چون ملک انوار حق در وی بیافت ** در سجود افتاد و در خدمت شتافت‌‌

Since the angels perceived in him the rays of God, they fell in worship and hastened to do homage.

مدح این آدم که نامش می‌‌برم ** قاصرم گر تا قیامت بشمرم‌‌

If until the Resurrection I reckon up the praise of this Adam whose name I am celebrating, I fall short (of what is due).

این همه دانست و چون آمد قضا ** دانش یک نهی شد بر وی خطا

All this he knew; (yet) when the Divine destiny came, he was at fault in the knowledge of a single prohibition,

کای عجب نهی از پی تحریم بود ** یا به تاویلی بد و توهیم بود 1250

Wondering whether the prohibition was for the purpose of making unlawful (the thing prohibited), or whether it admitted of an interpretation and was a cause of perplexity.

در دلش تاویل چون ترجیح یافت ** طبع در حیرت سوی گندم شتافت‌‌

When (the view that it admitted of) interpretation prevailed in his mind, his nature hastened in bewilderment towards the wheat.

باغبان را خار چون در پای رفت ** دزد فرصت یافت، کالا برد تفت‌‌

When the thorn went into the foot of the gardener (Adam), the thief (Satan) found an opportunity and quickly carried off the goods.

چون ز حیرت رست باز آمد به راه ** دید برده دزد رخت از کارگاه‌‌

As soon as he escaped from bewilderment, he returned into the (right) road; (then) he saw that the thief had carried off the wares from the shop.

ربنا إنا ظلمنا گفت و آه ** یعنی آمد ظلمت و گم گشت راه‌‌

He cried, ‘O Lord, we have done wrong,’ and ‘Alas,’ that is to say, ‘darkness came and the way was lost.’

پس قضا ابری بود خورشید پوش ** شیر و اژدرها شود زو همچو موش‌‌ 1255

Divine destiny, then, is a cloud that covers the sun: thereby lions and dragons become as mice.

من اگر دامی نبینم گاه حکم ** من نه تنها جاهلم در راه حکم‌‌

If I (the hoopoe) do not see a snare in the hour of Divine ordainment, ’tis not I alone who am ignorant in the course of Divine ordainment.”