- Then the fox came quickly towards the ass: the ass said, “One must beware of a friend like you. 2600
- پس بیامد زود روبه سوی خر ** گفت خر از چون تو یاری الحذر
- Ignoble creature, what did I do to you that you brought me into the presence of a dragon?
- ناجوامردا چه کردم من ترا ** که به پیش اژدها بردی مرا
- What but the malignity of your nature was the cause of your enmity to my life, O perverse one?”—
- موجب کین تو با جانم چه بود ** غیر خبث جوهر تو ای عنود
- Like the scorpion, which bites a man's foot though no inconvenience has come to it from him,
- هم‌چو کزدم کو گزد پای فتی ** نارسیده از وی او را زحمتی
- Or like the Devil who is the enemy of our souls, though no inconvenience or injury has befallen him from us;
- یا چو دیوی کو عدوی جان ماست ** نارسیده زحمتش از ما و کاست
- Nay, but he is naturally the adversary of the human soul and rejoices at the destruction of Man; 2605
- بلک طبعا خصم جان آدمیست ** از هلاک آدمی در خرمیست
- He never breaks off his pursuit of any human being: how should he abandon his wicked disposition and nature?
- از پی هر آدمی او نسکلد ** خو و طبع زشت خود او کی هلد
- For, without any cause, his essential malignity pulls him on to (commit) injustice and tyranny.
- زانک خبث ذات او بی‌موجبی ** هست سوی ظلم و عدوان جاذبی
- He continually invites thee to a spacious tent in order that he may cast thee into a pit,
- هر زمان خواند ترا تا خرگهی ** که در اندازد ترا اندر چهی
- Saying, “In such and such a place there is a tank of water and (many) fountains,” that he may cast thee headlong into the tank.
- که فلان جا حوض آبست و عیون ** تا در اندازد به حوضت سرنگون