To the end that an old ass, Iblís to wit, may flee from that precious (treasure) and may see (only) the cow and not (see) the king.
تا خری پیری گریزد زان نفیس ** گاو بیند شاه نی یعنی بلیس
Story of the King who enjoined his three sons, saying, “In this journey through my empire establish certain arrangements in such-and-such a place and appoint certain viceroys in such-and-such a place, but for God's sake, for God's sake, do not go to such-and-such a fortress and do not roam around it.”
حکایت آن پادشاه و وصیت کردن او سه پسر خویش را کی درین سفر در ممالک من فلان جا چنین ترتیب نهید و فلان جا چنین نواب نصب کنید اما الله الله به فلان قلعه مروید و گرد آن مگردید
There was a King, and the King had three sons: all three (were) endowed with sagacity and discernment.
بود شاهی شاه را بد سه پسر ** هر سه صاحب‌فطنت و صاحب‌نظر
Each one (was) more praiseworthy than another in generosity and in battle and in exercising royal sway.
هر یکی از دیگری استوده‌تر ** در سخا و در وغا و کر و فر
The princes, (who were) the delight of the King's eye, stood together, like three candles, before the King,3585
پیش شه شه‌زادگان استاده جمع ** قرة العینان شه هم‌چون سه شمع
And the father's palm-tree was drawing water by a hidden channel from the two fountains (eyes) of the son.
از ره پنهان ز عینین پسر ** می‌کشید آبی نخیل آن پدر
So long as the water of this fountain is running swiftly from the son towards the gardens of his mother and father,
تا ز فرزند آب این چشمه شتاب ** می‌رود سوی ریاض مام و باب
His parents' gardens will always be fresh: their fountain is made to flow by (the water from) both these fountains.
تازه می‌باشد ریاض والدین ** گشته جاری عینشان زین هر دو عین
(But) when from sickness the (son's) fountain fails, the leaves and boughs of the (father's) palm-tree become withered.
چون شود چشمه ز بیماری علیل ** خشک گردد برگ و شاخ آن نخیل
The withering of his palm-tree tells plainly that the tree was drawing moisture from the son.3590