- Even as a woman big with child keeps wailing at the time of parturition, so the Khwája began to cry out clamorously.
- آنچنان که وقت زادن حامله ** ناله دارد خواجه شد در غلغله
- The bird said to him, “Did not I admonish thee, saying, ‘Let there be no grief in thee for what passed yesterday’?
- مرغ گفتش نی نصیحت کردمت ** که مبادا بر گذشته‌ی دی غمت
- Since it is past and gone, why art thou grieving? Either thou didst not understand my counsel or thou art deaf.
- چون گذشت و رفت غم چون می‌خوری ** یا نکردی فهم پندم یا کری
- And (as regards) the second counsel I gave thee, (namely), ‘Do not from misguidedness put any belief in an absurd statement,’ 2260
- وان دوم پندت بگفتم کز ضلال ** هیچ تو باور مکن قول محال
- O lion, I myself do not weigh ten dirhems: how should the weight of ten dirhems be within me?”
- من نیم خود سه درمسنگ ای اسد ** ده درمسنگ اندرونم چون بود
- The Khwája came back to himself (recovered his wits) and said, “Hark, disclose the third (piece of) excellent counsel.”
- خواجه باز آمد به خود گفتا که هین ** باز گو آن پند خوب سیومین
- “Yes,” said the bird, “thou hast made good use of those (former counsels), that I should tell (thee) the third counsel in vain!”
- گفت آری خوش عمل کردی بدان ** تا بگویم پند ثالث رایگان
- To give counsel to a sleepy ignoramus is to scatter seed in nitrous soil.
- پند گفتن با جهول خوابناک ** تخت افکندن بود در شوره خاک
- The rent of folly and ignorance does not admit of being patched up: do not give the seed of wisdom to him (the fool), O counsellor. 2265
- چاک حمق و جهل نپذیرد رفو ** تخم حکمت کم دهش ای پندگو
- How the half-intelligent fish devised a means (of escape) and feigned to be dead.
- چاره اندیشیدن آن ماهی نیم‌عاقل و خود را مرده کردن
- The second fish said in the hour of tribulation, when he was left sundered from the shadow (protection) of the intelligent one,
- گفت ماهی دگر وقت بلا ** چونک ماند از سایه‌ی عاقل جدا