- The Qur’án is (a description of) the states of the prophets, (who are) the fishes of the holy sea of (Divine) Majesty.
- هست قرآن حالهای انبیا ** ماهیان بحر پاک کبریا
- And if you read and do not accept (take to heart) the Qur’án, suppose you have seen the prophets and saints (what will that avail you?);
- ور بخوانی و نه‌‌ای قرآن پذیر ** انبیا و اولیا را دیده گیر
- But if you are accepting (the Qur’án), when you read the stories (of the prophets), the bird, your soul, will be distressed in its cage. 1540
- ور پذیرایی چو بر خوانی قصص ** مرغ جانت تنگ آید در قفص
- The bird that is a prisoner in a cage, (if it) is not seeking to escape, ’tis from ignorance.
- مرغ کاو اندر قفس زندانی است ** می‌‌نجوید رستن از نادانی است
- The spirits which have escaped from their cages are the prophets, (those) worthy guides.
- روحهایی کز قفسها رسته‌‌اند ** انبیای رهبر شایسته‌‌اند
- From without comes their voice, (telling) of religion, (and crying), “This, this is the way of escape for thee.
- از برون آوازشان آید ز دین ** که ره رستن ترا این است این
- By this we escaped from this narrow cage: there is no means of escape from this cage but this way,
- ما به دین رستیم زین ننگین قفس ** جز که این ره نیست چاره‌‌ی این قفس
- (That) thou shouldst make thyself ill, exceedingly wretched, in order that thou mayst be let out from (the cage of) reputation.” 1545
- خویش را رنجور سازی زار زار ** تا ترا بیرون کنند از اشتهار
- Worldly reputation is a strong chain: in the Way how is this less than a chain of iron?
- که اشتهار خلق بند محکم است ** در ره این از بند آهن کی کم است
- The story of the merchant to whom the captive parrot gave a message for the parrots of India on the occasion of his going (thither) to trade.
- قصه‌‌ی بازرگان که طوطی محبوس او او را پیغام داد به طوطیان هندوستان هنگام رفتن به تجارت
- There was a merchant, and he had a parrot imprisoned in a cage, a pretty parrot.
- بود بازرگانی او را طوطیی ** در قفس محبوس زیبا طوطیی