اشتر کوری مهار تو رهین ** تو کشش می‌بین مهارت را مبین

Thou art a blind camel, and thy toggle is in (His) keeping: do thou regard the act of drawing, do not regard thy toggle.

گر شدی محسوس جذاب و مهار ** پس نماندی این جهان دارالغرار

If the Drawer and the toggle became perceptible (to the senses), then this world would no longer remain the abode of heedlessness (delusion).

گبر دیدی کو پی سگ می‌رود ** سخره‌ی دیو ستنبه می‌شود 1325

(If) the infidel saw that he was going after a cur and was being made subject to the hideous Devil,

در پی او کی شدی مانند حیز ** پی خود را واکشیدی گبر نیز

How should he go at its heels like a catamite (base sycophant)? The infidel too would step back.

گاو گر واقف ز قصابان بدی ** کی پی ایشان بدان دکان شدی

If the cow were acquainted with the butchers, how should she follow them to that (butcher's) shop,

یا بخوردی از کف ایشان سبوس ** یا بدادی شیرشان از چاپلوس

Or eat bran from their hands, or give them milk on account of (their) coaxing (her)?

ور بخوردی کی علف هضمش شدی ** گر ز مقصود علف واقف بدی

And if she ate, how should the fodder be digested by her, if she were aware of the purpose of the fodder?

پس ستون این جهان خود غفلتست ** چیست دولت کین دوادو با لتست 1330

Heedlessness (delusion), then, is in sooth the pillar (support) of this world: what is dawlat (worldly fortune)? for this dawádaw (running to and fro) is (accompanied) with lat (blows).

اولش دو دو به آخر لت بخور ** جز درین ویرانه نبود مرگ خر

The beginning thereof is daw, daw (run, run); in the end (it is) lat khwar (suffer blows): the death of the ass is not (occurring) except in this wilderness.

تو به جد کاری که بگرفتی به دست ** عیبش این دم بر تو پوشیده شدست

Whenever thou hast earnestly taken a work in hand, its faultiness has become veiled to thee at this moment.