حد ندارد این مثل کم جو سخن ** تو برو تحصیل استعداد کن
These parables have no limit: do not seek (more) words (of this kind): go and acquire capability!
بهر استعداد تا اکنون نشست ** شوق از حد رفت و آن نامد به دست
(The announcer said), “He tarried until now for the sake of capability (qualification), (but) ere it was acquired his longing burst (all) bounds.”
گفت استعداد هم از شه رسد ** بی ز جان کی مستعد گردد جسد
He (the prince) said, “Capability too is imparted by the King: how should the body be made capable without (the intervention of) the soul?”
لطف‌های شه غمش را در نوشت ** شد که صید شه کند او صید گشت
(Then) the favours of the King did away with his anguish: he had gone to hunt the King: he became the King's prey.
هر که در اشکار چون تو صید شد ** صید را ناکرده قید او قید شد 4440
(The announcer said), “Whosoever goes in chase of a quarry like thee does not catch his quarry till he is himself caught.”
هرکه جویای امیری شد یقین ** پیش از آن او در اسیری شد رهین
’Tis certain that every seeker of princedom is thrown into captivity before (he gains) it.
عکس می‌دان نقش دیباجه‌ی جهان ** نام هر بنده‌ی جهان خواجه‌ی جهان
Know that what is depicted on this mundane frontispiece is preposterous: every slave to the world is named “lord of the world.”
ای تن کژ فکرت معکوس‌رو ** صد هزار آزاد را کرده گرو
O wrong-thinking perversely-acting body, thou that hast enthralled a hundred thousand freemen,
مدتی بگذار این حیلت پزی ** چند دم پیش از اجل آزاد زی
Abandon this guileful plotting for a time: live free a few moments ere thou die;
ور در آزادیت چون خر راه نیست ** هم‌چو دلوت سیر جز در چاه نیست 4445
For if, like the (heavily-laden) ass, thou hast no way of attaining to freedom, thy movement, like that of the bucket, can only be (down) into the well.