What is there to fear from the flags of beggars?—for those flags are (but) a means for (getting) a mouthful of bread.
از علمهای گدایان ترس چیست ** کان علمها لقمهی نان را رهی است
Timet puer quidam hominem corpulentum. “Ne timueris,” inquit, “O puer; ego enim vir non sum.” [About a boy’s fear of the corpulent man and how that person said, “Don’t be afraid, O boy, since I am not manly.”]
ترسیدن کودک از آن شخص صاحب جثه و گفتن آن شخص که ای کودک مترس که من نامردم
Juvenis robustus puerum deprehendit solum. Palluit timore puer ne forte homo impetum faceret. [A stout youth found a boy alone. The boy turned pale from fear of the man’s intention (to attack).]3155
کنگ زفتی کودکی را یافت فرد ** زرد شد کودک ز بیم قصد مرد
“Securus esto,” inquit, “mi pulcher; tu enim super me eris.” [He (the man) said, “Be secure, O my lovely one, since you will be on top of me. ]
گفت ایمن باش ای زیبای من ** که تو خواهی بود بر بالای من
Etiamsi terribilis (aspectu) sum, scito me impotentem esse ad coitum: me sicut camelum conscende, propelle.” [“Although I am dreadful (in appearance), know me (to be an impotent) catamite. Mount me like a camel (and) thrust.”]
من اگر هولم مخنث دان مرا ** همچو اشتر بر نشین میران مرا
(With) the appearance of men and the reality like this— Adam without, the accursed Devil within—
صورت مردان و معنی این چنین ** از برون آدم درون دیو لعین
O you that are big as the people of ‘Ád, you resemble the drum against which a branch was beaten by the wind.
آن دهل را مانی ای زفت چو عاد ** که بر او آن شاخ را میکوفت باد
A fox abandoned his prey for the sake of a drum like a wind-filled leathern bag,3160
روبهی اشکار خود را باد داد ** بهر طبلی همچو خیک پر ز باد
(But) when he found no (real) fatness in the drum, he said, “A hog is better than this empty bag.”
چون ندید اندر دهل او فربهی ** گفت خوکی به ازین خیک تهی
Foxes are afraid of the noise of the drum; (but) the wise man beats it ever so much, saying, “Speak not!”
روبهان ترسند ز آواز دهل ** عاقلش چندان زند که لا تقل
The story of an archer and his fear of a horseman who was riding in a forest.
قصهی تیر اندازی و ترسیدن او از سواری که در بیشه میرفت
A horseman, armed and very terrible (in appearance), was riding in the forest on a high-bred horse.
یک سواری با سلاح و بس مهیب ** میشد اندر بیشه بر اسبی نجیب