چون غرض دلاله گشت و واصفی ** از سه گز کرباس یابی یوسفی
When prejudice becomes a go-between and describer (of beauty), you may get (buy) a Joseph for three ells of linen.
چونک هنگام فراق جان شود ** دیو دلال در ایمان شود
When the hour arrives for the spirit's parting (from the body), the Devil becomes a broker (depreciator) of the pearl of Faith,
پس فروشد ابله ایمان را شتاب ** اندر آن تنگی به یک ابریق آب
And then in that (moment of) sore distress the fool hastily sells his faith for a jug of water;
وان خیالی باشد و ابریق نی ** قصد آن دلال جز تخریق نی
But ’tis a (mere) phantom and not (really) a jug: the aim of the broker (the Devil) is naught but trickery.
این زمان که تو صحیح و فربهی ** صدق را بهر خیالی می‌دهی 3465
At this (present) time, when you are healthy and fat, you are giving up the Truth for a phantom.
می‌فروشی هر زمانی در کان ** هم‌چو طفلی می‌ستانی گردگان
You are constantly selling the pearls of the (spiritual) mine and taking walnuts (in exchange), like a child;
پس در آن رنجوری روز اجل ** نیست نادر گر بود اینت عمل
Therefore it is no wonder if you act in this (same) way in the (mortal) sickness of your day of doom (death).
در خیالت صورتی جوشیده‌ای ** هم‌چو جوزی وقت دق پوسیده‌ای
You have concocted an idea (a vain notion) in your fancy: when you are rattled (tested) like a walnut, you are (proved to be) rotten.
هست از آغاز چون بدر آن خیال ** لیک آخر می‌شود هم‌چون هلال
In the beginning that phantom resembles the full-moon, but in the end it will become like the new-moon.
گر تو اول بنگری چون آخرش ** فارغ آیی از فریب فاترش 3470
If you regard its first (state) as being (really) like its last (state), you will be quit of its feeble deception.
جوز پوسیده‌ست دنیا ای امین ** امتحانش کم کن از دورش ببین
This world is a rotten walnut: O man of trust, do not make trial of it, (but) behold it from afar.
شاه دید آن اسپ را با چشم حال ** وآن عمادالملک با چشم مل
The king viewed the horse with regard to the present, while the ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk (viewed it) with regard to the future.
چشم شه دو گز همی دید از لغز ** چشم آن پایان‌نگر پنجاه گز
The king's eye, because of (its) distortion, saw (only) two ells, (but) the eye of him who regarded the end saw fifty ells.
آن چه سرمه‌ست آنک یزدان می‌کشد ** کز پس صد پرده بیند جان رشد
What a (wondrous) collyrium is that which God applies (to the spiritual eye), so that the spirit discerns the truth behind a hundred curtains!
چشم مهتر چون به آخر بود جفت ** پس بدان دیده جهان را جیفه گفت 3475
Since the Chief's (the Prophet's) eye was ever fixed on the end, by reason of (seeing with) that eye he called the world a carcase.
زین یکی ذمش که بشنود او وحسپ ** پس فسرد اندر دل شه مهر اسپ
On hearing only this single (word of) blame from him (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk), the love (that was) in the king's heart for the horse became chilled.
چشم خود بگذاشت و چشم او گزید ** هوش خود بگذاشت و قول او شنید
He abandoned his own eye and preferred his (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk's) eye: he abandoned his own intelligence and hearkened to his (the other's) words.
این بهانه بود و آن دیان فرد ** از نیاز آن در دل شه سرد کرد
This (speech of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) was (only) the pretext, and (in reality) at (his) entreaty the unique Judge caused it (the horse) to be cold (despicable) in the king's heart.
در ببست از حسن او پیش بصر ** آن سخن بد در میان چون بانگ در
He (God) shut the door on its beauty (made its beauty invisible) to the eye (of the king): those words (of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) intervened (between the king's eye and the horse) like the sound of the door.
پرده کرد آن نکته را بر چشم شه ** که از آن پرده نماید مه سیه 3480
He (God) made that cryptic saying a veil over the king's eye, a veil through which the moon appears to be black.
پاک بنایی که بر سازد حصون ** در جهان غیب از گفت و فسون
Pure (transcendent) is the Builder who in the unseen world constructs castles of speech and beguiling talk.
بانگ در دان گفت را از قصر راز ** تا که بانگ وا شدست این یا فراز
Know that speech is the sound of the door (coming) from the palace of mystery: consider whether it is the sound of opening or shutting.
بانگ در محسوس و در از حس برون ** تبصرون این بانگ و در لا تبصرون
The sound of the door is perceptible, but the door (itself) is beyond perception: ye see (are aware of) this sound, but the door ye see not.
چنگ حکمت چونک خوش‌آواز شد ** تا چه در از روض جنت باز شد
When the harp of wisdom breaks into melody, (bethink yourself) what door of the Garden of Paradise has been opened.
بانگ گفت بد چو دروا می‌شود ** از سقر تا خود چه در وا می‌شود 3485
When the sound of evil speech becomes loud, (bethink yourself) what door of Hell is being opened.