(The announcer said), “He tarried until now for the sake of capability (qualification), (but) ere it was acquired his longing burst (all) bounds.”
بهر استعداد تا اکنون نشست ** شوق از حد رفت و آن نامد به دست
He (the prince) said, “Capability too is imparted by the King: how should the body be made capable without (the intervention of) the soul?”
گفت استعداد هم از شه رسد ** بی ز جان کی مستعد گردد جسد
(Then) the favours of the King did away with his anguish: he had gone to hunt the King: he became the King's prey.
لطف‌های شه غمش را در نوشت ** شد که صید شه کند او صید گشت
(The announcer said), “Whosoever goes in chase of a quarry like thee does not catch his quarry till he is himself caught.”4440
هر که در اشکار چون تو صید شد ** صید را ناکرده قید او قید شد
’Tis certain that every seeker of princedom is thrown into captivity before (he gains) it.
هرکه جویای امیری شد یقین ** پیش از آن او در اسیری شد رهین
Know that what is depicted on this mundane frontispiece is preposterous: every slave to the world is named “lord of the world.”
عکس می‌دان نقش دیباجه‌ی جهان ** نام هر بنده‌ی جهان خواجه‌ی جهان
O wrong-thinking perversely-acting body, thou that hast enthralled a hundred thousand freemen,
ای تن کژ فکرت معکوس‌رو ** صد هزار آزاد را کرده گرو
Abandon this guileful plotting for a time: live free a few moments ere thou die;
مدتی بگذار این حیلت پزی ** چند دم پیش از اجل آزاد زی
For if, like the (heavily-laden) ass, thou hast no way of attaining to freedom, thy movement, like that of the bucket, can only be (down) into the well.4445
ور در آزادیت چون خر راه نیست ** هم‌چو دلوت سیر جز در چاه نیست
Go, take leave of my spirit for awhile: go, seek another companion instead of me.