیرست و همی خواهد ز حق ** روزیی بی رنج و نعمت بر طبق
The intellect is a captive and craves of God daily bread (won) without toil, and bounty (placed before it) on a tray.
روزی بی رنج او موقوف چیست ** آنک بکشد گاو را کاصل بدیست
Upon what does its daily bread (won) without toil depend? Upon its killing the cow is the origin of (all) evil
نفس گوید چون کشی تو گاو من ** زانک گاو نفس باشد نقش تن
The fleshly soul says, “How shouldst thou kill my ‘cow’?-because the “cow” of the fleshly soul is the (outward) form of the body.
خواجه‌زاده‌ی عقل مانده بی‌نوا ** نفس خونی خواجه گشت و پیشوا2510
The intellect, (typified by) the master’s son, is left destitute, (while) the fleshly soul, (typified by) the murderer, has become a master and leader.
روزی بی‌رنج می‌دانی که چیست ** قوت ارواحست و ارزاق نبیست
Do you know what is the daily bread (won) without toil? It is the food of spirits and the daily bread of the prophet.
لیک موقوفست بر قربان گاو ** گنج اندر گاو دان ای کنج‌کاو
But it depends upon sacrificing the cow: know (that) the (spiritual) treasure (is found) in (sacrifice of) the cow, O you who dig in (holes and) corners!
دوش چیزی خورده‌ام ور نه تمام ** دادمی در دست فهم تو زمام
Yesternight I ate something; otherwise, I would have given the reins entirely into the hand of your understanding’.
دوش چیزی خورده‌ام افسانه است ** هرچه می‌آید ز پنهان خانه است
(The words), ‘ yesternight I ate something,” are an idle tale: whatsoever comes (to pass) is from the secret chamber (of Divine Destiny).
چشم بر اسباب از چه دوختیم ** گر ز خوش‌چشمان کرشم آموختیم2515
Wherefore have we fixed our eyes on (secondary) causes, if we have learned from those with beauteous eyes how to glance amorously?