- This is the account of the bent (grovelling) duck, which is greed: learn of Khalíl (Abraham) that the duck ought to be killed.
- این بیان بط حرص منثنیست ** از خلیل آموز که آن بط کشتنیست
- In the duck there is much good and evil besides this, (but) I am afraid of missing other (more important) topics of discourse.
- هست در بط غیر این بس خیر و شر ** ترسم از فوت سخنهای دگر
- Description of the Peacock and its nature, and the cause of its being killed by Abraham, on whom be peace.
- صفت طاوس و طبع او و سبب کشتن ابراهیم علیهالسلام او را
- Now we come to the two-coloured (double-faced) peacock, who displays himself for the sake of name and fame. 395
- آمدیم اکنون به طاوس دورنگ ** کو کند جلوه برای نام و ننگ
- His desire is to catch people: he is ignorant of good and evil and of the result and use of that (catching).
- همت او صید خلق از خیر و شر ** وز نتیجه و فایدهی آن بیخبر
- He catches his prey ignorantly, like a trap: what knowledge has the trap concerning the purpose of its action?
- بیخبر چون دام میگیرد شکار ** دام را چه علم از مقصود کار
- What harm (comes) to the trap, or what benefit, from catching (its prey)? I wonder at its idle catching.
- دام را چه ضر و چه نفع از گرفت ** زین گرفت بیهدهش دارم شگفت
- O brother, thou hast uplifted thy friends with two hundred marks of affection, and (then) abandoned (them).
- ای برادر دوستان افراشتی ** با دو صد دلداری و بگذاشتی
- This has been thy business from the hour of (thy) birth: to catch people with the trap of love. 400
- کارت این بودست از وقت ولاد ** صید مردم کردن از دام وداد
- From that pursuit (of people) and throng (of friends) and vainglory and self existence wilt thou get any warp or woof? Try and see!
- زان شکار و انبهی و باد و بود ** دست در کن هیچ یابی تار و پود
- Most (of thy life) is gone and the day is late; (yet) thou art still busy in pursuit of people.
- بیشتر رفتست و بیگاهست روز ** تو به جد در صید خلقانی هنوز
- Go on catching one and releasing another from the trap and pursuing another, like mean folk;
- آن یکی میگیر و آن میهل ز دام ** وین دگر را صید میکن چون لام
- Then again release this one and seek the other! Here's a game of heedless children!
- باز این را میهل و میجو دگر ** اینت لعب کودکان بیخبر
- Night comes, and nothing is caught in thy trap: the trap is naught but a headache (affliction) and shackle to thee. 405
- شب شود در دام تو یک صید نی ** دام بر تو جز صداع و قید نی
- Therefore (in reality) thou wert catching thyself with the trap, for thou art imprisoned and disappointed of thy desire.
- پس تو خود را صید میکردی به دام ** که شدی محبوس و محرومی ز کام
- Is any owner of a trap in the world such a dolt that, like us, he tries to catch himself?
- در زمانه صاحب دامی بود ** همچو ما احمق که صید خود کند
- Pursuit of the vulgar is like hunting pig: the fatigue is infinite, and ’tis unlawful to eat a morsel thereof.
- چون شکار خوک آمد صید عام ** رنج بیحد لقمه خوردن زو حرام
- That which is worth pursuing is Love alone; but how should He be contained in any one's trap?
- آنک ارزد صید را عشقست و بس ** لیک او کی گنجد اندر دام کس
- (Yet) perchance thou mayst come and be made His prey, thou mayst discard the trap, and go into His trap. 410
- تو مگر آیی و صید او شوی ** دام بگذاری به دام او روی
- Love is saying very softly into my ear, “To be a prey is better than to be a hunter.
- عشق میگوید به گوشم پست پست ** صید بودن خوشتر از صیادیست
- Make thyself My fool and be a dupe: renounce the (high) estate of the sun, become a mote!
- گول من کن خویش را و غره شو ** آفتابی را رها کن ذره شو
- Become a dweller at My door and be homeless: do not pretend to be a candle, be a moth,
- بر درم ساکن شو و بیخانه باش ** دعوی شمعی مکن پروانه باش
- That thou mayst see (taste) the savour of Life and contemplate the sovereignty hidden in servitude.”
- تا ببینی چاشنی زندگی ** سلطنت بینی نهان در بندگی
- In this world you see the shoes upside down: the title of “kings” is conferred on (those who are really) bondsmen. 415
- نعل بینی بازگونه در جهان ** تختهبندان را لقب گشته شهان
- Many a one who deserves to mount the scaffold with a halter on his throat—a crowd (gathers) round him, crying, “Behold, an emperor!”
- بس طناب اندر گلو و تاج دار ** بر وی انبوهی که اینک تاجدار
- (They are) like the tombs of infidels, outwardly (resembling) the robes ofParadise, (while) within (them) is the wrath of God Almighty and Glorious.
- همچو گور کافران بیرون حلل ** اندرون قهر خدا عز و جل