Oh, many a one intoxicated with fire and seeking fire deems himself absolute light.
ای بسا سرمست نار و نارجو ** خویشتن را نور مطلق داند او
(He is lost) unless a (chosen) servant of God, or the pull of God (Himself), lead him into the (right) way and turn over his leaf,
جز مگر بنده‌ی خدا یا جذب حق ** با رهش آرد بگرداند ورق
So that he may know that the fiery phantom (which he mistook for light) in the Path is but a loan (unreal).
تا بداند که آن خیال ناریه ** در طریقت نیست الا عاریه
(Sensual) cupidity causes foul things to appear fair: among the banes of the Way there is none like lust, none worse.
زشتها را خوب بنماید شره ** نیست چون شهوت بتر ز آفتاب ره
It has disgraced a hundred thousand good names, it has stupefied (besotted) a hundred thousand clever men.1370
صد هزاران نام خوش را کرد ننگ ** صد هزاران زیرکان را کرد دنگ
Since it caused an ass to appear (like) Joseph of Egypt, how (in what aspect) will that (miscreant) Jew cause a Joseph to appear?
چون خری را یوسف مصری نمود ** یوسفی را چون نماید آن جهود
Its spell made dung seem honey to you: what, forsooth, will it make honey seem at the time of contest?
بر تو سرگین را فسونش شهد کرد ** شهد را خود چون کند وقت نبرد
Lust arises from eating and drinking: diminish your food, or marry and (so) flee from wickedness.
شهوت از خوردن بود کم کن ز خور ** یا نکاحی کن گریزان شو ز شر
When you have eaten and drunk (too much), it leads to things forbidden: there must necessarily be some outgoing of income.
چون بخوردی می‌کشد سوی حرم ** دخل را خرجی بباید لاجرم
Marriage, then, is like (the exorcism), “There is neither power nor (strength except in God),” lest the Devil cast you into temptation.1375
پس نکاح آمد چو لاحول و لا ** تا که دیوت نفکند اندر بلا
Since you are fond of eating and drinking, ask a woman (in marriage) at once; else the cat comes and carries off the fat sheep's tail.
چون حریص خوردنی زن خواه زود ** ورنه آمد گربه و دنبه ربود
Quickly put a heavy load on the shying ass before he puts (you) down.
بار سنگی بر خری که می‌جهد ** زود بر نه پیش از آن کو بر نهد
(If) you do not know the effect of fire, hold aloof (from it): do not approach the fire with such (little) knowledge (as you have).
فعل آتش را نمی‌دانی تو برد ** گرد آتش با چنین دانش مگرد
If you have no knowledge of the cooking-pot and the fire, neither the pot nor the soup will be spared by the flames.
علم دیگ و آتش ار نبود ترا ** از شرر نه دیگ ماند نه ابا
Water must be there and skill too, in order that the (contents of the) pot may be safely cooked in boiling.1380
آب حاضر باید و فرهنگ نیز ** تا پزد آب دیگ سالم در ازیز
If you are ignorant of the science of the ironsmith, your beard and hair will be burned when you pass by that place (the forge).
چون ندانی دانش آهنگری ** ریش و مو سوزد چو آنجا بگذری
Femina januam clausit asinumque animo gaudente attraxit: necessario poenam gustavit. [The woman shut the (stable) door and drew the ass (to her) joyfully; necessarily, she tasted the penalty (for her shameful behavior).]
در فرو بست آن زن و خر را کشید ** شادمانه لاجرم کیفر چشید
In medium stabulum eum trahendo duxit: sub asino decubuit supina [Pulling, she brought it into the middle of the stable: she lay down on (her) back under the male ass]
در میان خانه آوردش کشان ** خفت اندر زیر آن نر خر ستان
In eadem sella quam viderat ab ancilla (adhibitam), ut ista meretrix quoque voto potiretur. [On the same chair that she saw (used) by the maidservant in order to attain her desire; that whore (did) also.]
هم بر آن کرسی که دید او از کنیز ** تا رسد در کام خود آن قحبه نیز
Pedem sustulit, asinus (veretrum) in eam trusit: asini veretro ignis in ea accensus est. [She raised (her) feet and the ass thrust (its penis) into her; a fire (of lust) was kindled in her by the ass’s penis.]1385
پا بر آورد و خر اندر ویی سپوخت ** آتشی از کیر خر در وی فروخت
Cum asinus eruditus esset, in hera infixit (veretrum) usque ad testiculos: simul hera periit. [The ass had been trained; it pressed (its penis) into the lady up to (its) testicles: the lady died at once.]
خر مدب گشته در خاتون فشرد ** تا بخایه در زمان خاتون بمرد
Jecur ejus veretri verbere discissum, viscera inter se dirupta. [(Her) liver was torn by the blow of the ass’s penis; (her) intestines were torn away from each other. ]
بر درید از زخم کیر خر جگر ** روده‌ها بسکسته شد از همدگر
Extemplo femina, nulla voce facta, animam reddidit: hinc cecidit sella, illinc femina. [She did not utter (anything): the woman gave up (her) soul at once. The chair fell to one side, the woman to (the other) side.]
دم نزد در حال آن زن جان بداد ** کرسی از یک‌سو زن از یک‌سو فتاد
Area stabuli sanguine plena, femina inverso capite prostrata: periit, animamque ejus abripuit Fati calamitas. [The floor of the stable became filled with blood, the woman (lay) prostrate: she died and the calamities (of Fate) took (her) life. ]
صحن خانه پر ز خون شد زن نگون ** مرد او و برد جان ریب المنون
Ecce mors nefanda cum centum opprobriis, O pater: num vidisti (quemquam) de veretro asini martyrem? [An abominable death with a hundred disgraces, O father: have you (ever) seen a martyr (slain) by an ass’s penis?]1390
مرگ بد با صد فضیحت ای پدر ** تو شهیدی دیده‌ای از کیر خر