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اندرین امت نبد مسخ بدن ** لیک مسخ دل بود ای بوالفطن
- In this community there has never been metamorphosis of the body, but there is metamorphosis of the spirit, O man endowed with perception.
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چون دل بوزینه گردد آن دلش ** از دل بوزینه شد خوار آن گلش 2595
- When his spirit becomes the ape-spirit, his clay (body) is debased by the ape-spirit.
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گر هنر بودی دلش را ز اختبار ** خوار کی بودی ز صورت آن حمار
- How should the ass be debased by his (bodily) form, if his spirit had possessed the virtue (that is derived) from (rational) experience?
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آن سگ اصحاب خوش بد سیرتش ** هیچ بودش منقصت زان صورتش
- The dog of the Companions (of the Cave) had a goodly character: was he any the worse on account of his (bodily) form?
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مسخ ظاهر بود اهل سبت را ** تا ببیند خلق ظاهر کبت را
- The “Fellows of the Sabbath” suffered outward metamorphosis, in order that the people might behold outwardly their ignominious fall.
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از ره سر صد هزاران دگر ** گشته از توبه شکستن خوک و خر
- Through breaking (vows of) repentance a hundred thousand others have become hogs and asses inwardly.
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دوم بار آمدن روبه بر این خر گریخته تا باز بفریبدش
- How the fox approached the runaway ass a second time in order to beguile him once more.
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پس بیامد زود روبه سوی خر ** گفت خر از چون تو یاری الحذر 2600
- Then the fox came quickly towards the ass: the ass said, “One must beware of a friend like you.
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ناجوامردا چه کردم من ترا ** که به پیش اژدها بردی مرا
- Ignoble creature, what did I do to you that you brought me into the presence of a dragon?
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موجب کین تو با جانم چه بود ** غیر خبث جوهر تو ای عنود
- What but the malignity of your nature was the cause of your enmity to my life, O perverse one?”—
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همچو کزدم کو گزد پای فتی ** نارسیده از وی او را زحمتی
- Like the scorpion, which bites a man's foot though no inconvenience has come to it from him,
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یا چو دیوی کو عدوی جان ماست ** نارسیده زحمتش از ما و کاست
- Or like the Devil who is the enemy of our souls, though no inconvenience or injury has befallen him from us;
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بلک طبعا خصم جان آدمیست ** از هلاک آدمی در خرمیست 2605
- Nay, but he is naturally the adversary of the human soul and rejoices at the destruction of Man;
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از پی هر آدمی او نسکلد ** خو و طبع زشت خود او کی هلد
- He never breaks off his pursuit of any human being: how should he abandon his wicked disposition and nature?
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زانک خبث ذات او بیموجبی ** هست سوی ظلم و عدوان جاذبی
- For, without any cause, his essential malignity pulls him on to (commit) injustice and tyranny.
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هر زمان خواند ترا تا خرگهی ** که در اندازد ترا اندر چهی
- He continually invites thee to a spacious tent in order that he may cast thee into a pit,
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که فلان جا حوض آبست و عیون ** تا در اندازد به حوضت سرنگون
- Saying, “In such and such a place there is a tank of water and (many) fountains,” that he may cast thee headlong into the tank.
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آدمی را با همه وحی و نظر ** اندر افکند آن لعین در شور و شر 2610
- That accursed one caused an Adam, notwithstanding all his inspiration and insight, to fall into woe and bane,
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بیگناهی بیگزند سابقی ** که رسد او را ز آدم ناحقی
- Without any sin (having been committed against him) and without any previous harm having been wrongfully done to him by Adam.
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گفت روبه آن طلسم سحر بود ** که ترا در چشم آن شیری نمود
- The fox replied, “It was a spell of magic that appeared in your eyes as a lion;
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ورنه من از تو به تن مسکینترم ** که شب و روز اندر آنجا میچرم
- Else I am more puny in body than you, and I always feed there by night and day.
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گرنه زان گونه طلسمی ساختی ** هر شکمخواری بدانجا تاختی
- If he (the magician) had not wrought a spell of that kind, every famishing (animal) would have run thither.
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یک جهان بینوا پر پیل و ارج ** بیطلسمی کی بماندی سبز مرج 2615
- (In) a foodless world full of elephants and rhinoceroses how should the meadow have remained verdant without (the protection of) a spell?
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من ترا خود خواستم گفتن به درس ** که چنان هولی اگر بینی مترس
- Truly, I meant to tell you, by way of instruction, not to be afraid if you should see a terrible thing like that;
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لیک رفت از یاد علم آموزیت ** که بدم مستغرق دلسوزیت
- But I forgot to impart (this) knowledge to you, because I was overwhelmed with grief and pity on your account.
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دیدمت در جوع کلب و بینوا ** میشتابیدم که آیی تا دوا
- I saw you were ravenously hungry and without food, (therefore) I was making haste so that you might attain to the remedy;