- Magicians quickly measure moonbeams in the presence of the merchant and receive gold as profit.
- ساحران مهتاب پیمایند زود ** پیش بازرگان و زر گیرند سود
- (When) by artful tricks of this sort they take money, the money is gone from his (the purchaser's) hand, (but) there is no linen (to be seen).
- سیم بربایند زین گون پیچ پیچ ** سیم از کف رفته و کرباس هیچ
- This world is a sorcerer, and we are the merchants who buy from it the measured moonbeams.
- این جهان جادوست ما آن تاجریم ** که ازو مهتاب پیموده خریم
- Magician-like, it hastily measures out by the ell five hundred ells of linen from the light of the moonbeams, 1040
- گز کند کرباس پانصد گز شتاب ** ساحرانه او ز نور ماهتاب
- (Yet), when it takes the money, (which is) thy life, O slave, the money is gone, there is no linen, and thy purse is empty.
- چون ستد او سیم عمرت ای رهی ** سیم شد کرباس نی کیسه تهی
- Thou must recite Say, I take refuge, crying, “O (Thou who art) One, come, save me from the witches and from (their) knots.
- قل اعوذت خواند باید کای احد ** هین ز نفاثات افغان وز عقد
- These sorceresses are blowing on the knots: help, O Thou whose help is besought against (the world's) victory and checkmate.”
- می‌دمند اندر گره آن ساحرات ** الغیاث المستغاث از برد و مات
- But invoke (Him) with the tongue of deeds also, for the tongue of words is weak, O honourable man.
- لیک بر خوان از زبان فعل نیز ** که زبان قول سستست ای عزیز
- In the world thou hast three fellow-travellers: one is faithful and these two (others) are treacherous. 1045
- در زمانه مر ترا سه همره‌اند ** آن یکی وافی و این دو غدرمند
- One (of the latter) is friends and the other is goods and chattels; and the third (fellow-traveller) is faithful, and that one is excellence in deeds.
- آن یکی یاران و دیگر رخت و مال ** وآن سوم وافیست و آن حسن الفعال