Thinking, “What shall I eat to-morrow at meal-time?” This is what that cow does for (many) years.
که چه خواهم خورد فردا وقت خور ** سالها اینست کار آن بقر
She never thinks, “All these years I have been eating from this meadow and this pasture;
هیچ نندیشد که چندین سال من ** می‌خورم زین سبزه‌زار و زین چمن
My provender has never failed (even) for a day: what, (then), is this fear and anguish and heart-burning of mine?”
هیچ روزی کم نیامد روزیم ** چیست این ترس و غم و دلسوزیم
(No); when night falls that stout cow becomes lean again, thinking, “Alas, the provender is gone.”2865
باز چون شب می‌شود آن گاو زفت ** می‌شود لاغر که آوه رزق رفت
The cow is the carnal soul, and the field is this world, where she (the carnal soul) is made lean by fear for her daily bread,
نفس آن گاوست و آن دشت این جهان ** کو همی لاغر شود از خوف نان
Thinking, “I wonder what I shall eat in the future: whence shall I seek food for to-morrow?”
که چه خواهم خورد مستقبل عجب ** لوت فردا از کجا سازم طلب
Thou hast eaten for years, and food has never failed: leave the future and look at the past.
سالها خوردی و کم نامد ز خور ** ترک مستقبل کن و ماضی نگر
Bring to mind the food and viands thou hast eaten (already): do not regard what is to come, and do not be miserable.
لوت و پوت خورده را هم یاد آر ** منگر اندر غابر و کم باش زار
How the lion made the ass his prey, and being thirsty after his exertions went to the spring to drink. Before his return the fox had eaten the liver together with the lungs, heart, and kidneys, which are the choicest parts. The lion looked for the heart and liver, and when he did not find them asked the fox where they were. The fox replied, “If he had possessed a heart and liver, how should he have come back to thee after receiving such a stern lesson on that day and (only) saving his life by means of a thousand devices?” “If we had hearkened or considered with understanding we should not have been among the fellows of Hell-fire.”
صید کردن شیر آن خر را و تشنه شدن شیر از کوشش رفت به چشمه تا آب خورد تا باز آمدن شیر جگربند و دل و گرده را روباه خورده بود کی لطیفترست شیر طلب کرد دل و جگر نیافت از روبه پرسید کی کو دل و جگر روبه گفت اگر او را دل و جگر بودی آنچنان سیاستی دیده بود آن روز و به هزار حیله جان برده کی بر تو باز آمدی لوکنا نسمع او نعقل ماکنا فی اصحاب السعیر
The little fox brought the ass into the presence of the lion: the courageous lion tore him to pieces.2870
برد خر را روبهک تا پیش شیر ** پاره‌پاره کردش آن شیر دلیر
The King of the Beasts was made thirsty by his exertions and went to the spring to drink some water.
تشنه شد از کوشش آن سلطان دد ** رفت سوی چشمه تا آبی خورد