- Since you have not for one moment enjoyed (any) fruit from the arts (of the schools), bid farewell to the arts, and seek always the Lord of bounties.
- چون که یک لحظه نخوردی بر ز فن ** ترک فن گو میطلب رب المنن
- Since these sciences bring you no blessing, make yourself a dunce and leave ill luck behind.
- چون مبارک نیست بر تو این علوم ** خویشتن گولی کن و بگذر ز شوم
- Like the angels, say, “We have no knowledge, O God, except what Thou hast taught us.” 3175
- چون ملایک گو که لا علم لنا ** یا الهی غیر ما علمتنا
- Story of the desert Arab and his putting sand in the sack and the philosopher's rebuking him.
- قصهی اعرابی و ریگ در جوال کردن و ملامت کردن آن فیلسوف او را
- A certain Arab of the desert loaded a camel with two big sacks—(there was) one full of grain.
- یک عرابی بار کرده اشتری ** دو جوال زفت از دانه پری
- He was seated on the top of both sacks. A glib philosopher questioned him.
- او نشسته بر سر هر دو جوال ** یک حدیث انداز کرد او را سؤال
- He asked him about his native land and led him to talk and said many fine things in the course of (his) enquiry.
- از وطن پرسید و آوردش به گفت ** و اندر آن پرسش بسی درها بسفت
- Afterwards he said to him, “What are these two sacks filled with? Tell (me) the truth of the matter.”
- بعد از آن گفتش که این هر دو جوال ** چیست آگنده بگو مصدوق حال
- He replied, “In one sack I have wheat; in the other is some sand—not food for men.” 3180
- گفت اندر یک جوالم گندم است ** در دگر ریگی نه قوت مردم است
- “Why,” he asked, “did you load this sand?” “In order that the other sack might not remain alone,” he replied.
- گفت تو چون بار کردی این رمال ** گفت تا تنها نماند آن جوال
- “For wisdom's sake,” said he, “pour half the wheat of that pannier into the other,
- گفت نیم گندم آن تنگ را ** در دگر ریز از پی فرهنگ را