He had not the glorious power of perception possessed by a (true) seer: the fox's palaver brought upon him (a stroke of) apoplexy.
حرص خوردن آنچنان کردش ذلیل ** که زبونش گشت با پانصد دلیل
Greedy desire to eat and drink made him so despicable that he submitted to him (the fox) notwithstanding five hundred arguments (to the contrary).
حکایت آن مخنث و پرسیدن لوطی ازو در حالت لواطه کی این خنجر از بهر چیست گفت از برای آنک هر کی با من بد اندیشد اشکمش بشکافم لوطی بر سر او آمد شد می‌کرد و می‌گفت الحمدلله کی من بد نمی‌اندیشم با تو «بیت من بیت نیست اقلیمست هزل من هزل نیست تعلیمست» ان الله یستحیی ان یضرب مثلا ما بعوضة فما فوقها ای فما فوقها فی تغییر النفوس بالانکار ان ما ذا ا راد الله بهذا مثلا و آنگه جواب می‌فرماید کی این خواستم یضل به کثیرا و یهدی به کثیرا کی هر فتنه‌ای هم‌چون میزانست بسیاران ازو سرخ‌رو شوند و بسیاران بی‌مراد شوند و لو تاملت فیه قلیلا وجدت من نتایجه الشریفة کثیرا
Fabula cinaedi cui paedicator tempore paedicandi “Quamobrem,” inquit, “hic pugio est?” Respondit: “Ut, siquis mihi injuriam facere cogitaverit, ventrem ejus diffindam.” Paedicator super eo ultro citroque se movebat et aiebat, “Deo gloria quod ego injuriam tibi facere non cogito.” “My tent (verse) is not a tent, it is a continent; my jest is not a jest, it is a lesson.” Verily, God is not ashamed to set forth as a parable a gnat or what exceeds it, i.e. “what exceeds it in respect of the corruption of (men's) souls by disbelief”; (for the infidels ask), “What is it that Allah means by using this as a parable?” and then He answers (them), “I mean this: He lets many be led astray thereby and He lets many be guided aright thereby.” Every temptation is like a pair of scales: many come off with honour and many with disgrace; and if you were to meditate on it (this parable) a little, you would feel many of its excellent effects. [The story of the sodomite and the sodomizer’s asking him during the occasion of sodomy, “What is this dagger (of yours) for?” He (the sodomite) answered, “So that, (regarding) anyone who thinks evil (bears evil desires) toward me, I may rip (open) his belly.” The sodomizer was coming and going (moving back and forth in the act of sodomy) and was saying, “God be praised, since I am not thinking evil toward you.” “My tent ....]
کنده‌ای را لوطیی در خانه برد ** سرنگون افکندش و در وی فشرد
Juvenem imberbem paedicator quidam domum duxit, capite deorsum verso stravit et in eum trusit. [A sodomizer brought a beardless youth (catamite) into a house, threw him head-downwards, and pressed into him (in the act of sodomy).]
بر میانش خنجری دید آن لعین ** پس بگفتش بر میانت چیست این
The accursed wretch saw a dagger on his waist, so he said to him, “What is this on your waist?”
گفت آنک با من ار یک بدمنش ** بد بیندیشد بدرم اشکمش
He replied, “’Tis in order that, if any evil-minded person should think of committing evil against me, I may rip his belly.”
گفت لوطی حمد لله را که من ** بد نه اندیشیده‌ام با تو به فن 2500
The lútí said, “God be praised that I have not thought of plotting evil against you.”
چون که مردی نیست خنجرها چه سود ** چون نباشد دل ندارد سود خود
When there is no manliness, of what use are daggers? When there is no heart (courage), the helmet avails not.
از علی میراث داری ذوالفقار ** بازوی شیر خدا هستت بیار
You may have (the sword) Dhu ’l-faqár as a heritage from ‘Alí, (but) have you the (stout) arm of the Lion of God? (If so), produce it!
گر فسونی یاد داری از مسیح ** کو لب و دندان عیسی ای قبیح
Though you may remember a (life-giving) incantation derived from the Messiah, where (in you) are the lips and teeth of Jesus, O abominable man?
کشتیی سازی ز توزیع و فتوح ** کو یکی ملاح کشتی هم‌چو نوح
You may build a ship with money collected (from your friends) or freely given, (but) where is a captain of the ship like Noah?
بت شکستی گیرم ابراهیم‌وار ** کو بت تن را فدی کردن بنار 2505
I grant you have (formally) broken the idol, like Abraham, (but) what of devoting the idol, (which is) your body, to the fire (of self-mortification)?
گر دلیلت هست اندر فعل آر ** تیغ چوبین را بدان کن ذوالفقار
If you have the proof (that you are a true saint), put it into practice: by means of that (practice) make your wooden sword (sharp) as Dhu ’l-faqár.
آن دلیلی که ترا مانع شود ** از عمل آن نقمت صانع بود
The proof that hinders you from the practice (of saintly works) is (the cause of your incurring) the vengeance of the (Divine) Maker.
خایفان راه را کردی دلیر ** از همه لرزان‌تری تو زیر زیر
You have emboldened those who are afraid of (travelling on) the Way, (but) underneath (inwardly) you are more tremulous (infirm) than all (the rest).
بر همه درس توکل می‌کنی ** در هوا تو پشه را رگ می‌زنی
You lecture to them all on trust in God, (while) you are slitting the vein of the gnat in the air.
ای مخنث پیش رفته از سپاه ** بر دروغ ریش تو کیرت گواه 2510
O pathice, qui exercitum praecessisti, barbae tuae mendaciam penis tuus testatur. [O impotent sodomite, (making a false show of) going ahead of the army, your penis (is) witness to the falsehood of your beard (your false claim of manhood).]
چون ز نامردی دل آکنده بود ** ریش و سبلت موجب خنده بود
When the heart is filled with unmanliness, the beard and moustache are a cause of laughter.
توبه‌ای کن اشک باران چون مطر ** ریش و سبلت را ز خنده باز خر
Make a (vow of) repentance, shed tears like rain, redeem your beard and moustache from laughter.
داروی مردی بخور اندر عمل ** تا شوی خورشید گرم اندر حمل
Restore your manliness (by engaging) in (devotional) works, that you may become (like) the hot sun in (the sign of) Aries.
معده را بگذار و سوی دل خرام ** تا که بی‌پرده ز حق آید سلام
Leave the belly and stride towards the heart (spirit), in order that the salutation may come to you from God without (any) veil.
یک دو گامی رو تکلف ساز خوش ** عشق گیرد گوش تو آنگاه کش 2515
Advance one or two paces, make a good endeavour: Love will lay hold of your ear and then draw (you onward).
غالب شدن حیله‌ی روباه بر استعصام و تعفف خر و کشیدن روبه خر را سوی شیر به بیشه
How the cunning of the fox prevailed over the desire of the ass to preserve and restrain himself (from yielding to temptation), and how the fox led the ass to the lion in the jungle.
روبه اندر حیله پای خود فشرد ** ریش خر بگرفت و آن خر را ببرد
The fox embarked on the plot: he seized the ass's beard and led him away.
مطرب آن خانقه کو تا که تفت ** دف زند که خر برفت و خر برفت
Where is the musician of that Súfí monastery, that he may quickly play the tambourine (and sing), “The ass is gone, the ass is gone”?
چونک خرگوشی برد شیری به چاه ** چون نیارد روبهی خر تا گیاه
Since a hare brings a lion to the well, how should not a fox lead an ass to the grass?
گوش را بر بند و افسونها مخور ** جز فسون آن ولی دادگر
Shut thine ear and do not swallow (beguiling) spells: (swallow naught) but the spell of the righteous saint—
آن فسون خوشتر از حلوای او ** آنک صد حلواست خاک پای او 2520
That spell of his, (which is) sweeter than halwá, that (spell) of whose feet a hundred halwá’s are (only) the dust.
خنبهای خسروانی پر ز می ** مایه برده از می لبهای وی
The imperial jars full of the wine (of mystical knowledge) have drawn their stock from the wine of his lips.
عاشق می باشد آن جان بعید ** کو می لبهای لعلش را ندید
(Only) that alien soul which has never seen the wine of his ruby lips is a lover of the wine (of conventional knowledge).
آب شیرین چون نبیند مرغ کور ** چون نگردد گرد چشمه‌ی آب شور
Since the blind bird does not see the sweet water, how should not it circle round the brackish water?
موسی جان سینه را سینا کند ** طوطیان کور را بینا کند
The spiritual Moses makes the breast a Sinai: he makes the blind parrots able to see.
خسرو شیرین جان نوبت زدست ** لاجرم در شهر قند ارزان شدست 2525
The Khusraw (who is the lover) of the spiritual Shírín has beaten the drum (of sovereignty); consequently sugar has become cheap in the city.
یوسفان غیب لشکر می‌کشند ** تنگهای قند و شکر می‌کشند
The Josephs of the unseen world are marching: they are bringing bales of candy and sugar.
اشتران مصر را رو سوی ما ** بشنوید ای طوطیان بانگ درا
The faces of the camels of Egypt are (turned) towards us: hearken, O parrots, to the sound of the (camel-)bell.
شهر ما فردا پر از شکر شود ** شکر ارزانست ارزان‌تر شود
To-morrow our city will be filled with sugar; sugar is cheap (to-day): (tomorrow) it will be cheaper.
در شکر غلطید ای حلواییان ** هم‌چو طوطی کوری صفراییان
O confectioners, wallow in sugar, like the parrot, in despite of the bilious ones.
نیشکر کوبید کار اینست و بس ** جان بر افشانید یار اینست و بس 2530
Pound the sugar-cane: this is the only work (of importance); lavish your souls (on him): this is the only Beloved.
یک ترش در شهر ما اکنون نماند ** چونکه شیرین خسروان را بر نشاند
Now not a single sour one is left in our city, since Shírín has seated the Khusraws on the throne (of Love).
نقل بر نقلست و می بر می هلا ** بر مناره رو بزن بانگ صلا
’Tis dessert on dessert and wine on wine! Ho, go up on the minaret and proclaim that all are welcome (to the feast).
سرکه‌ی نه ساله شیرین می‌شود ** سنگ و مرمر لعل و زرین می‌شود
The nine years old vinegar is becoming sweet; the stone and marble are becoming ruby(-like) and golden.