XIV: The friendship of this world's friend is false…

The friendship of this world's friend is false and hollow:
From the tulip thou seekest permanence, unavailingly.

Like unto one who vainly calleth to a goose for a porringer,
So absurd, hath become, the hope of any constancy.

Since no one is the gainer from a friend's friendship,
Let not this unprofitable, gainless trade be entered on.

He, who in his necessities, craveth aught from fate's revolutions,
Unavailingly, runneth after the lightning's bright gleams.

To-morrow, thy manliness will be, from thy acts, seen;
Therefore, in boasting, raise no foolish noise, to-day.

Speaking, without acting, is mere trouble and vexation:
The kernel of desire, by this absurdity, cannot be obtained.

He, who may open his mouth unto the mean and base,
Rendereth the pearls of his own speech worthless, altogether.

When, thereby, its own rent garment it cannot gather together,
The rose, unreasonably, laugheth, at the weeping of the dew.

Since, in the flame, O Hamid! the moth uttereth no cry,
The wailing of the nightingale for the rose, is utterly vain.