گفت اکنون راست گفتی صادقی ** از تو این آید تو این را لایقی
He (Mu‘áwiya) said, “Now you have told the truth, you are veracious. This (deceit) comes (naturally) from you: to this you are adapted.
عنکبوتی تو مگس داری شکار ** من نیم ای سگ مگس زحمت میار
You are a spider, you have flies as your prey; O cur, I am not a fly, (so) do not worry.
باز اسپیدم شکارم شه کند ** عنکبوتی کی بگرد ما تند
I am a white falcon: the King hunts me. How should a spider weave his web about me?
رو مگس میگیر تا تانی هلا ** سوی دوغی زن مگسها را صلا
Go now, continue to catch flies as far as you can: invite the flies to (partake of) some buttermilk;
ور بخوانی تو به سوی انگبین ** هم دروغ و دوغ باشد آن یقین2790
And if you call (them) to honey, that too will certainly be lies and buttermilk (fraud).
تو مرا بیدار کردی خواب بود ** تو نمودی کشتی آن گرداب بود
You awakened me, (but) it (that awakenment) was (really) slumber: you showed (me) a ship, (but) that was (really) a whirlpool.
تو مرا در خیر ز آن میخواندی ** تا مرا از خیر بهتر راندی
You were calling me to good for the purpose that you might drive me away from the better good.”
فوت شدن دزد به آواز دادن آن شخص صاحب خانه را که نزدیک آمده بود که دزد را دریابد و بگیرد
How a thief escaped because some one gave the alarm to the master of the house, who had nearly overtaken and caught the thief.
این بدان ماند که شخصی دزد دید ** در وثاق اندر پی او میدوید
This (behaviour of Iblís) is like that (which is told in the following story), how a certain man saw a thief in the house and ran after him.
تا دو سه میدان دوید اندر پیش ** تا در افگند آن تعب اندر خویش
He ran after him (the length of) two or three fields, till the fatigue threw him into a sweat.
اندر آن حمله که نزدیک آمدش ** تا بدو اندر جهد دریابدش2795
At the moment when, rushing on, he had come so near to him that he might spring upon him and seize him,
دزد دیگر بانگ کردش که بیا ** تا ببینی این علامات بلا
The second thief cried out to him, “Come, that you may see these signs of calamity.
زود باش و باز گرد ای مرد کار ** تا ببینی حال اینجا زار زار
Be quick and turn back, O man of (prompt) action, that you may see (how) very pitiable (is) the state of things here.”
گفت باشد کان طرف دزدی بود ** گر نگردم زود این بر من رود
He (the householder) said (to himself), “Maybe a thief is yonder: if I do not return at once, this (fate) will befall me.
در زن و فرزند من دستی زند ** بستن این دزد سودم کی کند
He may lay hands upon my wife and child, (and in that case) how would it profit me to bind this thief (whom I am pursuing)?
این مسلمان از کرم میخواندم ** گر نگردم زود پیش آید ندم2800
This Moslem is calling me in kindness: unless I return quickly, repentance will befall (me).”
بر امید شفقت آن نیک خواه ** دزد را بگذاشت باز آمد به راه
In (confident) hope of the compassion of that well-disposed (friend), he left the thief and again set off (in another direction).
گفت ای یار نکو احوال چیست ** این فغان و بانگ تو از دست کیست
“O good friend,” said he, “what is the matter? By whose hand (violence) is this lamentation and outcry of yours (caused)?”
گفت اینک بین نشان پای دزد ** این طرف رفته ست دزد زن بمزد
“Look here,” said (the other). “See the thief's footprints! The pimping thief has gone this way. [ “Look here,” said (the other). “See the thief's footprints! The thief whose wife is for hire (who prostitutes his wife to other men) has gone this way.]
نک نشان پای دزد قلتبان ** در پی او رو بدین نقش و نشان
Look at the cuckold thief's footprints! Follow him by means of these marks and traces.”
گفت ای ابله چه میگویی مرا ** من گرفته بودم آخر مر و را2805
He answered, “O fool, what are you telling me? Why, I had (as good as) caught him,
دزد را از بانگ تو بگذاشتم ** من تو خر را آدمی پنداشتم
(But) at your cry I let the thief go. I deemed you, ass (as you are), a (reasonable) man.
این چه ژاژست و چه هرزه ای فلان ** من حقیقت یافتم چه بود نشان
What silly gabble and nonsense is this, O fellow? I (had) found the reality: what (use to me) is the clue?”
گفت من از حق نشانت میدهم ** این نشان است از حقیقت آگهم
He replied, “I am giving you a clue to the real (thing). This is the clue; I am acquainted with the reality.”
گفت طراری تو یا خود ابلهی ** بلکه تو دزدی و زین حال آگهی
He (the householder) said, “You are an artful knave or else you are a fool; nay, you are a thief and cognisant of this affair.
خصم خود را میکشیدم من کشان ** تو رهانیدی و را کاینک نشان2810
I was (on the point of) dragging my adversary along, (when) you let him escape, saying (to me), ‘Here are (his) traces.’”