از چه ای کل با کلان آمیختی ** تو مگر از شیشه روغن ریختی‌‌

How were you mixed up with the bald, O baldpate? Did you, then, spill oil from the bottle?”

از قیاسش خنده آمد خلق را ** کو چو خود پنداشت صاحب دلق را

The bystanders laughed at the parrot's inference, because it deemed the wearer of the frock to be like itself.

کار پاکان را قیاس از خود مگیر ** گر چه ماند در نبشتن شیر و شیر

Do not measure the actions of holy men by (the analogy of) yourself, though shér (lion) and shír (milk) are similar in writing.

جمله عالم زین سبب گمراه شد ** کم کسی ز ابدال حق آگاه شد

On this account the whole world is gone astray: scarcely any one is cognisant of God's Abdál (Substitutes).

همسری با انبیا برداشتند ** اولیا را همچو خود پنداشتند 265

They set up (a claim of) equality with the prophets; they supposed the saints to be like themselves.

گفته اینک ما بشر ایشان بشر ** ما و ایشان بسته‌‌ی خوابیم و خور

“Behold,” they said, “we are men, they are men; both we and they are in bondage to sleep and food.”

این ندانستند ایشان از عمی ** هست فرقی در میان بی‌‌منتها

In (their) blindness they did not perceive that there is an infinite difference between (them).

هر دو گون زنبور خوردند از محل ** لیک شد ز ان نیش و زین دیگر عسل‌‌

Both species of zanbúr ate and drank from the (same) place, but from that one (the hornet) came a sting, and from this other (the bee) honey.

هر دو گون آهو گیا خوردند و آب ** زین یکی سرگین شد و ز ان مشک ناب‌‌

Both species of deer ate grass and drank water: from this one came dung, and from that one pure musk.

هر دو نی خوردند از یک آب خور ** این یکی خالی و آن پر از شکر 270

Both reeds drank from the same water-source, (but) this one is empty and that one full of sugar.