ویس و رامین خسرو و شیرین بخوان ** که چه کردند از حسد آن ابلهان

Read Wís and Rámín and Khusraw and Shírín: (you will see) what those fools did because of envy.

که فنا شد عاشق و معشوق نیز ** هم نه چیزند و هواشان هم نه چیز 1205

(You will see) that the lover perished and the beloved too: they are naught and their passion also is naught.

پاک الهی که عدم بر هم زند ** مر عدم را بر عدم عاشق کند

Holy is the God who brings non-existence into collision with itself and makes non-existence to be in love with non-existence.

در دل نه‌دل حسدها سر کند ** نیست را هست این چنین مضطر کند

Envies arise in the heart that is no (real) heart: thus doth Being subject not being to compulsion.

این زنانی کز همه مشفق‌تراند ** از حسد دو ضره خود را می‌خورند

These women, who are kinder than all (other creatures)—(even amongst them) two fellow-wives devour each other from envy,

تا که مردانی که خود سنگین‌دلند ** از حسد تا در کدامین منزلند

So that (you may judge) in what degree of envy are the men who indeed are stony-hearted.

گر نکردی شرع افسونی لطیف ** بر دریدی هر کسی جسم حریف 1210

If the Law had not exercised a gracious spell (over them), every one would have torn the body of his rival to pieces.

شرع بهر دفع شر رایی زند ** دیو را در شیشه‌ی حجت کند

The Law makes a plan for repelling evil: it puts the demon into the bottle of (legal) proof—

از گواه و از یمین و از نکول ** تا به شیشه در رود دیو فضول

Witness and oath and shrinking (from the oath)—till (at last) the insolent demon goes into the bottle (prison).

مثل میزانی که خشنودی دو ضد ** جمع می‌آید یقین در هزل و جد

(The Law is) like the balance whereby the two adversaries are surely united in contentment, (whether) in jest or earnest.