-
هم‌چو بی‌گندم شده در آسیا ** جز سپیدی ریش و مو نبود عطا
- (And) like one who, having no wheat, goes to a mill: nothing will be given to him except the whitening of his beard and hair (with flour).
-
آسیای چرخ بر بی‌گندمان ** موسپیدی بخشد و ضعف میان
- The celestial mill bestows on those who have no wheat (only) whiteness of hair and weakness in the loins;
-
لیک با باگندمان این آسیا ** ملک‌بخش آمد دهد کار و کیا
- But on those who bring wheat with them this mill bestows empire and gives them sovereign power.
-
اول استعداد جنت بایدت ** تا ز جنت زندگانی زایدت
- You must first be qualified for Paradise in order that from Paradise the (everlasting) life may be born to you.
-
طفل نو را از شراب و از کباب ** چه حلاوت وز قصور و از قباب 4435
- What pleasure has the new-born child in wine and roast-meat and palaces and domes?
-
حد ندارد این مثل کم جو سخن ** تو برو تحصیل استعداد کن
- These parables have no limit: do not seek (more) words (of this kind): go and acquire capability!
-
بهر استعداد تا اکنون نشست ** شوق از حد رفت و آن نامد به دست
- (The announcer said), “He tarried until now for the sake of capability (qualification), (but) ere it was acquired his longing burst (all) bounds.”
-
گفت استعداد هم از شه رسد ** بی ز جان کی مستعد گردد جسد
- He (the prince) said, “Capability too is imparted by the King: how should the body be made capable without (the intervention of) the soul?”
-
لطف‌های شه غمش را در نوشت ** شد که صید شه کند او صید گشت
- (Then) the favours of the King did away with his anguish: he had gone to hunt the King: he became the King's prey.
-
هر که در اشکار چون تو صید شد ** صید را ناکرده قید او قید شد 4440
- (The announcer said), “Whosoever goes in chase of a quarry like thee does not catch his quarry till he is himself caught.”