-
و آن جوانی همچو باغ سبز و تر ** میرساند بیدریغی بار و بر
- And (when) that season of youth, like a garden green and fresh, is bringing (to ripeness) produce and fruit without any stint;
-
چشمههای قوت و شهوت روان ** سبز میگردد زمین تن بدان
- (When) the fountains of strength and lust (are) flowing, (so that) thereby the soil of the body is made verdant;
-
خانهی معمور و سقفش بس بلند ** معتدل ارکان و بیتخلیط و بند
- (When he is still like) a well-kept house, with its roof very lofty, its sides (walls) symmetrical, without buttressing and clamps—
-
پیش از آن که ایام پیری در رسد ** گردنت بندد به حبل من مسد 1220
- Ere the days of eld arrive and bind your neck with a halter of palm-fibres;
-
خاک شوره گردد و ریزان و سست ** هرگز از شوره نبات خوش نرست
- (Ere) the soil becomes nitrous (barren), crumbling, and poor —never did good herbage grow from nitrous soil;
-
آب زور و آب شهوت منقطع ** او ز خویش و دیگران نامنتفع
- (When) the water of strength and the water of lust (is) cut off, and he has no profit from himself or others:
-
ابروان چون پالدم زیر آمده ** چشم را نم آمده تاری شده
- The eyebrows fallen down like a crupper-strap; the eyes grown moist and dim;
-
از تشنج رو چو پشت سوسمار ** رفته نطق و طعم و دندانها ز کار
- The face, from wrinkling, like the back of a lizard; speech and taste and teeth gone out of use;
-
روز بیگه لاشه لنگ و ره دراز ** کارگه ویران عمل رفته ز ساز 1225
- The day late, the ass lame, and the way long; the shop ruined and the business in disorder;
-
بیخهای خوی بد محکم شده ** قوت بر کندن آن کم شده
- The roots of bad habit firmly set, and the power to tear them up decreased.
-
فرمودن والی آن مرد را که این خار بن را که نشاندهای بر سر راه بر کن
- How the Governor commanded a certain man, saying, “Root up the thorn bush which you have planted on the road.”
-
همچو آن شخص درشت خوش سخن ** در میان ره نشاند او خار بن
- As (for example) that callous fair-spoken person planted a thorn bush in the middle of the road.
-
ره گذریانش ملامتگر شدند ** بس بگفتندش بکن این را نکند
- The wayfarers reproached him and oftentimes told him to dig it up: he dug it not up.
-
هر دمی آن خار بن افزون شدی ** پای خلق از زخم آن پر خون شدی
- Every moment the thorn bush was growing bigger: the people's feet were streaming with blood from its pricks.
-
جامههای خلق بدریدی ز خار ** پای درویشان بخستی زار زار 1230
- The people's clothes were being rent by the thorns: the feet of the poor were being wounded pitiably.
-
چون به جد حاکم بدو گفت این بکن ** گفت آری بر کنم روزیش من
- When the Governor said to him with earnestness, “Dig this up,” he replied, “Yes, I will dig it up some day.”
-
مدتی فردا و فردا وعده داد ** شد درخت خار او محکم نهاد
- For a long while he promised (to dig it up) to-morrow and to-morrow; (meantime) his thorn bush became robust in constitution.
-
گفت روزی حاکمش ای وعده کژ** پیش آ در کار ما وا پس مغژ
- One day the Governor said to him, “O false promiser, go forward with my affair, do not creep back.”
-
گفت الایام یا عم بیننا ** گفت عجل لا تماطل دیننا
- He replied, “O uncle, the days are between us.” “Make haste,” said he, “do not put off payment of my debt.”
-
تو که میگویی که فردا این بدان ** که به هر روزی که میآید زمان 1235
- You who say “To-morrow,” be aware of this, that with every day that time is coming (and going),
-
آن درخت بد جوانتر میشود ** وین کننده پیر و مضطر میشود
- That evil tree is growing younger, while this digger is waxing old and sorely distressed.
-
خار بن در قوت و برخاستن ** خار کن در پیری و در کاستن
- The thorn bush (is) in (process of gaining) strength and (in) ascent; its digger (is) in (process of) aging and decline.
-
خار بن هر روز و هر دم سبز و تر ** خار کن هر روز زار و خشکتر
- The thorn bush every day and every moment is green and fresh; its digger is every day more sickly and withered.
-
او جوانتر میشود تو پیرتر ** زود باش و روزگار خود مبر
- It is growing younger, you older: be quick and do not waste your time!
-
خار بن دان هر یکی خوی بدت ** بارها در پای خار آخر زدت 1240
- Know that every single bad habit of yours is a thorn bush: many a time, after all, have its thorns pierced your foot.
-
بارها از خوی خود خسته شدی ** حس نداری سخت بیحس آمدی
- Many a time have you been wounded by your own (evil) habits—you have no sense, you are very senseless.