ای بنازیده به ملک و خاندان ** نزد عاقل اشتری بر ناودان
O thou that pridest thyself on thy possessions and household, in the view of the intelligent thou art (as) the camel on the water-spout.
نقش تن را تا فتاد از بام طشت ** پیش چشمم کل آت آت گشت4540
(Ever) since the bowl, (which is) the bodily form, fell from the roof, there has rolled before my (inward) eye (the reality denoted by the words) ‘Everything that is (destined) to come shall come.’
بنگرم در غوره می بینم عیان ** بنگرم در نیست شی بینم عیان
I look on the unripe grape, and I see the wine clearly; I look on nonentity, and I see the entity clearly.
بنگرم سر عالمی بینم نهان ** آدم و حوا نرسته از جهان
I look on the inmost consciousness, and I see a universe hidden, (with) Adam and Eve not (yet) arisen from the world.
مر شما را وقت ذرات الست ** دیده‌ام پا بسته و منکوس و پست
You I have seen, fettered and overthrown and abject, at the time (when mankind were assembled in the shape) of ants (on the Day) of Alast.
از حدوث آسمان بی عمد ** آنچ دانسته بدم افزون نشد
That which I had (already) known was not increased by the coming into existence of the pillarless heaven.
من شما را سرنگون می‌دیده‌ام ** پیش از آن کز آب و گل بالیده‌ام4545
I have ever seen you (fallen) headlong, ere I grew from the water and the clay.
نو ندیدم تا کنم شادی بدان ** این همی‌دیدم در آن اقبالتان
I did not see (anything) new, that I should rejoice thereat: I used to see this (same thing) during your former prosperity.
بسته‌ی قهر خفی وانگه چه قهر ** قند می‌خوردید و در وی درج زهر
Bound in (the chains of) invisible Wrath—and then what (a fearful) Wrath!— ye were eating sugar wherein poison was contained.
این چنین قندی پر از زهر ار عدو ** خوش بنوشد چت حسد آید برو
If thy enemy delight in eating such a poisonous sugar, what envy of him would come to thee?
با نشاط آن زهر می‌کردید نوش ** مرگتان خفیه گرفته هر دو گوش
Ye were eating that poison with glee, (while) Death had secretly laid hold of both your ears.
من نمی‌کردم غزا از بهر آن ** تا ظفر یابم فرو گیرم جهان4550
I did not make war for the sake of gaining victory and conquering the world,
کین جهان جیفه‌ست و مردار و رخیص ** بر چنین مردار چون باشم حریص
For this world is a carcase and carrion and vile: how should I be covetous of such carrion as this?
سگ نیم تا پرچم مرده کنم ** عیسی‌ام آیم که تا زنده‌ش کنم
I am not a dog that I should tear off the top-knot of the dead; I am (like) Jesus: I come to make him (the dead) living.
زان همی‌کردم صفوف جنگ چاک ** تا رهانم مر شما را از هلاک
I was cleaving the battle-ranks for the purpose that I might deliver you from destruction.
زان نمی‌برم گلوهای بشر ** تا مرا باشد کر و فر و حشر
I do not cut men's throats in order that power and glory and followers may be mine,
زان همی‌برم گلویی چند تا ** زان گلوها عالمی یابد رها4555
(But) I cut some throats in order that a (whole) world (of people) may obtain deliverance from those throats,
که شما پروانه‌وار از جهل خویش ** پیش آتش می‌کنید این حمله کیش
For ye in your ignorance make a habit of rushing thus, like moths, at the fire,
من همی‌رانم شما را همچو مست ** از در افتادن در آتش با دو دست
(While) I, (furiously) as a drunken man, drive you away with both hands (to save you) from falling into the fire.
آنک خود را فتحها پنداشتید ** تخم منحوسی خود می‌کاشتید
That which ye deemed victories for yourselves—(thereby) ye were sowing the seed of your damnation.
یکدگر را جد جد می‌خواندید ** سوی اژدرها فرس می‌راندید
Ye were calling one another most earnestly (to fight against me), (and by doing so) ye were riding your horses towards the dragon.
قهر می‌کردید و اندر عین قهر ** خود شما مقهور قهر شیر دهر4560
Ye were overpowering (me), whilst in the very act of overpowering ye yourselves were being overpowered by the lion (which is) Time.”
بیان آنک طاغی در عین قاهری مقهورست و در عین منصوری ماسور
Showing that the rebellious sinner in the very act of overpowering is overpowered, and in the very moment of victory is made captive.
دزد قهرخواجه کرد و زر کشید ** او بدان مشغول خود والی رسید
The robber overpowered (murdered) the merchant and carried off the gold: he was just engaged in that (business), (when) the magistrate arrived.
گر ز خواجه آن زمان بگریختی ** کی برو والی حشر انگیختی
If at that time he had fled from the merchant, how should the magistrate have set the police on him?
قاهری دزد مقهوریش بود ** زانک قهر او سر او را ربود
The robber's overpowering (the merchant) was (in reality) his being overpowered (and punished), because his act of violence took away his head (life).