حمد می‌‌گوید خدا را عندلیب ** کاعتماد رزق بر تست ای مجیب
The nightingale is singing glory to God (and saying), ‘I rely on Thee for my daily bread, O Thou who answerest (prayer).’
باز دست شاه را کرده نوید ** از همه مردار ببریده امید
The falcon has made the king's hand his joy (the place in which he takes delight), and has given up hope of (has become indifferent to) all carrion.
همچنین از پشه‌‌گیری تا به پیل ** شد عیال الله و حق نعم المعیل2295
Similarly you may take (every animal) from the gnat to the elephant: they all have become God's family (dependent on Him for their nourishment), and what an excellent nourisher is God!
این همه غمها که اندر سینه‌‌هاست ** از بخار و گرد بود و باد ماست
All these griefs that are within our breasts arise from the vapour and dust of our existence and wind (vain desire).
این غمان بیخ کن چون داس ماست ** این چنین شد و آن چنان وسواس ماست
These uprooting griefs are as a scythe to us: (to think that) this is such and such or that that is such and such is a temptation (of the Devil) to us.
دان که هر رنجی ز مردن پاره‌‌ای است ** جزو مرگ از خود بران گر چاره‌‌ای است
Know that every pain is a piece of Death: expel (that) part of Death from thee, if there be a means (of doing so).
چون ز جزو مرگ نتوانی گریخت ** دان که کلش بر سرت خواهند ریخت
When thou canst not flee from the part of Death, know that the whole of it will be poured upon thy head.
جزو مرگ ار گشت شیرین مر ترا ** دان که شیرین می‌‌کند کل را خدا2300
If the part of Death has become sweet to thee, know that God will make the whole sweet.
دردها از مرگ می‌‌آید رسول ** از رسولش رو مگردان ای فضول
Pains are coming from Death as (his) messengers: do not avert thy face from his messenger, O foolish one!
هر که شیرین می‌‌زید او تلخ مرد ** هر که او تن را پرستد جان نبرد
Whoever lives sweetly (pleasantly) dies bitterly (painfully): whoever serves his body does not save his soul.
گوسفندان را ز صحرا می‌‌کشند ** آن که فربه تر مر آن را می‌‌کشند
Sheep are driven from the plains (to the town): they kill those that are fattest.
شب گذشت و صبح آمد ای تمر ** چند گیری این فسانه‌‌ی زر ز سر
The night is past and dawn is come. O my soul, how long wilt thou take up (again) this tale of gold from the beginning?
تو جوان بودی و قانع‌‌تر بدی ** زر طلب گشتی خود اول زر بدی2305
Thou wert young (once), and (then) thou wert more contented: (now) thou hast become a seeker of gold, (but) at first thou wert gold indeed (precious and perfect).
رز بدی پر میوه چون کاسد شدی ** وقت میوه پختنت فاسد شدی
Thou wert a fruitful vine: how hast thou become unsaleable (worthless)? How hast thou become rotten when thy fruit is ripening?
میوه‌‌ات باید که شیرین‌‌تر شود ** چون رسن تابان نه واپس‌‌تر رود
Thy fruit ought to become sweeter and not move farther backwards like rope-makers.
جفت مایی جفت باید هم صفت ** تا بر آید کارها با مصلحت
Thou art my wife: the wife must be of the same quality (as the husband) in order that things may go rightly.
جفت باید بر مثال همدگر ** در دو جفت کفش و موزه در نگر
The married pair must match one another: look at a pair of shoes or boots.
گر یکی کفش از دو تنگ آید بپا ** هر دو جفتش کار ناید مر ترا2310
If one of the shoes is too tight for the foot, the pair of them is of no use to thee.
جفت در یک خرد و آن دیگر بزرگ ** جفت شیر بیشه دیدی هیچ گرگ
Hast thou ever seen one leaf of a (folding) door small and the other large, or a wolf mated with the lion of the jungle?
راست ناید بر شتر جفت جوال ** آن یکی خالی و این پر مال مال
A pair of sacks on a camel do not balance properly when one is empty and one full to the brim.
من روم سوی قناعت دل قوی ** تو چرا سوی شناعت می‌‌روی
I march with stout heart towards contentment: why art thou betaking thyself to revilement?”
مرد قانع از سر اخلاص و سوز ** زین نسق می‌‌گفت با زن تا به روز
In this fashion the contented man, moved by sincerity and ardour, was talking to his wife till daybreak.
نصیحت کردن زن مر شوی را که سخن افزون از قدم و از مقام خود مگو لم تقولون ما لا تفعلونکه این سخنها اگر چه راست است این مقام توکل ترا نیست و این سخن گفتن فوق مقام و معامله‌‌ی خود زیان دارد و کبر مقتا عند الله باشد
How the wife counselled her husband, saying, "Don't talk in excess of (beyond) thy merit and (spiritual) rank—'why say ye that which ye do not?'—for although these words are true, yet thou hast not attained to the degree of trust in God, and to speak thus above thy station and devotional practice is harmful and 'exceedingly hateful in the sight of God.'"
زن بر او زد بانگ کای ناموس کیش ** من فسون تو نخواهم خورد بیش2315
The wife cried out at him, saying, “O thou who makest reputation thy religion, I will not swallow thy spells (deceiving speeches) any more.
ترهات از دعوی و دعوت مگو ** رو سخن از کبر وز نخوت مگو
Don't talk nonsense in thy presumption and pretension: begone, don't speak from pride and arrogance.
چند حرف طمطراق و کار و بار ** کار و حال خود ببین و شرم دار
How long (wilt thou utter) pompous and artificial phrases? Look at thine own acts and feelings and be ashamed!
کبر زشت و از گدایان زشت‌‌تر ** روز سرد و برف و آن گه جامه تر
Pride is ugly, and in beggars (all the) more ugly: (it is like) wet clothes after a cold snowy day.
چند دعوی و دم و باد و بروت ** ای ترا خانه چو بیت العنکبوت
How long (this) pretension and palaver and bluster, O thou whose house is (frail) as the house of the spider?
از قناعت کی تو جان افروختی ** از قناعتها تو نام آموختی2320
When hast thou illumined thy soul by contentment? Of contentment thou hast learned (only) the name.
گفت پیغمبر قناعت چیست گنج ** گنج را تو وا نمی‌‌دانی ز رنج
The Prophet said, ‘What is contentment? A treasure.’ Thou canst not distinguish the gain from the pain.
این قناعت نیست جز گنج روان ** تو مزن لاف ای غم و رنج روان
This contentment is the soul's treasure: do not thou boast (of possessing it), O (thou who art) grief and pain to my soul.
تو مخوانم جفت، کمتر زن بغل ** جفت انصافم نیم جفت دغل
Don't call me thy mate, don't flap so much. I am the mate of justice, I am not the mate of fraud.
چون قدم با میر و با بگ می‌‌زنی ** چون ملخ را در هوا رگ می‌‌زنی
How art thou walking (consorting) with amír and bey, when thou art slitting the veins of (killing for food) the locust in the air?
با سگان زین استخوان در چالشی ** چون نی اشکم تهی در نالشی2325
Thou art contending with dogs for the sake of this bone, thou art wailing like an empty-bellied reed-pipe.
سوی من منگر به خواری سست سست ** تا نگویم آن چه در رگهای تست
Don't look at me dully (coldly) with contempt, lest I tell (others) what is in thy veins (disclose thy hidden faults).
عقل خود را از من افزون دیده‌‌ای ** مر من کم عقل را چون دیده‌‌ای
Thou hast deemed thy understanding superior to mine, (but) how hast thou (truly) seen me, who am deficient in understanding?
همچو گرگ غافل اندر ما مجه ** ای ز ننگ عقل تو بی‌‌عقل به
Don't spring upon me like a reckless wolf! Oh, better be without understanding (mad) than (suffer) the disgrace of (having) thy understanding.
چون که عقل تو عقیله‌‌ی مردم است ** آن نه عقل است آن که مار و کژدم است
Since thy understanding is a shackle for mankind, it is not understanding: it is a snake and scorpion.
خصم ظلم و مکر تو الله باد ** فضل و عقل تو ز ما کوتاه باد2330
May God be the enemy of thy iniquity and deceit! May thy (superior) talent and understanding fall short of (fail to injure) us!
هم تو ماری هم فسون‌‌گر ای عجب ** مارگیر و ماری ای ننگ عرب
Thou art both the snake and the charmer—oh, this is wonderful! Thou art (both) the snake-catcher and the snake, O thou disgrace to the Arabs!
زاغ اگر زشتی خود بشناختی ** همچو برف از درد و غم بگداختی
If the crow knew its ugliness, from grief and sorrow it would melt like snow.
مرد افسونگر بخواند چون عدو ** او فسون بر مار و مار افسون بر او
The charmer chants (a spell) as an enemy (does); he is (casting) a spell upon the snake and the snake is (casting) a spell upon him.
گر نبودی دام او افسون مار ** کی فسون مار را گشتی شکار
If his trap were not (devised by him as) a spell for the snake (a means of catching it), how would he become a prey to the snake's spell?
مرد افسونگر ز حرص کسب و کار ** در نیابد آن زمان افسون مار2335
The charmer, from greed of getting and making (money), is not conscious of the snake's spell at the time.
مار گوید ای فسون‌‌گر هین و هین ** آن خود دیدی فسون من ببین
The snake says, ‘O charmer, beware, beware! Thou hast beheld thine own spell (and its effect upon me): now behold mine!
تو به نام حق فریبی مر مرا ** تا کنی رسوای شور و شر مرا
Thou beguilest me with the Name of God in order that thou mayst expose me to shame and confusion.
نام حقم بست نه آن رای تو ** نام حق را دام کردی وای تو
The Name of God enthralled me, not thy contrivance: thou madest the Name of God a trap: woe to thee!
نام حق بستاند از تو داد من ** من به نام حق سپردم جان و تن
The Name of God will take vengeance from thee on my behalf: I commit my soul and body to the Name of God.
یا به زخم من رگ جانت برد ** یا که همچون من به زندانت برد2340
Either it will sever the vein of thy life by my stroke, or it will bring thee into a prison as (it has brought) me.’”
زن از این گونه خشن گفتارها ** خواند بر شوی جوان طومارها
Rough speeches of this sort, (whole) volumes, the woman recited to her youthful husband.
نصیحت کردن مرد مر زن را که در فقیران به خواری منگر و در کار حق به گمان کمال نگر و طعنه مزن بر فقر و فقیران به خیال و گمان بی‌‌نوایی خویشتن
How the man counselled his wife, saying, “Do not look with contempt on the poor, but regard the work of God as perfect, and do not let thy vain thought and opinion of thine own penury cause thee to sneer at poverty and revile the poor.”
گفت ای زن تو زنی یا بو الحزن ** فقر فخر آمد مرا بر سر مزن
“O woman,” said he, “art thou a woman or the father of sorrow? Poverty is (my) pride, and do not thou beat me on the head (lash me with thy reproaches).