O thou that wilt weep for me, O thou that wilt be bereft of me, weep for me before the demolition of Basra and Mawsil (Mosul).
ابک لی یا باکیی یا ثاکلی ** قبل هدم البصرة و الموصل
Mourn for me and smear thyself with dust before my death; do not mourn for me after my death, but bear (the loss of me) with patience.
نح علی قبل موتی واغتفر ** لا تنح لی بعد موتی واصطبر
Weep for me before my destruction in (the flood of) decease: after the flood of decease leave off weeping.
ابک لی قبل ثبوری فی‌النوی ** بعد طوفان النوی خل البکا
At the time when the Devil was waylaying (you), at that time you ought to have recited (the Súra entitled) Yásín.540
آن زمان که دیو می‌شد راه‌زن ** آن زمان بایست یاسین خواندن
O watchman, use your rattle before the caravan is ruined (by the robbers).
پیش از آنک اشکسته گردد کاروان ** آن زمان چوبک بزن ای پاسبان
Story of the watchman who kept silence till the robbers had carried off the entire stock of the merchants, but afterwards made an outcry and did the duty of a watchman.
حکایت پاسبان کی خاموش کرد تا دزدان رخت تاجران بردند به کلی بعد از آن هیهای و پاسبانی می‌کرد
A certain watchman fell asleep. The robbers carried off the goods and secreted the (various) articles under any piece of earth.
پاسبانی خفت و دزد اسباب برد ** رختها را زیر هر خاکی فشرد
(When) it was day, the caravaneers awoke: they saw that stock and money and camels were gone.
روز شد بیدار شد آن کاروان ** دید رفته رخت و سیم و اشتران
Then they said to him, “O watchman, tell (us) what has happened. Where are this stock and these goods?”
پس بدو گفتند ای حارس بگو ** که چه شد این رخت و این اسباب کو
He replied, “The robbers came unexpectedly, and hastily carried off the stock from before me.”545