شد زن او نزد قاضی در گله ** که مرا افغان ز شوی ده‌دله
His wife went to the cadi to complain, saying, “I appeal (to thee) for help against my faithless husband.”
قصه کوته کن که قاضی شد شکار ** از مقال و از جمال آن نگار 4455
(To) cut the tale short, the cadi fell a prey to the (pleading) words and beauty of the fair woman.
گفت اندر محکمه‌ست این غلغله ** من نتوانم فهم کردن این گله
He said, “There is such a noise in the court of justice (that) I cannot understand this complaint;
گر به خلوت آیی ای سرو سهی ** از ستم‌کاری شو شرحم دهی
(But) if you will come to my private house, O cypress-slender one, and describe to me the injurious behaviour of your husband”—
گفت خانه‌ی تو ز هر نیک و بدی ** باشد از بهر گله آمد شدی
“In thy house,” she replied, “there will be a (constant) coming and going of every sort of people, good and bad, for the purpose of making complaints.”
خانه‌ی سر جمله پر سودا بود ** صدر پر وسواس و پر غوغا بود
(If) the house of the head be wholly filled with a mad passion, the breast will be full of anxiety and commotion.
The rest of the (bodily) members are undisturbed by thinking, while those breasts are consumed by thoughts that return.
در خزان و باد خوف حق گریز ** آن شقایق‌های پارین را بریز
Take refuge in the autumn gale of fear of God: let last year's flowers be shed;
این شقایق منع نو اشکوفه‌هاست ** که درخت دل برای آن نماست
(For) these flowers prevent the new buds (from blossoming), and it is (only) for the sake of their growth that the tree of the heart exists.
خویش را در خواب کن زین افتکار ** سر ز زیر خواب در یقظت بر آر
Put thyself to sleep (and escape) from this (vain) thinking: (then) lift up thy head from sleep into (spiritual) wakefulness.
هم‌چو آن اصحاب کهف ای خواجه زود ** رو به ایقاظا که تحسبهم رقود
Like the Men of the Cave (the Seven Sleepers), pass quickly, O Khwája, into (the state of those who are) awake, though thou wouldst deem them asleep.
گفت قاضی ای صنم معمول چیست ** گفت خانه‌ی این کنیزک بس تهیست 4465
“O adorable one,” said the cadi, “what can be contrived?” She answered, “This (thy) handmaid's house is quite empty.
خصم در ده رفت و حارس نیز نیست ** بهر خلوت سخت نیکو مسکنیست
The enemy has gone into the country, and the caretaker is not there either: it is a very good place for meeting in private.
امشب ار امکان بود آنجا بیا ** کار شب بی سمعه است و بی‌ریا
Come there to-night if possible: what one does by night is (done) without (the intention of) making (people) hear of it or see it;
جمله جاسوسان ز خمر خواب مست ** زنگی شب جمله را گردن زدست
(At that time) all the spies are intoxicated with the wine of sleep: all have been beheaded (and left as though lifeless) by the negro, Night.”
خواند بر قاضی فسون‌های عجب ** آن شکرلب وانگهانی از چه لب
The sugar-lipped (damsel) chanted wondrous spells over the cadi—and then with what (bewitching) lips!
چند با آدم بلیس افسانه کرد ** چون حوا گفتش بخور آنگاه خورد 4470
How often did Iblís palaver with Adam!—but when Eve told him to eat, then (and not till then) did he eat.
اولین خون در جهان ظلم و داد ** از کف قابیل بهر زن فتاد
The first blood (shed) in this world of iniquity and justice was shed by Qábíl (Cain) for the sake of a woman.
نوح چون بر تابه بریان ساختی ** واهله بر تابه سنگ انداختی
Whenever Noah was frying meat in the frying-pan, Wáhila (his wife) would throw stones at the frying-pan,
مکر زن بر کار او چیره شدی ** آب صاف وعظ او تیره شدی
And his wife's plotting would defeat his (missionary) work, (so that) the clear water of his exhortation would become turbid;
قوم را پیغام کردی از نهان ** که نگه دارید دین زین گمرهان
(For) she used to send secret messages to the (unbelieving) folk, saying, “Preserve your religion from (being corrupted by) these erring men!”
رفتن قاضی به خانه‌ی زن جوحی و حلقه زدن جوحی به خشم بر در و گریختن قاضی در صندوقی الی آخره
How the cadi went to the house of Júhí's wife, and how Júhí knocked angrily at the door, and how the cadi took refuge in a chest, etc.
مکر زن پایان ندارد رفت شب ** قاضی زیرک سوی زن بهر دب 4475
The guile of woman is infinite. The sagacious cadi went at night to the wife ut cum ea coiret. [The guile of woman is infinite. The sagacious cadi went at night to the wife (of Júhí) for sexual intercourse.]
زن دو شمع و نقل مجلس راست کرد ** گفت ما مستیم بی این آب‌خورد
The wife set two (lighted) candles and the dessert for his entertainment. “(I can do) without this drink,” said he: “I am intoxicated (with love).”
اندر آن دم جوحی آمد در بزد ** جست قاضی مهربی تا در خزد
At that moment Júhí came and knocked at the door: the cadi looked for a place into which he could slink for refuge.
غیر صندوقی ندید او خلوتی ** رفت در صندوق از خوف آن فتی
He saw no hiding-place but a chest: in his fright the man went into the chest.
اندر آمد جوحی و گفت ای حریف ** اتی وبالم در ربیع و در خریف
(Then) Júhí came in and said (to his wife), “O spouse, O thou who art my plague (both) in spring and autumn,
من چه دارم که فداات نیست آن ** که ز من فریاد داری هر زمان 4480
What do I possess that is not sacrificed to thee: (why, then, is it) that thou art always crying out at me?
بر لب خشکم گشادستی زبان ** گاه مفلس خوانیم گه قلتبان
Thou hast let loose thy tongue at my dry crusts: now thou callest me ‘pauper,’ now ‘cuckold.’
این دو علت گر بود ای جان مرا ** آن یکی از تست و دیگر از خدا
If, my dear, I suffer from these two maladies, one (the latter) comes from thee and the other from God.
من چه دارم غیر آن صندوق که آن ** هست مایه‌ی تهمت و پایه‌ی گمان
What do I possess but that chest, which is a source of suspicion and a ground for (evil) surmise?
خلق پندارند زر دارم درون ** داد واگیرند از من زین ظنون
People think I keep gold in it, and because of these (false) opinions charity is withheld from me.
صورت صندوق بس زیباست لیک ** از عروض و سیم و ز خالیست نیک 4485
The appearance of the chest is very pleasing, but it is quite empty of goods and silver and gold.
چون تن زراق خوب و با وقار ** اندر آن سله نیابی غیر مار
(’Tis) like the person of a hypocrite, (one who is) handsome and dignified; (but) in the basket you will find nothing except a snake.
من برم صندوق را فردا به کو ** پس بسوزم در میان چارسو
To-morrow I will take the chest into the street and burn it in the midst of the market at the cross-ways,
تا ببیند مومن و گبر و جهود ** که درین صندوق جز لعنت نبود
That true believer and Zoroastrian and Jew may see there was nothing in this chest but (cause for) cursing.”
گفت زن هی در گذر ای مرد ازین ** خورد سوگندان که نکنم جز چنین
“O husband,” cried the woman, “come now, give up this (idea)!” (However), he swore several times that he would do just as he had said.
از پگه حمال آورد او چو باد ** زود آن صندوق بر پشتش نهاد 4490
Early (next morning) he (went) like the wind, fetched a porter, and immediately put the chest on his back.
اندر آن صندوق قاضی از نکال ** بانگ می‌زد که ای حمال و ای حمال
(He set off with it, while) the cadi inside the chest shouted in an agony (of terror), “O porter! O porter!”
کرد آن حمال راست و چپ نظر ** کز چه سو در می‌رسد بانک و خبر
The porter looked to the right and the left to see from what direction the shouts and warnings were coming.
هاتفست این داعی من ای عجب ** یا پری‌ام می‌کند پنهان طلب
“I wonder,” said he, “is it a hátif, this voice which is calling me, or is it a peri (jinní) summoning me mysteriously?”
چون پیاپی گشت آن آواز و بیش ** گفت هاتف نیست باز آمد به خویش
When the shouts followed one another in succession and increased, he said, “’Tis not a hátif,” and recovered himself.
عاقبت دانست کان بانگ و فغان ** بد ز صندوق و کسی در وی نهان 4495
At last he perceived that the shouts and cries for help came from the chest and that somebody was concealed in it.
عاشقی کو در غم معشوق رفت ** گر چه بیرونست در صندوق رفت
The lover who has fallen passionately in love with an (earthly) object of affection has gone into the chest, though (in appearance) he is outside.
عمر در صندوق برد از اندهان ** جز که صندوقی نبیند از جهان
He has spent (wasted) his life in the chest on account of (worldly) cares: he can see nothing of the world except a chest.
آن سری که نیست فوق آسمان ** از هوس او را در آن صندوق دان
The head that is not (raised) above the sky—know that it is (confined) in that chest by its vain desires.
چون ز صندوق بدن بیرون رود ** او ز گوری سوی گوری می‌شود
When he (such an one) goes forth from the chest of the body, he will (only) go from one tomb to another tomb.
این سخن پایان ندارد قاضیش ** گفت ای حمال و ای صندوق‌کش 4500
This topic is endless. The cadi said to him, “O porter, O carrier of the chest,
از من آگه کن درون محکمه ** نایبم را زودتر با این همه
Give news of me to my deputy at the court of justice and acquaint him with all (the details of) this (affair) as quickly as possible,
تا خرد این را به زر زین بی‌خرد ** هم‌چنین بسته به خانه‌ی ما برد
In order that he may buy this (chest) with gold from this witless fellow and take it fastened, just as it is, to my house.”
ای خدا بگمار قومی روحمند ** تا ز صندوق بدنمان وا خرند
O Lord, appoint a spiritually endowed company to redeem us from the chest of the body!