تا بداند که آن خیال ناریه ** در طریقت نیست الا عاریه
So that he may know that the fiery phantom (which he mistook for light) in the Path is but a loan (unreal).
زشتها را خوب بنماید شره ** نیست چون شهوت بتر ز آفتاب ره
(Sensual) cupidity causes foul things to appear fair: among the banes of the Way there is none like lust, none worse.
صد هزاران نام خوش را کرد ننگ ** صد هزاران زیرکان را کرد دنگ 1370
It has disgraced a hundred thousand good names, it has stupefied (besotted) a hundred thousand clever men.
چون خری را یوسف مصری نمود ** یوسفی را چون نماید آن جهود
Since it caused an ass to appear (like) Joseph of Egypt, how (in what aspect) will that (miscreant) Jew cause a Joseph to appear?
بر تو سرگین را فسونش شهد کرد ** شهد را خود چون کند وقت نبرد
Its spell made dung seem honey to you: what, forsooth, will it make honey seem at the time of contest?
شهوت از خوردن بود کم کن ز خور ** یا نکاحی کن گریزان شو ز شر
Lust arises from eating and drinking: diminish your food, or marry and (so) flee from wickedness.
چون بخوردی می‌کشد سوی حرم ** دخل را خرجی بباید لاجرم
When you have eaten and drunk (too much), it leads to things forbidden: there must necessarily be some outgoing of income.
پس نکاح آمد چو لاحول و لا ** تا که دیوت نفکند اندر بلا 1375
Marriage, then, is like (the exorcism), “There is neither power nor (strength except in God),” lest the Devil cast you into temptation.
چون حریص خوردنی زن خواه زود ** ورنه آمد گربه و دنبه ربود
Since you are fond of eating and drinking, ask a woman (in marriage) at once; else the cat comes and carries off the fat sheep's tail.
بار سنگی بر خری که می‌جهد ** زود بر نه پیش از آن کو بر نهد
Quickly put a heavy load on the shying ass before he puts (you) down.
فعل آتش را نمی‌دانی تو برد ** گرد آتش با چنین دانش مگرد
(If) you do not know the effect of fire, hold aloof (from it): do not approach the fire with such (little) knowledge (as you have).
علم دیگ و آتش ار نبود ترا ** از شرر نه دیگ ماند نه ابا
If you have no knowledge of the cooking-pot and the fire, neither the pot nor the soup will be spared by the flames.
آب حاضر باید و فرهنگ نیز ** تا پزد آب دیگ سالم در ازیز 1380
Water must be there and skill too, in order that the (contents of the) pot may be safely cooked in boiling.
چون ندانی دانش آهنگری ** ریش و مو سوزد چو آنجا بگذری
If you are ignorant of the science of the ironsmith, your beard and hair will be burned when you pass by that place (the forge).
در فرو بست آن زن و خر را کشید ** شادمانه لاجرم کیفر چشید
Femina januam clausit asinumque animo gaudente attraxit: necessario poenam gustavit. [The woman shut the (stable) door and drew the ass (to her) joyfully; necessarily, she tasted the penalty (for her shameful behavior).]
در میان خانه آوردش کشان ** خفت اندر زیر آن نر خر ستان
In medium stabulum eum trahendo duxit: sub asino decubuit supina [Pulling, she brought it into the middle of the stable: she lay down on (her) back under the male ass]
هم بر آن کرسی که دید او از کنیز ** تا رسد در کام خود آن قحبه نیز
In eadem sella quam viderat ab ancilla (adhibitam), ut ista meretrix quoque voto potiretur. [On the same chair that she saw (used) by the maidservant in order to attain her desire; that whore (did) also.]
پا بر آورد و خر اندر ویی سپوخت ** آتشی از کیر خر در وی فروخت 1385
Pedem sustulit, asinus (veretrum) in eam trusit: asini veretro ignis in ea accensus est. [She raised (her) feet and the ass thrust (its penis) into her; a fire (of lust) was kindled in her by the ass’s penis.]
خر مدب گشته در خاتون فشرد ** تا بخایه در زمان خاتون بمرد
Cum asinus eruditus esset, in hera infixit (veretrum) usque ad testiculos: simul hera periit. [The ass had been trained; it pressed (its penis) into the lady up to (its) testicles: the lady died at once.]
بر درید از زخم کیر خر جگر ** روده‌ها بسکسته شد از همدگر
Jecur ejus veretri verbere discissum, viscera inter se dirupta. [(Her) liver was torn by the blow of the ass’s penis; (her) intestines were torn away from each other. ]
دم نزد در حال آن زن جان بداد ** کرسی از یک‌سو زن از یک‌سو فتاد
Extemplo femina, nulla voce facta, animam reddidit: hinc cecidit sella, illinc femina. [She did not utter (anything): the woman gave up (her) soul at once. The chair fell to one side, the woman to (the other) side.]
صحن خانه پر ز خون شد زن نگون ** مرد او و برد جان ریب المنون
Area stabuli sanguine plena, femina inverso capite prostrata: periit, animamque ejus abripuit Fati calamitas. [The floor of the stable became filled with blood, the woman (lay) prostrate: she died and the calamities (of Fate) took (her) life. ]
مرگ بد با صد فضیحت ای پدر ** تو شهیدی دیده‌ای از کیر خر 1390
Ecce mors nefanda cum centum opprobriis, O pater: num vidisti (quemquam) de veretro asini martyrem? [An abominable death with a hundred disgraces, O father: have you (ever) seen a martyr (slain) by an ass’s penis?]
تو عذاب الخزی بشنو از نبی ** در چنین ننگی مکن جان را فدی
Hear from the Qur’án (what is) the torment of disgrace: do not sacrifice your life in such a shameful cause.
دانک این نفس بهیمی نر خرست ** زیر او بودن از آن ننگین‌ترست
Know that the male ass is this bestial soul: to be under it is more shameful than that (woman's behaviour).
در ره نفس ار بمیری در منی ** تو حقیقت دان که مثل آن زنی
If you die in egoism in the way of (for the sake of) the fleshly soul, know for certain that you are like that woman.
نفس ما را صورت خر بدهد او ** زانک صورتها کند بر وفق خو
He (God) will give our fleshly soul the form of an ass, because He makes the (outward) forms to be in accordance with the (inward) nature.
این بود اظهار سر در رستخیز ** الله الله از تن چون خر گریز 1395
This is the manifestation of the secret at the Resurrection: by God, by God, flee from the ass-like body!
کافران را بیم کرد ایزد ز نار ** کافران گفتند نار اولی ز عار
God terrified (threatened) the unbelievers with the Fire: the unbelievers said, “Better the Fire than shame.”
گفت نی آن نار اصل عارهاست ** هم‌چو این ناری که این زن را بکاست
He said, “Nay, that Fire is the source of (all) shames”—like the fire (of lust) that destroyed this woman.
لقمه اندازه نخورد از حرص خود ** در گلو بگرفت لقمه مرگ بد
In her greed she ate immoderately: the mouthful of an infamous death stuck in her throat (and choked her).
لقمه اندازه خور ای مرد حریص ** گرچه باشد لقمه حلوا و خبیص
Eat (and drink) in moderation, O greedy man, though it be a mouthful of halwá or khabís.
حق تعالی داد میزان را زبان ** هین ز قرآن سوره‌ی رحمن بخوان 1400
The high God hath given the balance a tongue (which you must regulate): hark, recite the Súratu’ l-Rahmán (the Chapter of the Merciful) in the Qur’án.
هین ز حرص خویش میزان را مهل ** آز و حرص آمد ترا خصم مضل
Beware, do not in your greed let the balance go: cupidity and greed are enemies that lead you to perdition.
حرص جوید کل بر آید او ز کل ** حرص مپرست ای فجل ابن الفجل
Greed craves all and loses all: do not serve greed, O ignoble son of the ignoble.
آن کنیزک می‌شد و می‌گفت آه ** کردی ای خاتون تو استا را به راه
The maid, whilst she went (on her errand), was saying (to herself), “Ah, mistress, thou hast sent away the expert.
کار بی‌استاد خواهی ساختن ** جاهلانه جان بخواهی باختن
Thou wilt set to work without the expert and wilt foolishly hazard thy life.
ای ز من دزدیده علمی ناتمام ** ننگ آمد که بپرسی حال دام 1405
O thou who hast stolen from me an imperfect knowledge, thou wert ashamed to ask about the trap.”
هم بچیدی دانه مرغ از خرمنش ** هم نیفتادی رسن در گردنش
(If) the bird had picked the grain from its stack, the (trap-) cord would not have fallen on its neck (and made it captive).
دانه کمتر خور مکن چندین رفو ** چون کلوا خواندی بخوان لا تسرفوا
Eat less of the grain, do not patch (the body) so much (with food): after having recited eat ye, recite (also) do not exceed,
تا خوری دانه نیفتی تو به دام ** این کند علم و قناعت والسلام
So that you may eat the grain and (yet) not fall into the trap. Knowledge and contentment effect this. And (now) farewell.
نعمت از دنیا خورد عاقل نه غم ** جاهلان محروم مانده در ندم
The wise man gets happiness from the present life, not sorrow, (while) the ignorant are left in disappointment and regret.
چون در افتد در گلوشان حبل دام ** دانه خوردن گشت بر جمله حرام 1410
When the trap-cord (of sensuality) falls on their throats, it becomes unlawful (forbidden) to them all to eat the grain.
مرغ اندر دام دانه کی خورد ** دانه چون زهرست در دام ار چرد
How should the bird in the trap eat (enjoy) the grain? The grain in the trap is like poison (to him), if he feed (on it).
مرغ غافل می‌خورد دانه ز دام ** هم‌چو اندر دام دنیا این عوام
(Only) the heedless bird will eat grain from the trap, as these common folk do in the trap of the present world.
باز مرغان خبیر هوشمند ** کرده‌اند از دانه خود را خشک‌بند
Again, the knowing and prudent birds have debarred themselves from the grain;
که اندرون دام دانه زهرباست ** کور آن مرغی که در فخ دانه خواست
For the grain in the trap is poisonous food: blind is the bird that desires the grain in the trap.
صاحب دام ابلهان را سر برید ** وآن ظریفان را به مجلسها کشید 1415
The Owner of the trap cut off the heads of the foolish ones, and conducted the clever ones to the (exalted) assembly-places;
که از آنها گوشت می‌آید به کار ** وز ظریفان بانگ و ناله‌ی زیر و زار
For in the former (only) the flesh is serviceable, but in the clever ones (their) song and warble soft and low.
پس کنیزک آمد از اشکاف در ** دید خاتون را به مرده زیر خر
Deinde venit ancilla perque rimam januae heram videt sub asino mortuam. [Then, the maidservant arrived. Through a crack in the door, she saw the lady dead under the ass.]