حرص بط یکتاست این پنجاه تاست ** حرص شهوت مار و منصب اژدهاست
The greed of the duck is single, (but) this (greed of the peacock) is fiftyfold: the greed of lust is (only) a snake, while this (greed for) eminence is a dragon.
حرص بط از شهوت حلقست و فرج ** در ریاست بیست چندانست درج
The duck's greed arises from the appetite of the gullet and pudendum, (but) twenty times as much (greed) is included in (the ambition to) rule.
از الوهیت زند در جاه لاف ** طامع شرکت کجا باشد معاف
He (who is) in power (really) pretends to Divinity: how should one ambitious of co-partnership (with God) be saved?
زلت آدم ز اشکم بود و باه ** وآن ابلیس از تکبر بود و جاه 520
The sin of Adam arose from the belly and sexual intercourse, and that of Iblís from pride and power.
لاجرم او زود استغفار کرد ** وآن لعین از توبه استکبار کرد
Consequently, he (Adam) at once besought pardon, while the accursed (Iblís) disdained to repent.
حرص حلق و فرج هم خود بدرگیست ** لیک منصب نیست آن اشکستگیست
The greed of the gullet and pudendum is in truth (a mark of) depravity; but it is not (headstrong like) ambition: it is abasement.
بیخ و شاخ این ریاست را اگر ** باز گویم دفتری باید دگر
If I should relate the root and branch (the whole story) of dominion, another Book would be needed.
اسپ سرکش را عرب شیطانش خواند ** نی ستوری را که در مرعی بماند
The Arabs called a restive (high-spirited) horse a “devil” (shaytán); (they did) not (give that name to) the beast of burden that stayed (quietly) in the pasture.
شیطنت گردن کشی بد در لغت ** مستحق لعنت آمد این صفت 525
“Devilry” (shaytanat) in lexicology is (synonymous with) “rebelliousness”: this quality is deserving of execration.
صد خورنده گنجد اندر گرد خوان ** دو ریاست‌جو نگنجد در جهان
There is room for a hundred eaters (guests) round a table, (but) there is not room in the (whole) world for two seekers of dominion.