چون درینجا نیست وجه زیستن ** بر چنین خانه بباید ریستن
Since there is no means of living (zístan) here, upon a house like this cacare (rístan) oportet.” [Since there is no means of living (zístan) here, one should defecate (rístan) upon a house such as this.”]
چون نهای بازی که گیری تو شکار ** دست آموز شکار شهریار
Since you are not a falcon, so as to (be able to) catch the prey, (a falcon) hand-trained for the King's hunting;
نیستی طاوس با صد نقش بند ** که به نقشت چشمها روشن کنند 1260
Nor a peacock painted with a hundred (beautiful) designs, so that (all) eyes should be illumined by the picture which you present;
هم نهای طوطی که چون قندت دهند ** گوش سوی گفت شیرینت نهند
Nor a parrot, so that when sugar is given to you, (all) ears should bend to (listen to) your sweet talk;
هم نهای بلبل که عاشقوار زار ** خوش بنالی در چمن یا لالهزار
Nor a nightingale to sing, like a lover, sweetly and plaintively in the meadow or the tulip-garden;
هم نهای هدهد که پیکیها کنی ** نه چو لکلک که وطن بالا کنی
Nor a hoopoe to bring messages, nor are you like a stork to make your nest on high—
در چه کاری تو و بهر چت خرند ** تو چه مرغی و ترا با چه خورند
In what work are you (employed), and for what (purpose) are you bought? What (sort of) bird are you, and with what (digestive) are you eaten?
زین دکان با مکاسان برتر آ ** تا دکان فضل که الله اشتری 1265
Mount beyond this ship of hagglers to the shop of Bounty where God is the purchaser.
کالهای که هیچ خلقش ننگرید ** از خلاقت آن کریم آن را خرید
(There) that Gracious One hath purchased the piece of goods that no people would look at on account of its shabbiness.
هیچ قلبی پیش او مردود نیست ** زانک قصدش از خریدن سود نیست
With Him no base coin is rejected, for His object in buying is not (to make a) profit.
رجوع به داستان آن کمپیر
Return to the tale of the old woman.
چون عروسی خواست رفتن آن خریف ** موی ابرو پاک کرد آن مستخیف
Since that (crone who was faded as) autumn desired to be wed, that lustful one plucked out the hair of her eyebrows. [Since that (crone who was faded as) autumn desired to be wed, that one (who was) desirous of a (drawn back) foreskin plucked out the hair of her eyebrows.]
پیش رو آیینه بگرفت آن عجوز ** تا بیاراید رخ و رخسار و پوز
The old woman took the mirror (and held it) before her face, that she might beautify her cheeks and face and mouth.
چند گلگونه بمالید از بطر ** سفرهی رویش نشد پوشیدهتر 1270
She rubbed (them) gleefully (with) rouge several times, (but) the creases of her face did not become more concealed,
عشرهای مصحف از جا میبرید ** میبچفسانید بر رو آن پلید
(So) that filthy (hag) was cutting out portions of the Holy Book and sticking them on her face,
تا که سفرهی روی او پنهان شود ** تا نگین حلقهی خوبان شود
In order that the creases of her face might be hidden, and that she might become the bezel in the ring of fair (women).
عشرها بر روی هر جا مینهاد ** چونک بر میبست چادر میفتاد
She was putting (these) bits of the Book all over her face, (but) they always dropped off when she put on her chádar (veil);
باز او آن عشرها را با خدو ** میبچفسانید بر اطراف رو
Then she would stick them on again with spittle on all sides of her face,
باز چادر راست کردی آن تکین ** عشرها افتادی از رو بر زمین 1275
And once more that bezel (paragon of beauty) would arrange her veil, and (again) the bits of the Book would fall from her face to the ground.
چون بسی میکرد فن و آن میفتاد ** گفت صد لعنت بر آن ابلیس باد
Since they always dropped off though she tried many an artifice, (at last) she exclaimed, “A hundred curses on Iblís!”
شد مصور آن زمان ابلیس زود ** گفت ای قحبهی قدید بیورود
Immediately Iblís took (visible) shape and said (to her), “O luckless dried-up harlot,
من همه عمر این نیندیشیدهام ** نه ز جز تو قحبهای این دیدهام
In all my life I have never thought of this: I have never seen this (impiety practised) by any harlot except thee.
تخم نادر در فضیحت کاشتی ** در جهان تو مصحفی نگذاشتی
Thou hast sown unique seed in (the field of) infamy: thou hast not left a single Scripture (Qur’án) in the world.
صد بلیسی تو خمیس اندر خمیس ** ترک من گوی ای عجوزهی دردبیس 1280
Thou art a hundred Devils, troop on troop: let me alone, O foul hag!”
چند دزدی عشر از علم کتاب ** تا شود رویت ملون همچو سیب
How long will you steal portions of the lore of the Book, in order that your face may be coloured like an apple?
چند دزدی حرف مردان خدا ** تا فروشی و ستانی مرحبا
How long will you steal the words of the men of God, that you may sell (them) and obtain applause (from the crowd)?