این صدفهای قوالب در جهان ** گر چه جمله زنده‏اند از بحر جان‏

These shells of bodies in the world, though they all are living by (grace of) the Sea of Soul—

لیک اندر هر صدف نبود گهر ** چشم بگشا در دل هر یک نگر

Yet there is not a pearl in every shell: open your eyes and look into the heart of each one,

کان چه دارد وین چه دارد می‏گزین ** ز انکه کمیاب است آن در ثمین‏ 1025

And pick out what that one has and what this, because that costly pearl is seldom found.

گر به صورت می‏روی کوهی به شکل ** در بزرگی هست صد چندان که لعل‏

If you go (turn your attention) to the form, by external appearance a mountain is a hundred times as much as a ruby in bigness;

هم به صورت دست و پا و پشم تو ** هست صد چندان که نقش چشم تو

Also, in respect of form, your hands and feet and hair are a hundred times as much as the contour of the eye;

لیک پوشیده نباشد بر تو این ** کز همه اعضا دو چشم آمد گزین‏

But this (fact) is not hidden from you, that the two eyes are the choicest of all (your) members.

از یک اندیشه که آید در درون ** صد جهان گردد به یک دم سر نگون‏

By one thought that comes into the mind a hundred worlds are overturned in a single moment.

جسم سلطان گر به صورت یک بود ** صد هزاران لشکرش در پی دود 1030

If the body of the Sultan is, in form (appearance), one (only), (yet) hundreds of thousands of soldiers run behind (it).

باز شکل و صورت شاه صفی ** هست محکوم یکی فکر خفی‏

Again, the figure and form of the excellent King are ruled by one invisible thought.

خلق بی‏پایان ز یک اندیشه بین ** گشته چون سیلی روانه بر زمین‏

Behold people without end who, moved by one thought, have gone over the earth like a flood;

هست آن اندیشه پیش خلق خرد ** لیک چون سیلی جهان را خورد و برد

Small is that thought in the people's eyes, but like a flood it swallowed and swept away the world.

پس چو می‏بینی که از اندیشه‏ای ** قایم است اندر جهان هر پیشه‏ای‏

So, when you see that from a thought every craft in the world (arises and) subsists—

خانه‏ها و قصرها و شهرها ** کوهها و دشتها و نهرها 1035

(That) houses and palaces and cities, mountains and plains and rivers,

هم زمین و بحر و هم مهر و فلک ** زنده از وی همچو کز دریا سمک‏

Earth and ocean as well as sun and sky, are living (derive their life) from it as fishes from the sea—

پس چرا از ابلهی پیش تو کور ** تن سلیمان است و اندیشه چو مور

Then why in your foolishness, O blind one, does the body seem to you a Solomon, and thought (only) as an ant?

می‏نماید پیش چشمت که بزرگ ** هست اندیشه چو موش و کوه گرگ‏

To your eye the mountain appears great: (to you) thought is like a mouse, and the mountain (like) a wolf.

عالم اندر چشم تو هول و عظیم ** ز ابر و رعد و چرخ داری لرز و بیم‏

The (material) world in your eyes is awful and sublime: you tremble and are frightened at the clouds and the thunder and the sky,

وز جهان فکرتی ای کم ز خر ** ایمن و غافل چو سنگ بی‏خبر 1040

While in regard to the world of thought, O less (lower) than the ass, you are secure and indifferent as a witless stone,

ز انکه نقشی وز خرد بی‏بهره‏ای ** آدمی خو نیستی خر کره‏ای‏

Because you are a (mere) shape and have no portion of intelligence; you are not of human nature, you are an ass's colt.

سایه را تو شخص می‏بینی ز جهل ** شخص از آن شد نزد تو بازی و سهل‏

From ignorance you deem the shadow to be the substance: hence to you the substance has become a plaything and of slight account.

باش تا روزی که آن فکر و خیال ** بر گشاید بی‏حجابی پر و بال‏

Wait till the Day when that thought and phantasy unfolds its wings and pinions without any veil (encumbrance).

کوهها بینی شده چون پشم نرم ** نیست گشته این زمین سرد و گرم‏

You will see that the mountains have become soft as wool, (and that) this Earth of hot and cold has become naught;

نه سما بینی نه اختر نه وجود ** جز خدای واحد حی ودود 1045

You will see neither the sky nor the stars nor (any) existence but God, the One, the Living, the Loving.

یک فسانه راست آمد یا دروغ ** تا دهد مر راستیها را فروغ‏

Here is a tale, (be it) true or false, to illustrate (these) truths.

حسد کردن حشم بر غلام خاص

How the (King's) retainers envied the favourite slave.

پادشاهی بنده‏ای را از کرم ** بر گزیده بود بر جمله حشم‏

A King had, of his grace, preferred a certain slave above all his retinue.