-
زر اگر پنجاه اگر شصتت دهد ** ماهیا او گوشت در شستت دهد 225
- Whether she give you fifty or sixty (pieces of) gold, she gives you, O fish, (nothing but) flesh on a hook.
-
گر دهد خود کی دهد آن پر حیل ** جوز پوسیدست گفتار دغل
- If she give, when does that deceitful one really give (aught)? The words of the swindler are (like) rotten walnuts.
-
ژغژغ آن عقل و مغزت را برد ** صد هزاران عقل را یک نشمرد
- Their rattling robs you of understanding and brain and does not reckon myriads of understandings (even) as one.
-
یار تو خرجین تست و کیسهات ** گر تو رامینی مجو جز ویسهات
- (In travelling) your bag and your purse are your friend, (do not care for anything else): if you are Rámín, seek none but your Wísa.
-
ویسه و معشوق تو هم ذات تست ** وین برونیها همه آفات تست
- ’Tis your essential self that is your Wísa and beloved, and all these external things are banes to you.
-
حزم آن باشد که چون دعوت کنند ** تو نگویی مست و خواهان منند 230
- Prudence is this, that when they (worldlings) invite you, you should not say, “They are enamoured and fond of me.”
-
دعوت ایشان صفیر مرغ دان ** که کند صیاد در مکمن نهان
- Know that their invitation is (like) the bird's whistle which the fowler gives (while) concealed in (his) place of ambush:
-
مرغ مرده پیش بنهاده که این ** میکند این بانگ و آواز و حنین
- He has put forward a dead bird, (pretending) that this (bird) is making this plaintive noise and cry.
-
مرغ پندارد که جنس اوست او ** جمع آید بر دردشان پوست او
- The birds think he is one of their kind: they gather round, and he rends their skins—
-
جز مگر مرغی که حزمش داد حق ** تا نگردد گیج آن دانه و ملق
- Except, no doubt, the bird on which God has bestowed prudence, so that it may not be fooled by that bait and enticement.