He went off suddenly, but seeing that he went I ought to have gone after him in hot haste.”
ناگهان رفت او ولیکن چونک رفت ** می‌ببایستم شدن در پی بتفت
‘Tis wrong to regret the past: what is gone will not come back: to remember it is of no avail.
بر گذشته حسرت آوردن خطاست ** باز ناید رفته یاد آن هباست
Story of the captive bird which gave the (following) injunctions: do not feel sorrow for what is past, think about taking precaution for the present (need), and do not spend time in repenting.
قصه‌ی آن مرغ گرفته کی وصیت کرد کی بر گذشته پشیمانی مخور تدارک وقت اندیش و روزگار مبر در پشیمانی
A certain man caught a bird by guile and trap: the bird said to him, “O noble sire,2245
آن یکی مرغی گرفت از مکر و دام ** مرغ او را گفت ای خواجه‌ی همام
Thou hast eaten many oxen and sheep, thou hast sacrificed many camels;
به تو بسی گاوان و میشان خورده‌ای ** تو بسی اشتر به قربان کرده‌ای
Thou hast never in the world been sated by them, neither wilt thou be sated by my limbs.
تو نگشتی سیر زانها در زمن ** هم نگردی سیر از اجزای من
Let me go, that I may bestow on thee three counsels, that thou mayst perceive whether I am wise or foolish.
هل مرا تا که سه پندت بر دهم ** تا بدانی زیرکم یا ابلهم
(I will give thee) the first of those counsels on thy hand, the second of them on thy plastered roof,
اول آن پند هم در دست تو ** ثانیش بر بام کهگل بست تو
And the third counsel I will give thee on a tree. (Let me go), for thou wilt become fortunate through these three counsels.2250
وآن سوم پند دهم من بر درخت ** که ازین سه پند گردی نیکبخت
(As for) that saying which is (to be said) on thy hand, ’tis this: ‘do not believe an absurdity (when thou hearest it) from any one.’”
آنچ بر دستست اینست آن سخن ** که محالی را ز کس باور مکن
When it (the bird) had uttered the first grave counsel on his palm, it became free and went (to perch) on the wall (of his house),
بر کفش چون گفت اول پند زفت ** گشت آزاد و بر آن دیوار رفت