گر نظایر گویم اینجا در مثال ** فهم را ترسم که آرد اختلال3730
If I should here utter similitudes in comparison (illustration), I fear it might disorder (perplex) the understanding.
هم سلیمان هست اکنون لیک ما ** از نشاط دور بینی در عما
Even now there exists (a) Solomon, but we are blinded by exulting in (our) farsightedness.
دور بینی کور دارد مرد را ** همچو خفته در سرا کور از سرا
Far-sightedness keeps a man blind, just as one sleeping in a house is blind to the house.
مولعیم اندر سخنهای دقیق ** در گرهها باز کردن ما عشیق
We are much addicted to subtle discussions, we are exceedingly fond of solving problems;
تا گره بندیم و بگشاییم ما ** در شکال و در جواب آیین فزا
And to the end that we may tie knots and (then) undo them, (we are) making many rules for (posing and stating) the difficulty and for answering (the questions raised by it),
همچو مرغی کاو گشاید بند دام ** گاه بندد تا شود در فن تمام3735
Like a bird which should undo the fastenings of a snare, and tie (them together) at times, in order that it might become perfect in skill:
او بود محروم از صحرا و مرج ** عمر او اندر گره کاری است خرج
It is deprived of the open country and meadowland, its life is spent in dealing with knots;
خود زبون او نگردد هیچ دام ** لیک پرش در شکست افتد مدام
And even (then) the snare is nowise subdued by it, but its wings are always getting broken.
با گره کم کوش تا بال و پرت ** نگسلد یک یک از این کر و فرت
Do not struggle with knots, lest thy wings and feathers be snapped asunder one by one through this vain display (of effort) on thy part.
صد هزاران مرغ پرهاشان شکست ** و آن کمین گاه عوارض را نبست
Myriads of birds have had their wings broken, and have not stopped that calamitous ambuscade (from doing its work).