- Cut off the heads of these four live birds and make everlasting the creatures that are not enduring for ever.
- سر ببر این چار مرغ زنده را ** سر مدی کن خلق ناپاینده را
- There is the duck and the peacock and the crow and the cock: these are a parable of the four (evil) dispositions in (human) souls.
- بط و طاوسست و زاغست و خروس ** این مثال چار خلق اندر نفوس
- The duck is greed, and the cock is lust; eminence is like the peacock, and the crow is (worldly) desire.
- بط حرصست و خروس آن شهوتست ** جاه چون طاوس و زاغ امنیتست
- His (the crow's) object of desire is this, that he forms hopes and wishes for immortality or long life. 45
- منیتش آن که بود اومیدساز ** طامع تابید یا عمر دراز
- The duck is greed, for her bill is always in the ground, seeking what is buried in the wet and dry.
- بط حرص آمد که نولش در زمین ** در تر و در خشک می‌جوید دفین
- That gullet (of hers) is never idle for a moment: it hearkens unto naught of the (Divine) ordinance save the command “Eat ye!”
- یک زمان نبود معطل آن گلو ** نشنود از حکم جز امر کلوا
- ’Tis like the looter who digs up (ravages) the house and very quickly fills his bag,
- هم‌چو یغماجیست خانه می‌کند ** زود زود انبان خود پر می‌کند
- Cramming into the bag good and bad (indifferently), single pearls and chickpeas,
- اندر انبان می‌فشارد نیک و بد ** دانه‌های در و حبات نخود
- Cramming dry and wet into the sack, for fear lest another enemy should arrive. 50
- تا مبادا یاغیی آید دگر ** می‌فشارد در جوال او خشک و تر
- Time presses, the opportunity is small, he is terrified: without delay he heaves it under his arm as speedily as possible.
- وقت تنگ و فرصت اندک او مخوف ** در بغل زد هر چه زودتر بی‌وقوف