- The fly was lifting up his head, like a pilot, on a blade of straw and (a pool of) ass's urine.
- آن مگس بر برگ کاه و بول خر ** همچو کشتیبان همی‌‌افراشت سر
- “I have called (them) sea and ship,” said he; “I have been pondering over that (interpretation) for a long while.
- گفت من دریا و کشتی خوانده‌‌ام ** مدتی در فکر آن می‌‌مانده‌‌ام
- Look! here is this sea and this ship, and I am the pilot and skilled (in navigation) and judicious.”
- اینک این دریا و این کشتی و من ** مرد کشتیبان و اهل و رایزن
- He was propelling the raft on the “sea”: that (small) quantity appeared to him illimitable. 1085
- بر سر دریا همی‌‌راند او عمد ** می‌‌نمودش آن قدر بیرون ز حد
- That urine was boundless in relation to him: where was the vision that should see it truly?
- بود بی‌‌حد آن چمین نسبت بدو ** آن نظر که بیند آن را راست کو
- His world extends (just) as far as his sight reaches; his eye is so big, his “sea” is big in the same proportion.
- عالمش چندان بود کش بینش است ** چشم چندین بحر هم چندینش است
- So with the false interpreter (of the Qur’án): like the fly, his imagination is (foul as) ass's urine and his conception (worthless as) a straw.
- صاحب تاویل باطل چون مگس ** وهم او بول خر و تصویر خس
- If the fly leave off interpreting by (following his own) opinion, Fortune will turn that fly into a humáy.
- گر مگس تاویل بگذارد به رای ** آن مگس را بخت گرداند همای
- One who possesses this (Divine) indication (of the true meaning) is not a fly: his spirit is not analogous to his (outward) form. 1090
- آن مگس نبود کش این عبرت بود ** روح او نی در خور صورت بود
- How the lion roared wrathfully because the hare was late in coming.
- تولیدن شیر از دیر آمدن خرگوش
- As (for example) the hare who struck against the lion: how was his spirit analogous to his stature?
- همچو آن خرگوش کاو بر شیر زد ** روح او کی بود اندر خورد قد