من اگر هولم مخنث دان مرا ** همچو اشتر بر نشین می‏ران مرا

Etiamsi terribilis (aspectu) sum, scito me impotentem esse ad coitum: me sicut camelum conscende, propelle.” [“Although I am dreadful (in appearance), know me (to be an impotent) catamite. Mount me like a camel (and) thrust.”]

صورت مردان و معنی این چنین ** از برون آدم درون دیو لعین‏

(With) the appearance of men and the reality like this— Adam without, the accursed Devil within—

آن دهل را مانی ای زفت چو عاد ** که بر او آن شاخ را می‏کوفت باد

O you that are big as the people of ‘Ád, you resemble the drum against which a branch was beaten by the wind.

روبهی اشکار خود را باد داد ** بهر طبلی همچو خیک پر ز باد 3160

A fox abandoned his prey for the sake of a drum like a wind-filled leathern bag,

چون ندید اندر دهل او فربهی ** گفت خوکی به ازین خیک تهی‏

(But) when he found no (real) fatness in the drum, he said, “A hog is better than this empty bag.”

روبهان ترسند ز آواز دهل ** عاقلش چندان زند که لا تقل‏

Foxes are afraid of the noise of the drum; (but) the wise man beats it ever so much, saying, “Speak not!”

قصه‏ی تیر اندازی و ترسیدن او از سواری که در بیشه می‏رفت‏

The story of an archer and his fear of a horseman who was riding in a forest.

یک سواری با سلاح و بس مهیب ** می‏شد اندر بیشه بر اسبی نجیب‏

A horseman, armed and very terrible (in appearance), was riding in the forest on a high-bred horse.

تیر اندازی به حکم او را بدید ** پس ز خوف او کمان را در کشید

An expert archer espied him, and then from fear of him drew his bow,

تا زند تیری سوارش بانگ زد ** من ضعیفم گر چه زفت استم جسد 3165

To shoot an arrow. The horseman shouted to him, “I am a weakling, though my body is big.

هان و هان منگر تو در زفتی من ** که کمم در وقت جنگ از پیر زن‏

Take heed! Take heed! Do not regard my bigness, for in the hour of battle I am less than an old woman.”