- This Kalíla and Dimna is entirely fiction, or else how has the stork a quarrel with the crow?”
- این کلیله و دمنه جمله افتری است ** ور نه کی با زاغ لکلک را مری است
- O brother, the story is like a measure: the real meaning in it resembles grain (in the measure).
- ای برادر قصه چون پیمانهای است ** معنی اندر وی مثال دانهای است
- The man of intelligence will take the grain of meaning: he will not pay any regard to the measure, (even) if it is removed (altogether).
- دانهی معنی بگیرد مرد عقل ** ننگرد پیمانه را گر گشت نقل
- Listen to what passes between the rose and the nightingale, though in that case there is no overt speech.
- ماجرای بلبل و گل گوش دار ** گر چه گفتی نیست آن جا آشکار
- On mute eloquence and the understanding of it.
- سخن گفتن به زبان حال و فهم کردن آن
- Listen to what passes between the moth and the candle, and pick out the meaning from the tale. 3625
- ماجرای شمع با پروانه نیز ** بشنو و معنی گزین کن ای عزیز
- Albeit there is no speech, there is the inmost soul of speech. Come, fly aloft, do not fly low, like the owl.
- گر چه گفتی نیست سر گفت هست ** هین ببالا پر مپر چون جغد پست
- He (the player) at chess said, “This is the house of the rook.” “By what way,” said he (the literalist), “did the house come into its hands?
- گفت در شطرنج کاین خانهی رخ است ** گفت خانه از کجاش آمد بدست
- Did it buy the house, or inherit it?”—Happy is he that sped towards the (real) meaning!
- خانه را بخرید یا میراث یافت ** فرخ آن کس کاو سوی معنی شتافت
- A grammarian said, “Zayd has struck ‘Amr.” Said (the fool), “How did he chastise him without any offence (on his part)?
- گفت نحوی زید عمرا قد ضرب ** گفت چونش کرد بیجرمی ادب
- What was ‘Amr's offence, that that rude Zayd struck him, innocent (though he was), as (if he were) a slave?” 3630
- عمرو را جرمش چه بد کان زید خام ** بیگنه او را بزد همچون غلام