Were it not for the pulling of the scatter-brained mouse, the frog would have enjoyed himself in the water.
باقیش چون روز برخیزی ز خواب ** بشنوی از نوربخش آفتاب
You will hear the rest of it from the light-giving (illumination) of the Sun when you rise from slumber on the Day (of Resurrection).
یک سر رشته گره بر پای من ** زان سر دیگر تو پا بر عقده زن 2740
(The mouse said), “Knot one end of the string on my foot and the other end on thine,
تا توانم من درین خشکی کشید ** مر ترا نک شد سر رشته پدید
That I may be able to pull thee to this dry land: lo, the end of the string (the object of my plan) is (now) clear (to thee).”
تلخ آمد بر دل چغز این حدیث ** که مرا در عقده آرد این خبیث
This news (proposal) was disagreeable to the heart of the frog, (who thought to himself), “This wicked fellow will bring me into a tangle.”
هر کراهت در دل مرد بهی ** چون در آید از فنی نبود تهی
Whenever a feeling of repugnance comes into the heart of a good man, ’tis not devoid of some significance.
وصف حق دان آن فراست را نه وهم ** نور دل از لوح کل کردست فهم
Deem that (intuitive) sagacity to be a Divine attribute, not a (vain) suspicion: the light of the heart has apprehended (by intuitive perception) from the Universal Tablet.
امتناع پیل از سیران ببیت ** با جد آن پیلبان و بانگ هیت 2745
(For example) the refusal of the Elephant to march against the House (of Allah) notwithstanding the driver's efforts and cries of “Come on!”
جانب کعبه نرفتی پای پیل ** با همه لت نه کثیر و نه قلیل
In spite of all blows the Elephant's feet would not move, either much or little, towards the Ka‘ba.
گفتیی خود خشک شد پاهای او ** یا بمرد آن جان صول‌افزای او
You would have said that its legs were paralysed or that its impetuous spirit was dead.