- (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
- “Pass on,” said he; “thou hast spoken well, else by reason of my fear I should have shot a barb at thee.”
- گفت رو که نیک گفتی ور نه نیش ** بر تو میانداختم از ترس خویش