بچه می‌‌لرزد از آن نیش حجام ** مادر مشفق در آن غم شاد کام‌‌

The child trembles at the barber's scalpel (but) the fond mother is happy at that moment.

نیم جان بستاند و صد جان دهد ** آن چه در وهمت نیاید آن دهد 245

He takes half a life and gives a hundred lives (in exchange): he gives that which enters not into your imagination.

تو قیاس از خویش می‌‌گیری و لیک ** دور دور افتاده‌‌ای بنگر تو نیک‌‌

You are judging (his actions) from (the analogy of) yourself, but you have fallen far, far (away from the truth). Consider well!

حکایت بقال و طوطی و روغن ریختن طوطی در دکان‌‌

The story of the greengrocer and the parrot and the parrot's spilling the oil in the shop.

بود بقالی و وی را طوطیی ** خوش نوایی سبز و گویا طوطیی‌‌

There was a greengrocer who had a parrot, a sweet-voiced green talking parrot.

بر دکان بودی نگهبان دکان ** نکته گفتی با همه سوداگران‌‌

(Perched) on the bench, it would watch over the shop (in the owner's absence) and talk finely to all the traders.

در خطاب آدمی ناطق بدی ** در نوای طوطیان حاذق بدی‌‌

In addressing human beings it would speak (like them); it was (also) skilled in the song of parrots.

جست از سوی دکان سویی گریخت ** شیشه‌‌های روغن گل را بریخت‌‌ 250

(Once) it sprang from the bench and flew away; it spilled the bottles of rose-oil.

از سوی خانه بیامد خواجه‌‌اش ** بر دکان بنشست فارغ خواجه‌‌وش‌‌

Its master came from the direction of his house and seated himself on the bench at his ease as a merchant does.

دید پر روغن دکان و جامه چرب ** بر سرش زد گشت طوطی کل ز ضرب‌‌

(Then) he saw the bench was full of oil and his clothes greasy; he smote the parrot on the head: it was made bald by the blow.

روزکی چندی سخن کوتاه کرد ** مرد بقال از ندامت آه کرد

For some few days it refrained from speech; the greengrocer, in repentance, heaved deep sighs,