- (I swear) by the truth of the Holy Person of Allah, the Lord, that a malign snake is better than a malign friend.
- حق ذات پاک الله الصمد ** که بود به مار بد از یار بد
- The malign snake takes a soul (life) from the man it has bitten; the malign friend leads him into the everlasting Fire. 2635
- مار بد جانی ستاند از سلیم ** یار بد آرد سوی نار مقیم
- Thy heart secretly steals its disposition from the disposition of thy companion, without speech and talk on his part.
- از قرین بی‌قول و گفت و گوی او ** خو بدزدد دل نهان از خوی او
- When he casts his shadow over thee, that unprincipled one steals away thy principles from thee.
- چونک او افکند بر تو سایه را ** دزدد آن بی‌مایه از تو مایه را
- (Even) if thy reason has become (as strong as) a furious dragon, know that the evil companion is an emerald to it.
- عقل تو گر اژدهایی گشت مست ** یار بد او را زمرد دان که هست
- Through him the eye of thy reason starts out (of the socket): his (vicious) thrusts deliver thee into the hands of pestilence.
- دیده‌ی عقلت بدو بیرون جهد ** طعن اوت اندر کف طاعون نهد
- The answer of the fox to the ass.
- جواب گفتن روبه خر را
- The fox said, “There are no dregs in my pure liquor, but the illusions of imagination are not small. 2640
- گفت روبه صاف ما را درد نیست ** لیک تخییلات وهمی خورد نیست
- All this is your imagination, O simpleton, for I bear no malice and rancour against you.
- این همه وهم توست ای ساده‌دل ** ورنه بر تو نه غشی دارم نه غل
- Do not regard me from (the standpoint of) your evil fancy: wherefore do you cherish ill thoughts against your lovers?
- از خیال زشت خود منگر به من ** بر محبان از چه داری س ظن
- Think well of the sincere, even though unkindness come from them in appearance.
- ظن نیکو بر بر اخوان صفا ** گرچه آید ظاهرا زیشان جفا