- Because thy voice has brought thee into bondage’: she feigned herself dead for the sake of (giving me) this counsel,
- ز آن که آوازت ترا در بند کرد ** خویشتن مرده پی این پند کرد
- Meaning (to say), ‘O thou who hast become a singer to high and low, become dead like me, that thou mayst gain release.’”
- یعنی ای مطرب شده با عام و خاص ** مرده شو چون من که تا یابی خلاص
- If you are a grain, the little birds will peck you up; if you are a bud, the children will pluck you off.
- دانه باشی مرغکانت بر چنند ** غنچه باشی کودکانت بر کنند
- Hide the grain (bait), become wholly a snare; hide the bud, become the grass on the roof.
- دانه پنهان کن بکلی دام شو ** غنچه پنهان کن گیاه بام شو
- Any one who offers his beauty to auction, a hundred evil fates set out towards him (and overtake him). 1835
- هر که داد او حسن خود را در مزاد ** صد قضای بد سوی او رو نهاد
- (Evil) eyes and angers and envies pour upon his head, like water from waterskins.
- چشمها و خشمها و رشکها ** بر سرش ریزد چو آب از مشکها
- Foes tear him to pieces from jealousy; even friends take his lifetime away.
- دشمنان او را ز غیرت میدرند ** دوستان هم روزگارش میبرند
- He that was heedless of the sowing and the springtide, how should he know the value of this lifetime?
- آن که غافل بود از کشت بهار ** او چه داند قیمت این روزگار
- You must flee to the shelter of God's grace, who shed thousand fold grace upon (our) spirits,
- در پناه لطف حق باید گریخت ** کاو هزاران لطف بر ارواح ریخت
- That you may find a shelter. Then how (will you lack) shelter? Water and fire will become your army. 1840
- تا پناهی یابی آن گه چون پناه ** آب و آتش مر ترا گردد سپاه
- Did not the sea become a friend to Noah and Moses? Did it not become overbearing in vengeance against their enemies?
- نوح و موسی را نه دریا یار شد ** نه بر اعداشان به کین قهار شد
- Was not the fire a fortress for Abraham, so that it raised smoke (sighs of despair) from the heart of Nimrod?
- آتش ابراهیم را نی قلعه بود ** تا بر آورد از دل نمرود دود
- Did not the mountain call Yahyá (John the Baptist) to itself and drive off his pursuers with blows of stone?
- کوه یحیی را نه سوی خویش خواند ** قاصدانش را به زخم سنگ راند
- “O Yahyá,” it said, “come, take refuge in me, that I may be thy shelter from the sharp sword.”
- گفت ای یحیی بیا در من گریز ** تا پناهت باشم از شمشیر تیز
- How the parrot bade farewell to the merchant and flew away.
- وداع کردن طوطی خواجه را و پریدن
- The parrot gave him one or two counsels devoid of hypocrisy and after that bade him the farewell of parting. 1845
- یک دو پندش داد طوطی بینفاق ** بعد از آن گفتش سلام الفراق
- The merchant said to her, “Go, God protect thee! Just now thou hast shown to me a new Way.”
- خواجه گفتش فی أمان الله برو ** مر مرا اکنون نمودی راه نو
- Said the merchant to himself, “This is the counsel for me; I will take her Way, for this Way is shining with light.
- خواجه با خود گفت کاین پند من است ** راه او گیرم که این ره روشن است
- How should my soul be meaner than the parrot? The soul ought to follow a good track like this.”
- جان من کمتر ز طوطی کی بود ** جان چنین باید که نیکو پی بود
- The harmfulness of being honoured by the people and of becoming conspicuous.
- مضرت تعظیم خلق و انگشت نمای شدن
- The body is cage-like: the body, amidst the cajoleries of those who come in and go out, became a thorn to the soul.
- تن قفس شکل است تن شد خار جان ** در فریب داخلان و خارجان
- This one says to him, “I will be thy confidant,” and that one says, “Nay, I am thy partner.” 1850
- اینش گوید من شوم هم راز تو ** و آنش گوید نی منم انباز تو
- This one says to him, “There is none in existence like thee for beauty and eminence and for kindness and liberality.”
- اینش گوید نیست چون تو در وجود ** در جمال و فضل و در احسان و جود
- That one says to him, “Both the worlds are thine, all our souls are thy soul's parasites.”
- آنش گوید هر دو عالم آن تست ** جمله جانهامان طفیل جان تست
- When he sees the people intoxicated with (desire for) him, because of arrogance he loses self-control.
- او چو بیند خلق را سر مست خویش ** از تکبر میرود از دست خویش
- He does not know that the Devil has cast thousands like him into the water of the river (of destruction).
- او نداند که هزاران را چو او ** دیو افکنده ست اندر آب جو
- The world's flattery and hypocrisy is a sweet morsel: eat less of it (eat it not), for it is a morsel full of fire. 1855
- لطف و سالوس جهان خوش لقمهای است ** کمترش خور کان پر آتش لقمهای است