- But the (inward) savour of a single prostration before God will be more sweet to thee than two hundred empires: 665
- لیک ذوق سجده‌ای پیش خدا ** خوشتر آید از دو صد دولت ترا
- Then thou wilt cry (in humble entreaty), “I desire not kingdoms: commit unto me the kingdom of that prostration.”
- پس بنالی که نخواهم ملکها ** ملک آن سجده مسلم کن مرا
- The kings of the world, because of their evil nature, got no scent of the wine of service (to God);
- پادشاهان جهان از بدرگی ** بو نبردند از شراب بندگی
- Otherwise, dizzy and dumbfounded like (Ibráhim son of) Adham, without delay they would have dashed their sovereignty to pieces.
- ورنه ادهم‌وار سرگردان و دنگ ** ملک را برهم زدندی بی‌درنگ
- But (this they do not inasmuch as), for the maintenance of this world, God set a seal upon their eyes and mouths,
- لیک حق بهر ثبات این جهان ** مهرشان بنهاد بر چشم و دهان
- To the end that throne and crown should be sweet to them, "for" (they say) "we will exact tribute from the rulers of the world." 670
- تا شود شیرین بریشان تخت و تاج ** که ستانیم از جهانداران خراج
- If by way of tribute thou amass gold as (though it were) sand, at last it will be left behind thee as an inheritance.
- از خراج ار جمع آری زر چو ریگ ** آخر آن از تو بماند مردریگ
- Sovereignty and gold will not accompany thy spirit on its journey: give thy gold away, get collyrium for thy sight,
- همره جانت نگردد ملک و زر ** زر بده سرمه ستان بهر نظر
- In order that thou mayst see that this world is a narrow well, and that, like Joseph, thou mayst grasp that rope,
- تا ببینی کین جهان چاهیست تنگ ** یوسفانه آن رسن آری به چنگ
- So that, when thou comest from the well (up) to the roof, the Soul will say, “Oh, good news for met This is a youth for me.”
- تا بگوید چون ز چاه آیی به بام ** جان که یا بشرای هذا لی غلام