دیده‏ها بسته ببیند دوست را ** چون مشبک کرده باشد پوست را

One may see a friend (even) with eyes shut, when one has made the skin (the bodily envelope) a lattice (to let in spiritual ideas).

ور ندیدش نه از برون نز اندرون ** از حکایت گیر معنی ای زبون‏ 3615

And if she saw her neither from without nor from within, take the (essential) meaning of the story, O imbecile!

نه چنان کافسانه‏ها بشنیده بود ** همچو شین بر نقش آن چسبیده بود

Not like him who had heard (some) fables, and like sh stuck to the (literal) shape of them,

تا همی‏گفت آن کلیله بی‏زبان ** چون سخن نوشد ز دمنه بی‏بیان‏

So that he would say, “How should Kalíla, having no language, hear words from Dimna who had no power of expression?

ور بدانستند لحن همدگر ** فهم آن چون کرد بی‏نطقی بشر

And (even) if they knew each other's accents, how should man understand it (their talk), (since it was) without any articulation?

در میان شیر و گاو آن دمنه چون ** شد رسول و خواند بر هر دو فسون‏

How did Dimna become a messenger between the lion and the ox, and cajole them both with his palaver?

چون وزیر شیر شد گاو نبیل ** چون ز عکس ماه ترسان گشت پیل‏ 3620

How did the noble ox become the vizier of the lion? How was the elephant terrified by the reflection of the moon?

این کلیله و دمنه جمله افتری است ** ور نه کی با زاغ لکلک را مری است‏

This Kalíla and Dimna is entirely fiction, or else how has the stork a quarrel with the crow?”

ای برادر قصه چون پیمانه‏ای است ** معنی اندر وی مثال دانه‏ای است‏

O brother, the story is like a measure: the real meaning in it resembles grain (in the measure).

دانه‏ی معنی بگیرد مرد عقل ** ننگرد پیمانه را گر گشت نقل‏

The man of intelligence will take the grain of meaning: he will not pay any regard to the measure, (even) if it is removed (altogether).