گفت‌‌وگوی ظاهر آمد چون غبار ** مدتی خاموش خو کن هوش دار

Outward speech and talk is as dust: do thou for a time make a habit of silence. Take heed!

مکرر کردن مریدان که خلوت را بشکن

How the disciples repeated their request that he should interrupt his seclusion.

جمله گفتند ای حکیم رخنه جو ** این فریب و این جفا با ما مگو

They all said: “O sage who seekest a crevice (means of evasion), say not to us this (word of) guile and harshness.

چار پا را قدر طاقت بار نه ** بر ضعیفان قدر قوت کار نه‌‌

Lay on the beast a burden in proportion to its endurance, lay on the weak a task in proportion to their strength.

دانه‌‌ی هر مرغ اندازه‌‌ی وی است ** طعمه‌‌ی هر مرغ انجیری کی است‌‌ 580

The bait for every bird is according to its (the bird's) measure (capacity): how should a fig be the food (lure) for every bird?

طفل را گر نان دهی بر جای شیر ** طفل مسکین را از آن نان مرده گیر

If you give a babe bread instead of milk, take it (for granted) that the poor babe will die of the bread;

چون که دندانها بر آرد بعد از آن ** هم بخود گردد دلش جویای نان‌‌

(Yet) afterwards, when it grows teeth, that babe will of its own accord its heart will crave bread.

مرغ پر نارسته چون پران شود ** لقمه‌‌ی هر گربه‌‌ی دران شود

When an unfledged bird begins to fly, it becomes a mouthful for any rapacious cat;

چون بر آرد پر بپرد او به خود ** بی‌‌تکلف بی‌‌صفیر نیک و بد

(But) when it grows wings, it will fly of itself without trouble and without whistling (prompting), good or bad.

دیو را نطق تو خامش می‌‌کند ** گوش ما را گفت تو هش می‌‌کند 585

Thy speech makes the Devil silent, thy words make our ears (full of) intelligence.

گوش ما هوش است چون گویا تویی ** خشک ما بحر است چون دریا تویی‌‌

Our ears are (full of) intelligence when thou art speaking; our dry land is a river when thou art the ocean.