- The dog of the Companions (of the Cave) had a goodly character: was he any the worse on account of his (bodily) form?
- آن سگ اصحاب خوش بد سیرتش ** هیچ بودش منقصت زان صورتش
- The “Fellows of the Sabbath” suffered outward metamorphosis, in order that the people might behold outwardly their ignominious fall.
- مسخ ظاهر بود اهل سبت را ** تا ببیند خلق ظاهر کبت را
- Through breaking (vows of) repentance a hundred thousand others have become hogs and asses inwardly.
- از ره سر صد هزاران دگر ** گشته از توبه شکستن خوک و خر
- How the fox approached the runaway ass a second time in order to beguile him once more.
- دوم بار آمدن روبه بر این خر گریخته تا باز بفریبدش
- Then the fox came quickly towards the ass: the ass said, “One must beware of a friend like you. 2600
- پس بیامد زود روبه سوی خر ** گفت خر از چون تو یاری الحذر
- Ignoble creature, what did I do to you that you brought me into the presence of a dragon?
- ناجوامردا چه کردم من ترا ** که به پیش اژدها بردی مرا
- What but the malignity of your nature was the cause of your enmity to my life, O perverse one?”—
- موجب کین تو با جانم چه بود ** غیر خبث جوهر تو ای عنود
- Like the scorpion, which bites a man's foot though no inconvenience has come to it from him,
- همچو کزدم کو گزد پای فتی ** نارسیده از وی او را زحمتی
- Or like the Devil who is the enemy of our souls, though no inconvenience or injury has befallen him from us;
- یا چو دیوی کو عدوی جان ماست ** نارسیده زحمتش از ما و کاست
- Nay, but he is naturally the adversary of the human soul and rejoices at the destruction of Man; 2605
- بلک طبعا خصم جان آدمیست ** از هلاک آدمی در خرمیست
- He never breaks off his pursuit of any human being: how should he abandon his wicked disposition and nature?
- از پی هر آدمی او نسکلد ** خو و طبع زشت خود او کی هلد
- For, without any cause, his essential malignity pulls him on to (commit) injustice and tyranny.
- زانک خبث ذات او بیموجبی ** هست سوی ظلم و عدوان جاذبی
- He continually invites thee to a spacious tent in order that he may cast thee into a pit,
- هر زمان خواند ترا تا خرگهی ** که در اندازد ترا اندر چهی
- Saying, “In such and such a place there is a tank of water and (many) fountains,” that he may cast thee headlong into the tank.
- که فلان جا حوض آبست و عیون ** تا در اندازد به حوضت سرنگون
- That accursed one caused an Adam, notwithstanding all his inspiration and insight, to fall into woe and bane, 2610
- آدمی را با همه وحی و نظر ** اندر افکند آن لعین در شور و شر
- Without any sin (having been committed against him) and without any previous harm having been wrongfully done to him by Adam.
- بیگناهی بیگزند سابقی ** که رسد او را ز آدم ناحقی
- The fox replied, “It was a spell of magic that appeared in your eyes as a lion;
- گفت روبه آن طلسم سحر بود ** که ترا در چشم آن شیری نمود
- Else I am more puny in body than you, and I always feed there by night and day.
- ورنه من از تو به تن مسکینترم ** که شب و روز اندر آنجا میچرم
- If he (the magician) had not wrought a spell of that kind, every famishing (animal) would have run thither.
- گرنه زان گونه طلسمی ساختی ** هر شکمخواری بدانجا تاختی
- (In) a foodless world full of elephants and rhinoceroses how should the meadow have remained verdant without (the protection of) a spell? 2615
- یک جهان بینوا پر پیل و ارج ** بیطلسمی کی بماندی سبز مرج
- Truly, I meant to tell you, by way of instruction, not to be afraid if you should see a terrible thing like that;
- من ترا خود خواستم گفتن به درس ** که چنان هولی اگر بینی مترس
- But I forgot to impart (this) knowledge to you, because I was overwhelmed with grief and pity on your account.
- لیک رفت از یاد علم آموزیت ** که بدم مستغرق دلسوزیت
- I saw you were ravenously hungry and without food, (therefore) I was making haste so that you might attain to the remedy;
- دیدمت در جوع کلب و بینوا ** میشتابیدم که آیی تا دوا
- Otherwise I would have explained the spell to you: it (the lion) presents itself as an apparition, it is not a (real) body.”
- ورنه با تو گفتمی شرح طلسم ** که آن خیالی مینماید نیست جسم
- The reply of the ass to the fox.
- جواب گفتن خر روباه را
- “Hark,” cried the ass, “begone, begone from my presence, O enemy, that I may not see your face, O ugly one! 2620
- گفت رو رو هین ز پیشم ای عدو ** تا نبینم روی تو ای زشترو
- That God who made you ill-fated hath made your ugly face detestable and impudent.
- آن خدایی که ترا بدبخت کرد ** روی زشتت را کریه و سخت کرد