Etiamsi terribilis (aspectu) sum, scito me impotentem esse ad coitum: me sicut camelum conscende, propelle.” [“Although I am dreadful (in appearance), know me (to be an impotent) catamite. Mount me like a camel (and) thrust.”]
من اگر هولم مخنث دان مرا ** همچو اشتر بر نشین میران مرا
(With) the appearance of men and the reality like this— Adam without, the accursed Devil within—
صورت مردان و معنی این چنین ** از برون آدم درون دیو لعین
O you that are big as the people of ‘Ád, you resemble the drum against which a branch was beaten by the wind.
آن دهل را مانی ای زفت چو عاد ** که بر او آن شاخ را میکوفت باد
A fox abandoned his prey for the sake of a drum like a wind-filled leathern bag,3160
روبهی اشکار خود را باد داد ** بهر طبلی همچو خیک پر ز باد
(But) when he found no (real) fatness in the drum, he said, “A hog is better than this empty bag.”
چون ندید اندر دهل او فربهی ** گفت خوکی به ازین خیک تهی
Foxes are afraid of the noise of the drum; (but) the wise man beats it ever so much, saying, “Speak not!”
روبهان ترسند ز آواز دهل ** عاقلش چندان زند که لا تقل
The story of an archer and his fear of a horseman who was riding in a forest.
قصهی تیر اندازی و ترسیدن او از سواری که در بیشه میرفت
A horseman, armed and very terrible (in appearance), was riding in the forest on a high-bred horse.
یک سواری با سلاح و بس مهیب ** میشد اندر بیشه بر اسبی نجیب
An expert archer espied him, and then from fear of him drew his bow,
تیر اندازی به حکم او را بدید ** پس ز خوف او کمان را در کشید
To shoot an arrow. The horseman shouted to him, “I am a weakling, though my body is big.3165
تا زند تیری سوارش بانگ زد ** من ضعیفم گر چه زفت استم جسد
Take heed! Take heed! Do not regard my bigness, for in the hour of battle I am less than an old woman.”
هان و هان منگر تو در زفتی من ** که کمم در وقت جنگ از پیر زن