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,

ریش بر می‌‌کند و می‌‌گفت ای دریغ ** کافتاب نعمتم شد زیر میغ‌‌

Tearing his beard and saying, “Alas! the sun of my prosperity has gone under the clouds.

دست من بشکسته بودی آن زمان ** که زدم من بر سر آن خوش زبان‌‌ 255

Would that my hand had been broken (powerless) at the moment when I struck (such a blow) on the head of that sweet-tongued one?”

هدیه‌‌ها می‌‌داد هر درویش را ** تا بیابد نطق مرغ خویش را

He was giving presents to every dervish, that he might get back the speech of his bird.

بعد سه روز و سه شب حیران و زار ** بر دکان بنشسته بد نومید وار

After three days and three nights, he was seated on the bench, distraught and sorrowful, like a man in despair,

می‌‌نمود آن مرغ را هر گون شگفت ** تا که باشد کاندر آید او بگفت‌‌

Showing the bird every sort of hidden (unfamiliar) thing (in the hope) that maybe it would begin to speak.