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کی نظاره اهل بخریدن بود ** آن نظاره گول گردیدن بود
- How should (idle) looking-on be capable of buying? The fool's looking-on is (not for buying, but merely for) loitering.
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پرس پرسان کین به چند و آن به چند ** از پی تعبیر وقت و ریش‌خند
- (He strolls about) continually asking, “How much is this?” and “How much is that?” for the sake of pastime and mockery.
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از ملولی کاله می‌خواهد ز تو ** نیست آن کس مشتری و کاله‌جو
- (’Tis only) from boredom (that) he asks you (to show him) your goods: that person is not a buyer and customer.
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کاله را صد بار دید و باز داد ** جامه کی پیمود او پیمود باد 835
- He inspects the article a hundred times and hands it back (to you): when did he (ever) measure a piece of cloth? He measured wind (and nothing else).
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کو قدوم و کر و فر مشتری ** کو مزاح گنگلی سرسری
- What a distance between the approach and bargaining of a purchaser and the pleasantries of a silly joker?
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چونک در ملکش نباشد حبه‌ای ** جز پی گنگل چه جوید جبه‌ای
- Since there is not a mite in his possession, how should he seek (to buy) a coat except in jest?
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در تجارت نیستش سرمایه‌ای ** پس چه شخص زشت او چه سایه‌ای
- He has no capital for trading: what, then, is the difference between his ill-favoured person and a shadow?
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مایه در بازار این دنیا زرست ** مایه آنجا عشق و دو چشم ترست
- The capital (required) for the market of this world is gold; there (in the next world) the capital is love and two eyes wet (with tears).
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هر که او بی‌مایه‌ی بازار رفت ** عمر رفت و بازگشت او خام تفت 840
- Whoever went to market without any capital, his life passed and he speedily returned in disappointment.
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هی کجا بودی برادر هیچ جا ** هی چه پختی بهر خوردن هیچ با
- “Oh, where hast thou been, brother?” “Nowhere.” “Oh, what hast thou cooked to eat?” “No (good) soup.”