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گفت من پنداشتم بر جاست زور ** تا بدین حد می‌ندانستم فتور
- He (the lion) replied, “I thought my strength was restored: I did not know my feebleness was so great.
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نیز جوع و حاجتم از حد گذشت ** صبر و عقلم از تجوع یاوه گشت
- Moreover, my hunger and need had passed beyond bounds: through starvation my patience and understanding had been lost.
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گر توانی بار دیگر از خرد ** باز آوردن مر او را مسترد
- If by (using) your wits you can reclaim him and bring him back once more,
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منت بسیار دارم از تو من ** جهد کن باشد بیاری‌اش به فن 2575
- I shall be much obliged to you: try hard, maybe you will fetch him by cunning.”
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گفت آری گر خدا یاری دهد ** بر دل او از عمی مهری نهد
- “Yes,” said the fox, “if God should give (me) help and set a seal of blindness on his heart
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پس فراموشش شود هولی که دید ** از خری او نباشد این بعید
- (For) then he will forget the terror which he felt on seeing (thee): this will not be alien to his asininity.
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لیک چون آرم من او را بر متاز ** تا ببادش ندهی از تعجیل باز
- But when I bring him, do not thou rush (at him), lest thou lose him again by overhaste.”
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گفت آری تجربه کردم که من ** سخت رنجورم مخلخل گشته تن
- “Yes,” replied the lion; “I have found by experience that I am very ill and that my body has become shaky.
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تا به نزدیکم نیاید خر تمام ** من نجنبم خفته باشم در قوام 2580
- Until the ass comes quite near to me, I will not move, I will (apparently) be sound asleep.”
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رفت روبه گفت ای شه همتی ** تا بپوشد عقل او را غفلتی
- (Thereupon) the fox departed, saying, “O king, (offer) a prayer that a (great) heedlessness may muffle his reason.