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نه قلاوزست و نه ره داند او ** یوسفا کم رو سوی آن گرگخو
- She (the ghoul) is not the guide, and she does not know the way. O Joseph, do not go towards that wolfish one!
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حزم این باشد که نفریبد ترا ** چرب و نوش و دامهای این سرا
- Prudence is this, that you be not beguiled by the fat things and sweets and snares of the World;
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که نه چربش دارد و نه نوش او ** سحر خواند میدمد در گوش او 220
- For she hath neither fat nor sweet: she chants spells of magic and breathes (them) into your ear,
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که بیا مهمان ما ای روشنی ** خانه آن تست و تو آن منی
- Saying, “Come in as my guest, O light (of my eyes): the house is yours, and you are mine.”
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حزم آن باشد که گویی تخمهام ** یا سقیمم خستهی این دخمهام
- Prudence is this, that you say (to her), “I have indigestion” or “I am ill, I am a sick man in this charnel-house”;
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یا سرم دردست درد سر ببر ** یا مرا خواندست آن خالو پسر
- Or “My head aches: take away my headache,” or “the son of my maternal uncle has invited me”—
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زانک یک نوشت دهد با نیشها ** که بکارد در تو نوشش ریشها
- For she will give you one (draught of) honey (mixed) with (venomous) stings, so that her honey will plant in you (many) sores.
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زر اگر پنجاه اگر شصتت دهد ** ماهیا او گوشت در شستت دهد 225
- Whether she give you fifty or sixty (pieces of) gold, she gives you, O fish, (nothing but) flesh on a hook.
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گر دهد خود کی دهد آن پر حیل ** جوز پوسیدست گفتار دغل
- If she give, when does that deceitful one really give (aught)? The words of the swindler are (like) rotten walnuts.
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ژغژغ آن عقل و مغزت را برد ** صد هزاران عقل را یک نشمرد
- Their rattling robs you of understanding and brain and does not reckon myriads of understandings (even) as one.
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یار تو خرجین تست و کیسهات ** گر تو رامینی مجو جز ویسهات
- (In travelling) your bag and your purse are your friend, (do not care for anything else): if you are Rámín, seek none but your Wísa.
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ویسه و معشوق تو هم ذات تست ** وین برونیها همه آفات تست
- ’Tis your essential self that is your Wísa and beloved, and all these external things are banes to you.
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حزم آن باشد که چون دعوت کنند ** تو نگویی مست و خواهان منند 230
- Prudence is this, that when they (worldlings) invite you, you should not say, “They are enamoured and fond of me.”
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دعوت ایشان صفیر مرغ دان ** که کند صیاد در مکمن نهان
- Know that their invitation is (like) the bird's whistle which the fowler gives (while) concealed in (his) place of ambush:
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مرغ مرده پیش بنهاده که این ** میکند این بانگ و آواز و حنین
- He has put forward a dead bird, (pretending) that this (bird) is making this plaintive noise and cry.
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مرغ پندارد که جنس اوست او ** جمع آید بر دردشان پوست او
- The birds think he is one of their kind: they gather round, and he rends their skins—
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جز مگر مرغی که حزمش داد حق ** تا نگردد گیج آن دانه و ملق
- Except, no doubt, the bird on which God has bestowed prudence, so that it may not be fooled by that bait and enticement.
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هست بی حزمی پشیمانی یقین ** بشنو این افسانه را در شرح این 235
- Imprudence is assuredly (attended by) repentance. Hear the following story in explanation of this.
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فریفتن روستایی شهری را و بدعوت خواندن بلابه و الحاح بسیار
- How the countryman deceived the townsman and invited him with humble entreaties and great importunity.
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ای برادر بود اندر ما مضی ** شهریی با روستایی آشنا
- In the past, O brother, there was a townsman (who was) intimate with a countryman.
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روستایی چون سوی شهر آمدی ** خرگه اندر کوی آن شهری زدی
- Whenever the countryman came to town, he would pitch his tent in the street of the townsman.
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دو مه و سه ماه مهمانش بدی ** بر دکان او و بر خوانش بدی
- He would be his guest for two or three months, he would be in his shop and at his table,
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هر حوایج را که بودش آن زمان ** راست کردی مرد شهری رایگان
- And the townsman would provide, free of cost, everything that he wanted during that time.
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رو به شهری کرد و گفت ای خواجه تو ** هیچ مینایی سوی ده فرجهجو 240
- (Once) he turned to the townsman and said, “Sire, are you never coming to the country for a holiday?
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الله الله جمله فرزندان بیار ** کین زمان گلشنست و نوبهار
- Bring all your children, (I beg you) in God's name, for this is the time of the rose-garden and the springtide;
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یا بتابستان بیا وقت ثمر ** تا ببندم خدمتت را من کمر
- Or come in summer, in the fruit-season, that I may brace my belt to do you service.