Sell your asinine (corporeal) ear and buy another ear, for the asinine ear will not apprehend this discourse.
گوش خر بفروش و دیگر گوش خر ** کاین سخن را در نیابد گوش خر
Go, behold the foxy tricks played by the hare; behold the cunning of the hare and how he overthrew the lion.
رو تو روبه بازی خرگوش بین ** مکر و شیر اندازی خرگوش بین
Knowledge is the seal of the kingdom of Solomon: the whole world is form, and knowledge is the spirit.1030
خاتم ملک سلیمان است علم ** جمله عالم صورت و جان است علم
Because of this virtue, the creatures of the seas and those of mountain and plain are helpless before man.
آدمی را زین هنر بی‌‌چاره گشت ** خلق دریاها و خلق کوه و دشت
Of him the pard and lion are afraid, like the mouse; from him the leviathan and the sea are in pallor and agitation.
زو پلنگ و شیر ترسان همچو موش ** زو نهنگ و بحر در صفرا و جوش
From him peri and demon took to the shores (sought refuge): each took abode in some hiding-place.
زو پری و دیو ساحلها گرفت ** هر یکی در جای پنهان جا گرفت
Man hath many a secret enemy: the cautious man is a wise one.
آدمی را دشمن پنهان بسی است ** آدمی با حذر عاقل کسی است
(There are) hidden creatures, evil and good: at every instant their blows are striking on the heart.1035
خلق پنهان زشتشان و خوبشان ** می‌‌زند در دل بهر دم کوبشان
If you go into the river to wash yourself, a thorn in the water inflicts a hurt upon you.
بهر غسل ار در روی در جویبار ** بر تو آسیبی زند در آب خار
Although the thorn is hidden low in the water, you know it is there, since it is pricking you.
گر چه پنهان خار در آب است پست ** چون که در تو می‌‌خلد دانی که هست
The pricks of (angelic) inspirations and (satanic) temptations are from thousands of beings, not (only) from one.
خار خار وحیها و وسوسه ** از هزاران کس بود نی یک کسه
Wait (patiently) for your (bodily) senses to be transmuted, so that you may see them (the hidden beings), and the difficulty may be solved,
باش تا حسهای تو مبدل شود ** تا ببینیشان و مشکل حل شود
So that (you may see) whose words you have rejected and whom you have made your captain.1040
تا سخنهای کیان رد کرده‌‌ای ** تا کیان را سرور خود کرده‌‌ای
How the beasts requested the hare to tell the secret of his thought.
باز طلبیدن نخجیران از خرگوش سر اندیشه‌‌ی او را
Afterwards they said, “O nimble hare, communicate what is in thy apprehension.
بعد از آن گفتند کای خرگوش چست ** در میان آر آن چه در ادراک تست
O thou who hast grappled with a lion, declare the plan which thou hast thought of.
ای که با شیری تو در پیچیده‌‌ای ** باز گو رایی که اندیشیده‌‌ای
Counsel gives perception and understanding: the mind is helped by (other) minds.
مشورت ادراک و هشیاری دهد ** عقلها مر عقل را یاری دهد
The Prophet said, ‘O adviser, take counsel (with the trustworthy), for he whose counsel is sought is trusted.’”
گفت پیغمبر بکن ای رایزن ** مشورت کالمستشار موتمن
How the hare withheld the secret from them.
منع کردن خرگوش راز را از ایشان
He said, “One ought not to say forth every secret: sometimes the even number turns out to be odd, and sometimes the odd number to be even.”1045
گفت هر رازی نشاید باز گفت ** جفت طاق آید گهی گه طاق جفت
If from guilelessness you breathe words to a mirror, the mirror at once becomes dim to us.
از صفا گر دم زنی با آینه ** تیره گردد زود با ما آینه
Do not move your lip in explanation of these three things, (namely) concerning your departure and your gold and your religion;
در بیان این سه کم جنبان لبت ** از ذهاب و از ذهب وز مذهبت
For to these three there is many an adversary and foe standing in wait for you when he knows (about any of them).
کین سه را خصم است بسیار و عدو ** در کمینت ایستد چون داند او
And if you tell (only) one or two (a few people), farewell (to your secret): every secret that goes beyond the twain (who share it) is published abroad.
ور بگویی با یکی دو الوداع ** کل سر جاوز الاثنین شاع
If you tie two or three birds together, they will remain on the ground, imprisoned by grief;1050
گر دو سه پرنده را بندی به هم ** بر زمین مانند محبوس از الم
(But in truth) they hold a consultation well-disguised and mingled, in its (apparent) significance, with that which casts error (into the mind of any one who observes them).
مشورت دارند سرپوشیده خوب ** در کنایت با غلط افکن مشوب
(Similarly) the Prophet used to take counsel, (speaking) cryptically, and they (his companions) would answer him and (would be) without knowledge (of his real meaning).
مشورت کردی پیمبر بسته سر ** گفته ایشانش جواب و بی‌‌خبر