- A certain man caught a bird by guile and trap: the bird said to him, “O noble sire, 2245
- آن یکی مرغی گرفت از مکر و دام ** مرغ او را گفت ای خواجه‌ی همام
- Thou hast eaten many oxen and sheep, thou hast sacrificed many camels;
- به تو بسی گاوان و میشان خورده‌ای ** تو بسی اشتر به قربان کرده‌ای
- Thou hast never in the world been sated by them, neither wilt thou be sated by my limbs.
- تو نگشتی سیر زانها در زمن ** هم نگردی سیر از اجزای من
- Let me go, that I may bestow on thee three counsels, that thou mayst perceive whether I am wise or foolish.
- هل مرا تا که سه پندت بر دهم ** تا بدانی زیرکم یا ابلهم
- (I will give thee) the first of those counsels on thy hand, the second of them on thy plastered roof,
- اول آن پند هم در دست تو ** ثانیش بر بام کهگل بست تو
- And the third counsel I will give thee on a tree. (Let me go), for thou wilt become fortunate through these three counsels. 2250
- وآن سوم پند دهم من بر درخت ** که ازین سه پند گردی نیکبخت
- (As for) that saying which is (to be said) on thy hand, ’tis this: ‘do not believe an absurdity (when thou hearest it) from any one.’”
- آنچ بر دستست اینست آن سخن ** که محالی را ز کس باور مکن
- When it (the bird) had uttered the first grave counsel on his palm, it became free and went (to perch) on the wall (of his house),
- بر کفش چون گفت اول پند زفت ** گشت آزاد و بر آن دیوار رفت
- And said, “The second is, ‘do not grieve over (what is) past: when it has passed from thee, do not feel regret for it.’”
- گفت دیگر بر گذشته غم مخور ** چون ز تو بگذشت زان حسرت مبر
- After that, it said to him, “In my body is concealed a solitary (large and precious) pearl, ten dirhems in weight.
- بعد از آن گفتش که در جسمم کتیم ** ده درمسنگست یک در یتیم
- By thy soul's truth (as sure as thou livest), that jewel was thy fortune and the luck of thy children. 2255
- دولت تو بخت فرزندان تو ** بود آن گوهر به حق جان تو
- Thou hast missed the pearl, for it was not thy appointed lot (to gain it)—a pearl the like of which is not in existence.”
- فوت کردی در که روزی‌ات نبود ** که نباشد مثل آن در در وجود
- Even as a woman big with child keeps wailing at the time of parturition, so the Khwája began to cry out clamorously.
- آنچنان که وقت زادن حامله ** ناله دارد خواجه شد در غلغله
- The bird said to him, “Did not I admonish thee, saying, ‘Let there be no grief in thee for what passed yesterday’?
- مرغ گفتش نی نصیحت کردمت ** که مبادا بر گذشته‌ی دی غمت
- Since it is past and gone, why art thou grieving? Either thou didst not understand my counsel or thou art deaf.
- چون گذشت و رفت غم چون می‌خوری ** یا نکردی فهم پندم یا کری
- And (as regards) the second counsel I gave thee, (namely), ‘Do not from misguidedness put any belief in an absurd statement,’ 2260
- وان دوم پندت بگفتم کز ضلال ** هیچ تو باور مکن قول محال
- O lion, I myself do not weigh ten dirhems: how should the weight of ten dirhems be within me?”
- من نیم خود سه درمسنگ ای اسد ** ده درمسنگ اندرونم چون بود
- The Khwája came back to himself (recovered his wits) and said, “Hark, disclose the third (piece of) excellent counsel.”
- خواجه باز آمد به خود گفتا که هین ** باز گو آن پند خوب سیومین
- “Yes,” said the bird, “thou hast made good use of those (former counsels), that I should tell (thee) the third counsel in vain!”
- گفت آری خوش عمل کردی بدان ** تا بگویم پند ثالث رایگان
- To give counsel to a sleepy ignoramus is to scatter seed in nitrous soil.
- پند گفتن با جهول خوابناک ** تخت افکندن بود در شوره خاک
- The rent of folly and ignorance does not admit of being patched up: do not give the seed of wisdom to him (the fool), O counsellor. 2265
- چاک حمق و جهل نپذیرد رفو ** تخم حکمت کم دهش ای پندگو
- How the half-intelligent fish devised a means (of escape) and feigned to be dead.
- چاره اندیشیدن آن ماهی نیم‌عاقل و خود را مرده کردن
- The second fish said in the hour of tribulation, when he was left sundered from the shadow (protection) of the intelligent one,
- گفت ماهی دگر وقت بلا ** چونک ماند از سایه‌ی عاقل جدا
- “He hath gone towards the sea and is freed from sorrow: such a good comrade hath been lost to me!
- کو سوی دریا شد و از غم عتیق ** فوت شد از من چنان نیکو رفیق
- But I will not think of that and will attend to myself: at this (present) time I will feign to be dead.
- لیک زان نندیشم و بر خود زنم ** خویشتن را این زمان مرده کنم
- Then I will turn my belly upwards and my back downwards and will move on the water.
- پس برآرم اشکم خود بر زبر ** پشت زیر و می‌روم بر آب بر