راست ناید بر شتر جفت جوال ** آن یکی خالی و این پر مال مال
A pair of sacks on a camel do not balance properly when one is empty and one full to the brim.
من روم سوی قناعت دل قوی ** تو چرا سوی شناعت می‌‌روی
I march with stout heart towards contentment: why art thou betaking thyself to revilement?”
مرد قانع از سر اخلاص و سوز ** زین نسق می‌‌گفت با زن تا به روز
In this fashion the contented man, moved by sincerity and ardour, was talking to his wife till daybreak.
نصیحت کردن زن مر شوی را که سخن افزون از قدم و از مقام خود مگو لم تقولون ما لا تفعلونکه این سخنها اگر چه راست است این مقام توکل ترا نیست و این سخن گفتن فوق مقام و معامله‌‌ی خود زیان دارد و کبر مقتا عند الله باشد
How the wife counselled her husband, saying, "Don't talk in excess of (beyond) thy merit and (spiritual) rank—'why say ye that which ye do not?'—for although these words are true, yet thou hast not attained to the degree of trust in God, and to speak thus above thy station and devotional practice is harmful and 'exceedingly hateful in the sight of God.'"
زن بر او زد بانگ کای ناموس کیش ** من فسون تو نخواهم خورد بیش2315
The wife cried out at him, saying, “O thou who makest reputation thy religion, I will not swallow thy spells (deceiving speeches) any more.
ترهات از دعوی و دعوت مگو ** رو سخن از کبر وز نخوت مگو
Don't talk nonsense in thy presumption and pretension: begone, don't speak from pride and arrogance.
چند حرف طمطراق و کار و بار ** کار و حال خود ببین و شرم دار
How long (wilt thou utter) pompous and artificial phrases? Look at thine own acts and feelings and be ashamed!
کبر زشت و از گدایان زشت‌‌تر ** روز سرد و برف و آن گه جامه تر
Pride is ugly, and in beggars (all the) more ugly: (it is like) wet clothes after a cold snowy day.
چند دعوی و دم و باد و بروت ** ای ترا خانه چو بیت العنکبوت
How long (this) pretension and palaver and bluster, O thou whose house is (frail) as the house of the spider?
از قناعت کی تو جان افروختی ** از قناعتها تو نام آموختی2320
When hast thou illumined thy soul by contentment? Of contentment thou hast learned (only) the name.
گفت پیغمبر قناعت چیست گنج ** گنج را تو وا نمی‌‌دانی ز رنج
The Prophet said, ‘What is contentment? A treasure.’ Thou canst not distinguish the gain from the pain.