Section 23 - The Story of the Ascetic and the Lute Player: A lute player, drunk, held one close.

بخش ۲۳ - حکایت زاهد و بربط‌زن: یکی بربطی در بغل داشت مست

A drunk man had a lute in his embrace

At night, he broke it in the pursuit of virtue

یکی بربطی در بغل داشت مست

به شب در سَرِ پارسایی شکست

When the righteous man of sound mind arrived in the day

He took a handful of silver to the cold-hearted one

چو روز آمد آن نیک‌مردِ سلیم

برِ سنگدل برد یک مشت سیم

You were excused yesterday, being drunk

You and I broke the lute and the head

که دوشینه معذور بودی و مست

تو را و مرا بربط و سر شکست

The wound caused me great pain, and fear arose

For you, nothing will come but silver

مرا به شد آن زخم و برخاست بیم

تو را به نخواهد شد الّا به سیم

Among these friends of God, they are on top

They often strike above the heads of the people

از این دوستانِ خدا بر سرند

که از خلق بسیار بر سر خورند