ما چو زنبوریم و قالبها چو موم ** خانه خانه کرده قالب را چو موم‌‌

We are as bees, and bodies are as wax (honeycomb): we have made the body, cell by cell, like wax.

رجوع به حکایت خواجه‌‌ی تاجر

Reverting to the tale of the merchant who went to trade (in India).

بس دراز است این حدیث خواجه گو ** تا چه شد احوال آن مرد نکو

This (discourse) is very long. Tell the story of the merchant, that we may see what happened to that good man.

خواجه اندر آتش و درد و حنین ** صد پراکنده همی‌‌گفت این چنین‌‌ 1815

The merchant in fire (burning grief) and anguish and yearning was uttering a hundred distracted phrases like this,

گه تناقض گاه ناز و گه نیاز ** گاه سودای حقیقت گه مجاز

Now self-contradiction, now disdain, now supplication, now passion for reality, now metaphor (unreality).

مرد غرقه گشته جانی می‌‌کند ** دست را در هر گیاهی می‌‌زند

The drowning man suffers an agony of soul and clutches at every straw.

تا کدامش دست گیرد در خطر ** دست و پایی می‌‌زند از بیم سر

For fear of (losing) his head (life), he flings about (both) hand and foot to see whether any one will take his hand (help him) in peril.

دوست دارد یار این آشفتگی ** کوشش بی‌‌هوده به از خفتگی‌‌

The Friend loves this agitation: it is better to struggle vainly than to lie still.

آن که او شاه است او بی‌‌کار نیست ** ناله از وی طرفه کاو بیمار نیست‌‌ 1820

He who is the King (of all) is not idle, (though) complaint from Him would be a marvel, for He is not ill.

بهر این فرمود رحمان ای پسر ** کل يوم هو فی شأن ای پسر

For this reason said the Merciful (God), O son, “Every day He is (busy) in an affair,” O son.

اندر این ره می‌‌تراش و می‌‌خراش ** تا دم آخر دمی فارغ مباش‌‌

In this Way be thou ever scraping and scratching (exerting thyself to the utmost): until thy last breath do not be unoccupied for a moment,

تا دم آخر دمی آخر بود ** که عنایت با تو صاحب سر بود

So that thy last breath may be a last breath in which the (Divine) favour is thy bosom-friend.

هر چه می‌‌کوشند اگر مرد و زن است ** گوش و چشم شاه جان بر روزن است‌‌

Whatsoever they strive (to do), whether man or woman, the ear and eye of the soul's King are at the window.

برون انداختن مرد تاجر طوطی را از قفس و پریدن طوطی مرده‌‌

How the merchant cast the parrot out of the cage and how the dead parrot flew away.

بعد از آنش از قفس بیرون فگند ** طوطیک پرید تا شاخ بلند 1825

After that, he cast her out of the cage. The little parrot flew to a lofty bough.

طوطی مرده چنان پرواز کرد ** کافتاب از چرخ ترکی تاز کرد

The dead parrot made such a (swift) flight as when the orient sun rushed onward.

خواجه حیران گشت اندر کار مرغ ** بی‌‌خبر ناگه بدید اسرار مرغ‌‌

The merchant was amazed at the action of the bird: without understanding he suddenly beheld the mysteries of the bird.

روی بالا کرد و گفت ای عندلیب ** از بیان حال خودمان ده نصیب‌‌

He lifted up his face and said, “O nightingale, give us profit (instruction) by explaining thy case.

او چه کرد آن جا که تو آموختی ** ساختی مکری و ما را سوختی‌‌

What did she (the parrot) do there (in India), that thou didst learn, devise a trick, and burn us (with grief)”?

گفت طوطی کاو به فعلم پند داد ** که رها کن لطف آواز و وداد 1830

The parrot said, “She by her act counselled me—‘Abandon thy charm of voice and thy affection (for thy master),

ز آن که آوازت ترا در بند کرد ** خویشتن مرده پی این پند کرد

Because thy voice has brought thee into bondage’: she feigned herself dead for the sake of (giving me) this counsel,

یعنی ای مطرب شده با عام و خاص ** مرده شو چون من که تا یابی خلاص‌‌

Meaning (to say), ‘O thou who hast become a singer to high and low, become dead like me, that thou mayst gain release.’”

دانه باشی مرغکانت بر چنند ** غنچه باشی کودکانت بر کنند

If you are a grain, the little birds will peck you up; if you are a bud, the children will pluck you off.

دانه پنهان کن بکلی دام شو ** غنچه پنهان کن گیاه بام شو

Hide the grain (bait), become wholly a snare; hide the bud, become the grass on the roof.

هر که داد او حسن خود را در مزاد ** صد قضای بد سوی او رو نهاد 1835

Any one who offers his beauty to auction, a hundred evil fates set out towards him (and overtake him).

چشمها و خشمها و رشکها ** بر سرش ریزد چو آب از مشکها

(Evil) eyes and angers and envies pour upon his head, like water from waterskins.

دشمنان او را ز غیرت می‌‌درند ** دوستان هم روزگارش می‌‌برند

Foes tear him to pieces from jealousy; even friends take his lifetime away.