صاحب خانه بگفتش خیر هست ** که همی لرزد ترا چون پیر دست
The master of the house said to him, “Is it well (with you)? for your hand is trembling like (that of) an old man.
واقعه چونست چون بگریختی ** رنگ رخساره چنین چون ریختی 2540
What has happened? Why have you taken refuge (here)? How have you lost the colour of your face so (entirely)?”
گفت بهر سخره‌ی شاه حرون ** خر همی‌گیرند امروز از برون
“To-day,” said he, “they are seizing asses outside (in the streets) to do forced labour for the tyrannical king.”
گفت می‌گیرند کو خر جان عم ** چون نه‌ای خر رو ترا زین چیست غم
He (the householder) replied, “O beloved of your uncle, they are taking it because it is an ass: since you are not an ass, go (your way): why are you troubled at this?”
گفت بس جدند و گرم اندر گرفت ** گر خرم گیرند هم نبود شگفت
He answered, “They are very urgent and furious in taking (them): ’twill be no wonder if they take me too for an ass.
بهر خرگیری بر آوردند دست ** جدجد تمییز هم برخاستست
They have put their hands with all their might to (the job of) taking asses: accordingly discrimination has ceased.”
چونک بی‌تمییزیان‌مان سرورند ** صاحب خر را به جای خر برند 2545
Since undiscriminating persons are our rulers, they carry off the owner of the ass instead of the ass.
نیست شاه شهر ما بیهوده گیر ** هست تمییزش سمیعست و بصیر
(But) the King of our city is not one who takes at random: He has discrimination, He is hearing and seeing.
آدمی باش و ز خرگیران مترس ** خر نه‌ای ای عیسی دوران مترس
Be a man and do not be afraid of those who take the asses: thou art not an ass: be not afraid, O Jesus of the (world of) Time.
چرخ چارم هم ز نور تو پرست ** حاش لله که مقامت آخرست
The Fourth Heaven, moreover, is filled with thy light: God forbid (that I should say) that the Stable is thy abode.
تو ز چرخ و اختران هم برتری ** گرچه بهر مصلحت در آخری
Thou art higher even than the sky and the stars, though for a good reason thou art (temporarily) in the Stable.
میر آخر دیگر و خر دیگرست ** نه هر آنک اندر آخر شد خرست 2550
The Master of the Stable is one thing and the ass another: not every one who has entered the Stable is an ass.
چه در افتادیم در دنبال خر ** از گلستان گوی و از گلهای تر
Why have we fallen in behind the ass? Tell of the Rose-garden and the fresh roses,
از انار و از ترنج و شاخ سیب ** وز شراب و شاهدان بی‌حساب
And of the pomegranate and the citron and the apple-bough, and of the wine and the fair youths innumerable,
یا از آن دریا که موجش گوهرست ** گوهرش گوینده و بیناورست
Or of the Sea whose waves are pearls and whose pearls are speaking and seeing,
یا از آن مرغان که گل‌چین می‌کنند ** بیضه‌ها زرین و سیمین می‌کنند
Or of the Birds which pick roses and lay eggs of silver and gold,
یا از آن بازان که کبکان پرورند ** هم نگون اشکم هم استان می‌پرند 2555
Or of the Falcons which foster the partridges and fly both with their bellies turned downward and also on their backs.
نردبانهاییست پنهان در جهان ** پایه پایه تا عنان آسمان
In the world there are invisible ladders, (leading) step by step up to the summit of heaven.
هر گره را نردبانی دیگرست ** هر روش را آسمانی دیگرست
There is a different ladder for every class, there is a different heaven for every (traveller's) way.
هر یکی از حال دیگر بی‌خبر ** ملک با پهنا و بی‌پایان و سر
Every one is ignorant of another's condition (in) the kingdom (which is) wide and without end or beginning.
این در آن حیران که او از چیست خوش ** وآن درین خیره که حیرت چیستش
This one is amazed at that one and asks wherefore he is happy, while that one is astounded at this one and asks why he is amazed.
صحن ارض الله واسع آمده ** هر درختی از زمینی سر زده 2560
The area of God's earth is spacious: every tree springs up from a certain soil.
بر درختان شکر گویان برگ و شاخ ** که زهی ملک و زهی عرصه‌ی فراخ
The leaves and boughs on the trees are giving thanks (to God), crying, “Oh, what a fine kingdom! Oh, what a broad expanse!”
بلبلان گرد شکوفه‌ی پر گره ** که از آنچ می‌خوری ما را بده
The nightingales are (flying) round the knobby blossom, saying, “Give us some of that which thou drinkest.”
این سخن پایان ندارد کن رجوع ** سوی آن روباه و شیر و سقم و جوع
This discourse hath no end: return to the fox and the lion and the (lion's) sickness and hunger.
بردن روبه خر را پیش شیر و جستن خر از شیر و عتاب کردن روباه با شیر کی هنوز خر دور بود تعجیل کردی و عذر گفتن شیر و لابه کردن روبه را شیر کی برو بار دگرش به فریب
How the fox brought the ass to the lion, and how the ass jumped away from the lion, and how the fox reproached the lion, saying, “The ass was still far off: you were too hasty”; and how the lion made excuses and entreated the fox to go and trick him a second time.
چونک بر کوهش بسوی مرج برد ** تا کند شیرش به حمله خرد و مرد
When he (the fox) brought him (the ass) up the hill towards the meadow, in order that the lion might pulverise him with a (sudden) charge,
دور بود از شیر و آن شیر از نبرد ** تا به نزدیک آمدن صبری نکرد 2565
He (the ass) was (still) far from the lion, but the lion would not wait for him to come near before attacking.
گنبدی کرد از بلندی شیر هول ** خود نبودش قوت و امکان حول
The terrible lion made a spring from an eminence, (though) indeed he had not the strength and power to move (effectively).
خر ز دورش دید و برگشت و گریز ** تا به زیر کوه تازان نعل ریز
The ass saw him from afar and turned and fled to the bottom of the hill, dropping his shoes as he ran.
گفت روبه شیر را ای شاه ما ** چون نکردی صبر در وقت وغا
“O king of us (all),” said the fox to the lion, “why didst not thou restrain thyself in the hour of battle,
تا به نزدیک تو آید آن غوی ** تا باندک حمله‌ای غالب شوی
In order that that misguided (creature) might come near thee and that thou might’st vanquish him with a small attack?
مکر شیطانست تعجیل و شتاب ** لطف رحمانست صبر و احتساب 2570
Precipitation and haste is the Devil's wile; patience and calculation is God's grace.
دور بود و حمله را دید و گریخت ** ضعف تو ظاهر شد و آب تو ریخت
He (the ass) was far off and saw the attack and fled: thy weakness is made manifest and thy prestige is destroyed.”
گفت من پنداشتم بر جاست زور ** تا بدین حد می‌ندانستم فتور
He (the lion) replied, “I thought my strength was restored: I did not know my feebleness was so great.
نیز جوع و حاجتم از حد گذشت ** صبر و عقلم از تجوع یاوه گشت
Moreover, my hunger and need had passed beyond bounds: through starvation my patience and understanding had been lost.
گر توانی بار دیگر از خرد ** باز آوردن مر او را مسترد
If by (using) your wits you can reclaim him and bring him back once more,
منت بسیار دارم از تو من ** جهد کن باشد بیاری‌اش به فن 2575
I shall be much obliged to you: try hard, maybe you will fetch him by cunning.”
گفت آری گر خدا یاری دهد ** بر دل او از عمی مهری نهد
“Yes,” said the fox, “if God should give (me) help and set a seal of blindness on his heart
پس فراموشش شود هولی که دید ** از خری او نباشد این بعید
(For) then he will forget the terror which he felt on seeing (thee): this will not be alien to his asininity.
لیک چون آرم من او را بر متاز ** تا ببادش ندهی از تعجیل باز
But when I bring him, do not thou rush (at him), lest thou lose him again by overhaste.”
گفت آری تجربه کردم که من ** سخت رنجورم مخلخل گشته تن
“Yes,” replied the lion; “I have found by experience that I am very ill and that my body has become shaky.
تا به نزدیکم نیاید خر تمام ** من نجنبم خفته باشم در قوام 2580
Until the ass comes quite near to me, I will not move, I will (apparently) be sound asleep.”
رفت روبه گفت ای شه همتی ** تا بپوشد عقل او را غفلتی
(Thereupon) the fox departed, saying, “O king, (offer) a prayer that a (great) heedlessness may muffle his reason.
توبه‌ها کردست خر با کردگار ** که نگردد غره‌ی هر نابکار
The ass has made vows of repentance to the Creator (and resolved) that he will not be duped by any ne’er-do-well.
توبه‌هااش را به فن بر هم زنیم ** ما عدوی عقل و عهد روشنیم
We by cunning will cause his vows to collapse, (for) we are the enemy of reason and of the splendid covenant (with God).