What has an ass to do with decorum and piety? How should an ass know (anything about) reverence and fear and hope?3860
خر کجا ناموس و تقوی از کجا ** خر چه داند خشیت و خوف و رجا
(Real) intelligence consists in being safe (from temptation) and in the desire to act justly towards (every) woman and towards (every) man; but where is (such) intelligence (to be found)?
عقل باشد آمنی و عدل‌جو ** بر زن و بر مرد اما عقل کو
And if I run away and go to the women, I should fall into tribulation like Joseph.
ور گریزم من روم سوی زنان ** هم‌چو یوسف افتم اندر افتتان
Joseph suffered imprisonment and torment at the hands of a woman: I should be divided amongst fifty gibbets.
یوسف از زن یافت زندان و فشار ** من شوم توزیع بر پنجاه دار
Those women in their foolishness would attach themselves to me, and (then) their nearest and dearest (relatives by blood or marriage) would seek my life.
آن زنان از جاهلی بر من تنند ** اولیاشان قصد جان من کنند
I have no means of escape either from men or women: what can I do, since I belong neither to these nor to those?”3865
نه ز مردان چاره دارم نه از زنان ** چون کنم که نی ازینم نه از آن
After (making) that (complaint) the boy looked at the youth and said, “He is quit of trouble by reason of the two (or three) hairs (on his chin).
بعد از آن کودک به کوسه بنگریست ** گفت او با آن دو مو از غم بریست
He is independent of the bricks and of quarrelling over the bricks and of a wicked young ruffian like you who would sell (prostitute) his own mother.
فارغست از خشت و از پیکار خشت ** وز چو تو مادرفروش کنک زشت
Three or four hairs on the chin as a notice are better than triginta lateres circa culum.” [Three or four hairs on the chin as a notice are better than thirty bricks around the buttocks.”]
بر زنخ سه چار مو بهر نمون ** بهتر از سی خشت گرداگرد کون
One atom of the shade (protection) of (Divine) favour is better than a thousand endeavours of the devout pietist,
ذره‌ای سایه‌ی عنایت بهترست ** از هزاران کوشش طاعت‌پرست