خیر باشد نیمشب چه می‌کنی ** تو کیی گفتا دهل‌زن ای سنی
All is well, I hope. What are you doing (here) at midnight? Who are you?” He said, “A drummer, O honourable sir.”
در چه کاری گفت می‌کوبم دهل ** گفت کو بانگ دهل ای بوسبل
“What are you about?” He said, “I am beating the drum.” He (the sick man) said, “Where is the noise of the drum, O artful one?”
گفت فردا بشنوی این بانگ را ** نعره یا حسرتا وا ویلتا
He said, “You will hear this noise to-morrow, (namely) cries of ‘Oh, alas!’ and ‘Oh, woe is me!’”
آن دروغست و کژ و بر ساخته ** سر آن کژ را تو هم نشناخته2805
That (story of the hare and the elephant) is a lie and false and made up; moreover, thou hast not perceived the secret (the esoteric meaning) of that falsehood.
جواب آن مثل کی منکران گفتند از رسالت خرگوش پیغام به پیل از ماه آسمان
The answer to the parable which the unbelievers related concerning the hare's being sent as ambassador with a message to the elephant from the Moon in heaven.
سر آن خرگوش دان دیو فضول ** که به پیش نفس تو آمد رسول
Know that the hidden nature of that hare is the insolent Devil who came as an ambassador to thy soul,
تا که نفس گول را محروم کرد ** ز آب حیوانی که از وی خضر خورد
In order that he might deprive thy foolish soul of the Water of Life whence Khizr drank.
بازگونه کرده‌ای معنیش را ** کفر گفتی مستعد شو نیش را
Thou hast perverted its (the parable's) meaning, thou hast uttered blasphemy: prepare thyself for the sting (of Divine chastisement).
اضطراب ماه گفتی در زلال ** که بترسانید پیلان را شغال
Thou hast spoken of the moon's being disturbed in the limpid water, whereby the jackal (hare) frightened the elephants;
قصه‌ی خرگوش و پیل آری و آب ** خشیت پیلان ز مه در اضطراب2810
Thou relatest the story of the hare and the elephant and the water, and the elephant's fear of the moon when it was disturbed:
این چه ماند آخر ای کوران خام ** با مهی که شد زبونش خاص و عام
O ye half-baked blind men, pray, how does this bear any resemblance to the Moon to whom (both) lords and commons are subject?