- Hundreds of thousands of folk are eating loaves of bread and gaining strength and nourishing the (vital) spirit.
- صد هزاران خلق نانها می‌خورند ** زور می‌یابند و جان می‌پرورند
- How hast thou fallen into that rare (calamity), unless thou art deprived (of blessedness) and art born a fool? 4795
- تو بدان نادر کجا افتاده‌ای ** گر نه محرومی و ابله زاده‌ای
- He (the ill-fated man) has forsaken this world full of sunshine and moonlight and has plunged his head into the pit,
- این جهان پر آفتاب و نور ماه ** او بهشته سر فرو برده به چاه
- Saying, “If it is true, then where is the radiance?” Lift up thy head from the pit and look, O miserable wretch!
- که اگر حقست پس کو روشنی ** سر ز چه بردار و بنگر ای دنی
- The whole world, east and west, obtained that light, (but) whilst thou art in the pit it will not shine upon thee.
- جمله عالم شرق و غرب آن نور یافت ** تا تو در چاهی نخواهد بر تو تافت
- Leave the pit, go to the palace and the vineyards; do not wrangle here, know that quarrelling is unlucky.
- چه رها کن رو به ایوان و کروم ** کم ستیز اینجا بدان کاللج شوم
- Beware! Do not say, “Mark you, such and such a one sowed seed, and in such and such a year the locusts devoured what he had sown. 4800
- هین مگو کاینک فلانی کشت کرد ** در فلان سالی ملخ کشتش بخورد
- Why, then, should I sow? for there is danger in this respect. Why should I scatter this corn(-seed) from my hand?”
- پس چرا کارم که اینجا خوف هست ** من چرا افشانم این گندم ز دست
- And (meanwhile) he who did not neglect to sow and labour fills his barn (with grain), to your confusion.
- و آنک او نگذاشت کشت و کار را ** پر کند کوری تو انبار را
- Since he (the lover) was patiently knocking at a door, at last one day he obtained a meeting in private.
- چون دری می‌کوفت او از سلوتی ** عاقبت در یافت روزی خلوتی
- From fear of the night-patrol he sprang by night into the orchard: (there) he found his beloved, (radiant) as candle and lamp.
- جست از بیم عسس شب او به باغ ** یار خود را یافت چون شمع و چراغ
- At that moment he said to the Maker of the means (by which he had attained to his desire), “O God, have mercy on the night-patrol! 4805
- گفت سازنده‌ی سبب را آن نفس ** ای خدا تو رحمتی کن بر عسس
- Unbeknown (to me), Thou hast created the means: from the gate of Hell Thou hast brought me to Paradise.
- ناشناسا تو سببها کرده‌ای ** از در دوزخ بهشتم برده‌ای
- Thou hast made this affair (dread of the night-patrol) a means, to the end that I may not hold (even) a single thorn in contempt.”
- بهر آن کردی سبب این کار را ** تا ندارم خوار من یک خار را
- In (consequence of) the fracture of a leg God bestows a wing; likewise from the depths of the pit He opens a door (of escape).
- در شکست پای بخشد حق پری ** هم ز قعر چاه بگشاید دری
- (God saith), “Do not consider whether thou art on a tree or in a pit: consider Me, for I am the Key of the Way.”
- تو مبین که بر درختی یا به چاه ** تو مرا بین که منم مفتاح راه
- If you wish (to read) the rest of this tale, seek (it), O my brother, in the Fourth Book. 4810
- گر تو خواهی باقی این گفت و گو ** ای اخی در دفتر چارم بجو