پیششان بردم بسی جام رحیق ** سنگ شد آبش به پیش این فریق

I bore to them many a cup of pure wine: its juice turned to stone before this company.

دسته گل بستم و بردم به پیش ** هر گلی چون خار گشت و نوش نیش

I twined a handful of roses and carried it to them: every rose became as a thorn, and the honey turned to poison.

آن نصیب جان بی‌خویشان بود ** چونک با خویش‌اند پیدا کی شود

That (pure wine) is the portion allotted to the selfless: since they are with themselves (not freed from self), how should it be shown (to them)?

خفته‌ی بیدار باید پیش ما ** تا به بیداری ببیند خوابها

With us, one must needs be a waking sleeper, that in the state of wakefulness he may dream dreams.”

دشمن این خواب خوش شد فکر خلق ** تا نخسپد فکرتش بستست حلق 1115

Thought of created things is an enemy to this sweet (waking) sleep: until his (any one's) thought is asleep, his throat is shut.

حیرتی باید که روبد فکر را ** خورده حیرت فکر را و ذکر را

A (mystical) bewilderment is needed to sweep (such) thought away: bewilderment devours (all) thought and recollection.

هر که کاملتر بود او در هنر ** او بمعنی پس بصورت پیشتر

The more perfect he is in (worldly) science, the more backward he is in reality and the more forward in appearance.

راجعون گفت و رجوع این سان بود ** که گله وا گردد و خانه رود

He (God) hath said, “(Verily, to Him we are) returning”; and the return is in the same wise as a herd turns back and goes home.

چونک واگردید گله از ورود ** پس فتد آن بز که پیش آهنگ بود

When the herd has turned back from (after) going down to water, the goat that was the leader (now) falls behind (becomes the hindmost),

پیش افتد آن بز لنگ پسین ** اضحک الرجعی وجوه العابسین 1120

And the lame hindmost goat is now in front: the return caused the faces to laugh of them that were frowning (before).