گفت من شه را پذیرا چون شوم ** بی‌‌بهانه سوی او من چون روم‌‌

Said the husband, “How should I go to meet the King? How should I go to him without a pretext?

نسبتی باید مرا یا حیلتی ** هیچ پیشه راست شد بی‌‌آلتی‌‌ 2690

I must have some reference or device: is any handicraft right (possible) without tools?

همچو آن مجنون که بشنید از یکی ** که مرض آمد به لیلی اندکی‌‌

As (to mention a similar case) the famous Majnún, when he heard from some one that Laylá was a little unwell,

گفت آوه بی‌‌بهانه چون روم ** ور بمانم از عیادت چون شوم‌‌

Cried, ‘Ah, how shall I go (to her) without a pretext? And if I fail to visit her when she is ill, how (wretched) shall I be!

لیتنی کنت طبیبا حاذقا ** کنت أمشی نحو لیلی سابقا

Would that I were a skilled physician! I would have gone on foot to Laylá first of all (before any one else).’

قل تعالوا گفت حق ما را بدان ** تا بود شرم اشکنی ما را نشان‌‌

God said to us, ‘Say, Come ye,’ in order to signify to us the (means of) vanquishing our feeling of shame.

شب پران را گر نظر و آلت بدی ** روزشان جولان و خوش حالت بدی‌‌ 2695

If bats had sight and means (ability to bear the sunshine), they would fly about and enjoy themselves by day.”

گفت چون شاه کرم میدان رود ** عین هر بی‌‌آلتی آلت شود

The wife said, “When the gracious King goes into the field (maydán), the essence of every lack of means (inability) becomes a means (ability),

ز آن که آلت دعوی است و هستی است ** کار در بی‌‌آلتی و پستی است‌‌

Because the means (ability) is (involves) pretension and self-existence: the (pith of the) matter lies in lack of means (inability) and non-existence.”

گفت کی بی‌‌آلتی سودا کنم ** تا نه من بی‌‌آلتی پیدا کنم‌‌

“How,” said he, “should I do business without means, unless I make it manifest that I (really) have no means?