بود مردی کدخدا او را زنی ** سخت طناز و پلید و ره‌زنی

There was a man, a householder, who had a very sneering, dirty, and rapacious wife.

هرچه آوردی تلف کردیش زن ** مرد مضطر بود اندر تن زدن 3410

Whatever (food) he brought (home), his wife would consume it, and the man was forced to keep silence.

بهر مهمان گوشت آورد آن معیل ** سوی خانه با دو صد جهد طویل

(One day) that family man brought home, for a guest, (some) meat (which he had procured) with infinite pains.

زن بخوردش با کباب و با شراب ** مرد آمد گفت دفع ناصواب

His wife ate it up with kabáb and wine: (when) the man came in, she put him off with useless words.

مرد گفتش گوشت کو مهمان رسید ** پیش مهمان لوت می‌باید کشید

The man said to her, “Where is the meat? The guest has arrived: one must set nice food before a guest.”

گفت زن این گربه خورد آن گوشت را ** گوشت دیگر خر اگر باشد هلا

“This cat has eaten the meat,” she replied: “hey, go and buy some more meat if you can!”

گفت ای ایبک ترازو را بیار ** گربه را من بر کشم اندر عیار 3415

He said (to the servant), “O Aybak, fetch the balance: I will weigh the cat.

بر کشیدش بود گربه نیم من ** پس بگفت آن مرد کای محتال زن

He weighed her. The cat was half a mann. Then the man said, “O deceitful wife,

گوشت نیم من بود و افزون یک ستیر ** هست گربه نیم‌من هم ای ستیر

The meat was half a mann and one sitír over; the cat is just half a mann, my lady.

این اگر گربه‌ست پس آن گوشت کو ** ور بود این گوشت گربه کو بجو

If this is the cat, then where is the meat? Or, if this is the meat, where is the cat? Search (for her)!”