ای زبون‌گیر زبونان این بدان ** دست هم بالای دستست ای جوان
O thou who regardest the weak as weak (and at thy mercy), know this, (that) there is a hand above thy hand, O youth.
تو زبونی و زبون‌گیر ای عجب ** هم تو صید و صیدگیر اندر طلب 750
Thou art weak (thyself) and thou regardest (others) as weak. Oh, wonderful! Thou art at once the prey and the hunter in pursuit (of the prey).
بین ایدی خلفهم سدا مباش ** که نبینی خصم را وآن خصم فاش
Be not (one of those described in the Verse) before and behind them (We will set) a barrier, so that thou canst not see the enemy, though the enemy is manifest.
حرص صیادی ز صیدی مغفلست ** دلبریی می‌کند او بی‌دلست
The greed of hunting makes (one) oblivious of being a prey: he (the hunter) tries to win hearts (though) he has lost his own.
تو کم از مرغی مباش اندر نشید ** بین ایدی خلف عصفوری بدید
Be not thou inferior to a bird in (thy) seeking: (even) a sparrow sees (what is) before and behind.
چون به نزد دانه آید پیش و پس ** چند گرداند سر و رو آن نفس
When it approaches the grain (bait), at that moment it turns its head and face several times to front and rear,
کای عجب پیش و پسم صیاد هست ** تا کشم از بیم او زین لقمه دست 755
(As though to say), ‘Oh, I wonder whether there is a fowler in front of me or behind, so that for fear of him I should abstain from this food.’
تو ببین پس قصه‌ی فجار را ** پیش بنگر مرگ یار و جار را
Do thou see behind (thee) the story of (what happened to) the wicked; see before (thee) the death of (many a) friend and neighbour,
که هلاکت دادشان بی‌آلتی ** او قرین تست در هر حالتی
Whom He (God) destroyed without (using) any instrument: He is close to thee in every circumstance.
حق شکنجه کرد و گرز و دست نیست ** پس بدان بی‌دست حق داورکنیست
God inflicted torment (on them), and there is no mace or hand (employed): know, then, that God is one who deals justice (inflicts chastisement) without hands.
آنک می‌گفتی اگر حق هست کو ** در شکنجه او مقر می‌شد که هو
He who was saying, ‘If God exists, where is He?’ was confessing on the rack (of pain) that ’tis He (God).
آنک می‌گفت این بعیدست و عجیب ** اشک می‌راند و همی گفت ای قریب 760
He who was saying, ‘This is far-fetched and marvellous’ was shedding tears and crying, ‘O Thou who art nigh!’
چون فرار از دام واجب دیده است ** دام تو خود بر پرت چفسیده است
Since he has deemed it necessary to flee from the trap, (’tis strange that) the trap for thee is in fact stuck fast to thy (gaudy) feathers.
بر کنم من میخ این منحوس دام ** از پی کامی نباشم طلخ‌کام
I will tear out the pin of this ill-fated trap: I will not suffer bitter grief for the sake of (indulging) a desire.
درخور عقل تو گفتم این جواب ** فهم کن وز جست و جو رو بر متاب
I have given thee this answer (which is) suitable to thy understanding: apprehend (its meaning) and do not avert thy face from seeking.
بسکل این حبلی که حرص است و حسد ** یاد کن فی جیدها حبل مسد
Snap this cord, which is greed and envy: remember (the text) on her neck a cord of palm-fibres.”
صفت کشتن خلیل علیه‌السلام زاغ را کی آن اشارت به قمع کدام صفت بود از صفات مذمومه‌ی مهلکه در مرید
The reason why Khalíl (Abraham), on whom be peace, killed the crow, indicating (thereby) the subjugation of certain blameworthy and pernicious qualities in the disciple.
این سخن را نیست پایان و فراغ ** ای خلیل حق چرا کشتی تو زاغ 765
There is no end and completion to this discourse. O Friend of God, why didst thou kill the crow?
بهر فرمان حکمت فرمان چه بود ** اندکی ز اسرار آن باید نمود
Because of the (Divine) command. What was the wisdom of the (Divine) command? A small part of the mysteries thereof must (now) be shown.
کاغ کاغ و نعره‌ی زاغ سیاه ** دایما باشد به دنیا عمرخواه
The cawing and noisy cry of the black crow is ever asking for (long) life in this world.
هم‌چو ابلیس از خدای پاک فرد ** تا قیامت عمر تن درخواست کرد
Like Iblís, it (the crow) besought the holy and incomparable God for bodily life till the Resurrection.