Original content

English translation

A wretched person found a fat sheep's-tail skin; Every morning he would grease his mustache with it. He would go among the wealthy saying: "I Have eaten rich fatty food at the gathering." He would lay his hand upon his mustache as a hint, A signal meaning: look at my mustache— For this is witness to the truth of my words, And this is the sign of eating rich and sweet food. His belly would answer without a sound: "May God confound the schemes of liars! Your boasting has set us upon the fire— May that greasy mustache of yours be torn out! Had it not been for your ugly boasting, O beggar, Some generous person would have taken pity on us. Had you shown your flaw and played less crookedly, Some physician would have prepared a remedy for it." God said: "Do not twitch ear and tail crookedly— 'Their truthfulness shall benefit the truthful.'" He said: "Do not sleep in crookedness, O dreamer— Show what you have and 'be steadfast.' Or if you will not speak your flaw, at least be silent— Do not torment yourself with display and deceit. If you have found some coin, do not open your mouth— Along the way there are stones of trial. Before even the stones of trial, There are trials within one's own states." God said: "From birth until now, 'They are tried every year once or twice.'" Trial upon trial, O father— Beware, do not sell yourself short at a lesser trial.