درج در خوفی هزاران آمنی ** در سواد چشم چندان روشنی 3580
In a single fear (danger) are enclosed a thousand securities; in the black (pupil) of the eye ever so many brilliancies.
اندرون گاو تن شه‌زاده‌ای ** گنج در ویرانه‌ای بنهاده‌ای
Within the cow-like body there is a prince, a treasure deposited in a ruin,
تا خری پیری گریزد زان نفیس ** گاو بیند شاه نی یعنی بلیس
To the end that an old ass, Iblís to wit, may flee from that precious (treasure) and may see (only) the cow and not (see) the king.
حکایت آن پادشاه و وصیت کردن او سه پسر خویش را کی درین سفر در ممالک من فلان جا چنین ترتیب نهید و فلان جا چنین نواب نصب کنید اما الله الله به فلان قلعه مروید و گرد آن مگردید
Story of the King who enjoined his three sons, saying, “In this journey through my empire establish certain arrangements in such-and-such a place and appoint certain viceroys in such-and-such a place, but for God's sake, for God's sake, do not go to such-and-such a fortress and do not roam around it.”
بود شاهی شاه را بد سه پسر ** هر سه صاحب‌فطنت و صاحب‌نظر
There was a King, and the King had three sons: all three (were) endowed with sagacity and discernment.
هر یکی از دیگری استوده‌تر ** در سخا و در وغا و کر و فر
Each one (was) more praiseworthy than another in generosity and in battle and in exercising royal sway.
پیش شه شه‌زادگان استاده جمع ** قرة العینان شه هم‌چون سه شمع 3585
The princes, (who were) the delight of the King's eye, stood together, like three candles, before the King,
از ره پنهان ز عینین پسر ** می‌کشید آبی نخیل آن پدر
And the father's palm-tree was drawing water by a hidden channel from the two fountains (eyes) of the son.
تا ز فرزند آب این چشمه شتاب ** می‌رود سوی ریاض مام و باب
So long as the water of this fountain is running swiftly from the son towards the gardens of his mother and father,
تازه می‌باشد ریاض والدین ** گشته جاری عینشان زین هر دو عین
His parents' gardens will always be fresh: their fountain is made to flow by (the water from) both these fountains.
چون شود چشمه ز بیماری علیل ** خشک گردد برگ و شاخ آن نخیل
(But) when from sickness the (son's) fountain fails, the leaves and boughs of the (father's) palm-tree become withered.