XXXVI: Be not captivated by the friendship of this…

Be not captivated by the friendship of this world's people--
This shameless, this faithless, this barefaced world!

Like unto dogs, that snarl and fight over a rotten carcass,
Thus, in the world, its insolent people squabble and contend!

They neither inquire about, nor cast a look upon each other--
Back to back, pass along the world's acquaintances and friends.

The peevish, ill-tempered, disagreeable ones, are left behind;
Whilst cruel fate hath removed from us the sweet and charming!

Thine eyes, indeed, will not be pleased with a single one of them,
Shouldst thou bend thy looks upon the people of this age!

Since their hands are wholly withdrawn from what is right,
Wherefore may not the world's folks be, in calamity, immersed?

Lying and duplicity have become sweeter to them than sugar;
But like poison, the world's people have spitten out truth!

They will not leave thee, O Hamid! in thy decency, and repute;
Since the base and infamous have become the great ones of the age.