The ass's head is a ball for our children: his thought is a plaything for our guile.”
عقل که آن باشد ز دوران زحل ** پیش عقل کل ندارد آن محل 2585
The reason that belongs to (is affected by) the revolution of Saturn hath no position (of honour) in the sight of Universal Reason.
از عطارد وز زحل دانا شد او ** ما ز داد کردگار لطف‌خو
It is made knowing by Mercury and Saturn; we (organs of Universal Reason) by the bounty of the gracious Creator.
علم الانسان خم طغرای ماست ** علم عند الله مقصدهای ماست
The twisted script of our sign-manual is He taught Man: our aims are (expressed in the words) the knowledge is with God.
تربیه‌ی آن آفتاب روشنیم ** ربی الاعلی از آن رو می‌زنیم
We are (the object of) the nurture of that resplendent Sun: on that account we are crying, “(Glory to) my Lord the Supreme!”
تجربه گر دارد او با این همه ** بشکند صد تجربه زین دمدمه
(The fox said), “If he (the ass) possesses experience, nevertheless a hundred experiences will be shattered by this deceitful palaver (of mine).
بوک توبه بشکند آن سست‌خو ** در رسد شومی اشکستن درو 2590
Maybe that weak-natured one will break his (vow of) repentance, and the bad luck of his breaking it will overtake him.”
در بیان آنک نقض عهد و توبه موجب بلا بود بلک موجب مسخ است چنانک در حق اصحاب سبت و در حق اصحاب مایده‌ی عیسی و جعل منهم القردة و الخنازیر و اندرین امت مسخ دل باشد و به قیامت تن را صورت دل دهند نعوذ بالله
Explaining that the violation of a covenant and (vow of) repentance is the cause of affliction; nay, it is the cause of metamorphosis, as in the case of the “Fellows of the Sabbath” and in the case of the “Fellows (who disbelieved in the miracle) of the Table of Jesus,” for (God hath said), “And He turned them into apes and swine.” And in this community there is (only) metamorphosis of the spirit, but at the Resurrection the form of the spirit will be given to the body.
نقض میثاق و شکست توبه‌ها ** موجب لعنت شود در انتها
To violate a pact and break vows of repentance becomes the cause of accursedness in the end.