#1
کُنون اِی خِرَدمَند وَصفِ خِرَد
✦
بَدین جایگَه گفتن اَندر خُورَد
“Now, O man of wisdom, it is fitting to set forth the praise of Wisdom in this place.”
#2
کُنون تا چه داری بیار از خِرَد
✦
که گوشِ نیُوشَنده زو بَر خُورَد
“Bring forth whatever knowledge of wisdom you possess, so that the listening ear may profit thereby.”
#3
خِرَد بِهتر از هَر چه ایزَد بِداد
✦
ستایش خِرَد را بِه از راهِ داد
“Wisdom is superior to all that God has granted; to praise wisdom is the noblest path of justice.”
#4
خِرَد رَهنمای وُ خِرَد دِلگشای
✦
خِرَد دَست گیرد به هَر دو سَرای
“Wisdom is the guide, wisdom is the heart's delight; wisdom takes one's hand in both worlds.”
#5
از او شادمانی وزویَت غَمی است
✦
وزویَت فُزونی وزویَت کَمی است
“From wisdom comes your joy and from its lack your grief; through wisdom comes abundance and through its loss, deficiency.”
#6
خِرَد تیره وُ مَرد روشن رَوان
✦
نَباشَد هَمی شادمان یِک زَمان
“If a man's wisdom be darkened, even if his spirit be bright, he shall not remain joyful for a single moment.”
#7
چه گُفت آن خِرَدمَند مَردِ خِرَد
✦
که دانا زِ گفتار او بَر خُورَد
“What said that wise sage of wisdom, from whose words the learned reap rich fruit?”
#8
کسی کو خِرَد را نَدارَد زِ پیش
✦
دِلش گَردَد از کَردهٔ خویش ریش
“He who does not set wisdom before him, his heart will be wounded by his own deeds.”
#9
هُشیوار دیوانه خوانَد وُرا
✦
همان خویش بیگانه دانَد وُرا
“The prudent will deem him mad, and even his own kin will treat him as a stranger.”
#10
از اویی به هَر دو سَرای اَرجمَند
✦
گسسته خِرَد پای دارَد به بَند
“Through wisdom you are noble in both realms; he whose wisdom is severed bears fetters upon his feet.”
#11
خِرَد چَشمِ جان اَست چون بِنگری
✦
تو بی‌چَشمْ شادان جَهان نَسپَری
“Wisdom is the eye of the soul, if you behold it truly; without eyes, you cannot tread the world joyfully.”
#12
نخُست‌آفرینش خِرَد را شِناس
✦
نگهبانِ جان است و آنِ سه پاس
“Know Wisdom as the primeval creation; it is the guardian of the soul and of the three sentinels.”
#13
سه پاسِ تو چَشم اَست و گوش وُ زَبان
✦
کَز این سه رَسَد نیک و بَد بی‌گَمان
“Your three sentinels are the eye, the ear, and the tongue; through these three comes good and evil without doubt.”
#14
خِرَد را وُ جان را که یارَد سُتود
✦
وَ گَر مَن سِتایم که یارَد شُنود
“Who has the power to praise Wisdom and the Soul worthily? And if I praise them, who could truly comprehend it?”
#15
حَکیما چو کَس نیست گُفتن چه سود
✦
از این پَس بگو کآفرینش چه بود
“O Sage, since none can fully comprehend, what avails speech? Speak now of how creation came to be.”
#16
تویی کردهٔ کِردگارِ جهان
✦
ببینی هَمی آشکار وُ نَهان
“You are the creation of the Maker of the world; you perceive both the manifest and the hidden.”
#17
به گفتارِ دانندگان راه جُوی
✦
به گیتی بِپوی وُ به هَر کَس بِگوی
“Seek the path through the words of the learned; roam the world and share your wisdom with all.”
#18
زِ هَر دانشی چون سخن بِشنَوی
✦
از آموختن یِک زَمان نَغنَوی
“Whenever you hear words of any knowledge, do not slumber for a single moment from learning.”
#19
چو دیدار یابی به شاخِ سَخُن
✦
بدانی که دانش نیاید به بُن
“When you gain sight of the branch of speech, you will realize that knowledge has no end.”