قاصدا آن روز بی‌وقت آن مروع ** از خیالی کرد تا خانه رجوع
But on that day the alarmed man purposely returned to his house at an unseasonable hour, because of a fancy (suspicion).
اعتماد زن بر آن کو هیچ بار ** این زمان فا خانه نامد او ز کار
The wife's confidence was (based) on the fact that he had never come home from his work at this time.
آن قیاسش راست نامد از قضا ** گرچه ستارست هم بدهد سزا
By (Divine) destiny, her reasoning did not come (turn out to be) right: though He (God) is the Coverer (of sins), still He will impose the penalty.
چونک بد کردی بترس آمن مباش ** زانک تخمست و برویاند خداش165
When you have done evil, be afraid, do not be secure, since it (the evil) is seed, and God will cause it to grow.
چند گاهی او بپوشاند که تا ** آیدت زان بد پشیمان و حیا
For awhile He covers it up, to the end that sorrow and shame for (having committed) that evil may come to you.
عهد عمر آن امیر مومنان ** داد دزدی را به جلاد و عوان
In the time of ‘Umar, that Prince of the Faithful gave a thief over to the executioner and officer of police.
بانگ زد آن دزد کای میر دیار ** اولین بارست جرمم زینهار
The thief cried out, saying, ‘O Prince of the land, this is my first offence. Mercy!’
گفت عمر حاش لله که خدا ** بار اول قهر بارد در جزا
‘God forfend,’ said ‘Umar, ‘that God should inflict severe punishment the first time.
بارها پوشد پی اظهار فضل ** باز گیرد از پی اظهار عدل170
He covers up (the sin) many times in order to manifest His grace; then again, He chastises (the sinner) in order to manifest His justice,
تا که این هر دو صفت ظاهر شود ** آن مبشر گردد این منذر شود
To the end that both these attributes may be displayed, and the former be hope-inspiring and the latter deterrent.’
بارها زن نیز این بد کرده بود ** سهل بگذشت آن و سهلش می‌نمود
The woman, too, had committed this wickedness many times: it passed lightly (over her) and seemed light to her.
آن نمی‌دانست عقل پای‌سست ** که سبو دایم ز جو ناید درست
The feeble intelligence (which she had) was unaware that the pitcher does not for ever come (back) whole from the brook.
آنچنانش تنگ آورد آن قضا ** که منافق را کند مرگ فجا
That (Divine) destiny brought her to such straits as sudden death does (in the case of) the (religious) hypocrite,
نه طریق و نه رفیق و نه امان ** دست کرده آن فرشته سوی جان175
(When there is) neither way (of escape) nor comrade (to help) nor (hope of) quarter, (and when) the Angel (of Death) has put out his hand to (seize) the soul.
آنچنان کین زن در آن حجره جفا ** خشک شد او و حریفش ز ابتلا
(Such is the state of the hypocrite), even as this woman in that chamber of iniquity was paralysed, she and her companion, by the tribulation.
گفت صوفی با دل خود کای دو گبر ** از شما کینه کشم لیکن به صبر
The Súfí said to himself, ‘O ye two miscreants, I will take vengeance on you, but with patience.
لیک نادانسته آرم این نفس ** تا که هر گوشی ننوشد این جرس
(I will not act in haste) but at this moment I will feign ignorance, that every ear may not hear this bell.’
از شما پنهان کشد کینه محق ** اندک اندک هم‌چو بیماری دق
He (God) who manifests the right takes vengeance on you secretly, little by little, like the malady of phthisis.
مرد دق باشد چو یخ هر لحظه کم ** لیک پندارد بهر دم بهترم180
The man suffering from phthisis dwindles incessantly like ice, but at every moment he thinks he is better.
هم‌چو کفتاری که می‌گیرندش و او ** غره‌ی آن گفت کین کفتار کو
(He is) like the hyena which they (the hunters) are catching, and which is duped by their saying, ‘Where is this hyena?’
هیچ پنهان‌خانه آن زن را نبود ** سمج و دهلیز و ره بالا نبود
That woman had no secret room; she had no subterranean cellar or passage, no way to the top (of the house),
نه تنوری که در آن پنهان شود ** نه جوالی که حجاب آن شود
No oven where he (her lover) might be concealed, nor any sack that might be a screen for him.
هم‌چو عرصه‌ی پهن روز رستخیز ** نه گو و نه پشته نه جای گریز
’Twas like the broad plain of Resurrection Day—no hollow or hillock or place of refuge.
گفت یزدان وصف این جای حرج ** بهر محشر لا تری فیها عوج185
God hath described this distressful place, (which is) for the scene of the (Last) Congregation, (in the words) thou wilt not see therein any unevenness.
معشوق را زیر چادر پنهان کردن جهت تلبیس و بهانه گفتن زن کی ان کید کن عظیم
How the wife, for the sake of imposition, hid the beloved one under her chádar and offered a false excuse, "for verily, great is the cunning of you (women)."
چادر خود را برو افکند زود ** مرد را زن ساخت و در را بر گشود
She quickly threw her chádar upon him: she made the man a woman and opened the door.
زیر چادر مرد رسوا و عیان ** سخت پیدا چون شتر بر نردبان
Beneath the chádar the man was exposed to view and clearly seen—very conspicuous, like a camel on a staircase.
گفت خاتونیست از اعیان شهر ** مر ورا از مال و اقبالست بهر
She said, ‘’Tis a lady, one of the notables of the town: she has her share of wealth and fortune.
در ببستم تا کسی بیگانه‌ای ** در نیاید زود نادانانه‌ای
I bolted the door, lest any stranger should come in suddenly unawares.’
گفت صوفی چیستش هین خدمتی ** تا بر آرم بی‌سپاس و منتی190
The Súfí said, ‘Oh, what service is there (to be done) for her, that I may perform it without (expecting) any thanks or favour (in return)?’
گفت میلش خویشی و پیوستگیست ** نیک خاتونیست حق داند که کیست
She (the wife) said, ‘Her desire is kinship and alliance (with us): she is an excellent lady, God knows who she is.
خواست دختر را ببیند زیر دست ** اتفاقا دختر اندر مکتبست
She wished to see our daughter privily; (but) as it happens, the girl is at school;
باز گفت ار آرد باشد یا سبوس ** می‌کنم او را به جان و دل عروس
(So) then she said, Whether she (the daughter) be flour or bran, with (all my) soul and heart I will make her (my son's) bride.
یک پسر دارد که اندر شهر نیست ** خوب و زیرک چابک و مکسب کنیست
She has a son, who is not in the town: he is handsome and clever, an active lad and one that earns a living.’
گفت صوفی ما فقیر و زار و کم ** قوم خاتون مال‌دار و محتشم195
The Súfí said, ‘We are poor and wretched and inferior (in station); this lady's family are rich and respected.
کی بود این کفو ایشان در زواج ** یک در از چوب و دری دیگر ز عاج
How should this (girl) be an equal match for them in marriage?—one folding door of wood and another of ivory!
کفو باید هر دو جفت اندر نکاح ** ورنه تنگ آید نماند ارتیاح
In wedlock both the partners must be equal, otherwise it will pinch, and (their) happiness will not endure.’
گفتن زن کی او در بند جهاز نیست مراد او ستر و صلاحست و جواب گفتن صوفی این را سرپوشیده
How the wife said that she (the lady) was not bent upon household goods, and that what she wanted was modesty and virtue; and how the Súfí answered her (his wife) cryptically.
گفت گفتم من چنین عذری و او ** گفت نه من نیستم اسباب جو
She (the wife) said, ‘I gave such an excuse, but she said, No, I am not one who seeks (worldly) means.
ما ز مال و زر ملول و تخمه‌ایم ** ما به حرص و جمع نه چون عامه‌ایم
We are sick and surfeited with possessions and gold; we are not like the common folk in regard to coveting and amassing (wealth).
قصد ما سترست و پاکی و صلاح ** در دو عالم خود بدان باشد فلاح200
Our quest is (for) modesty and purity and virtue: truly, welfare in both worlds depends on that.’
باز صوفی عذر درویشی بگفت ** و آن مکرر کرد تا نبود نهفت
The Súfí once more made the excuse of poverty and repeated it, so that it should not be hidden.
گفت زن من هم مکرر کرده‌ام ** بی‌جهازی را مقرر کرده‌ام
The wife replied, ‘I too have repeated it and have explained our lack of household goods;
اعتقاد اوست راسختر ز کوه ** که ز صد فقرش نمی‌آید شکوه
(But) her resolution is firmer than a mountain, for she is not dismayed by a hundred poverties.
او همی‌گوید مرادم عفتست ** از شما مقصود صدق و همتست
She keeps saying, What I want is chastity: the thing sought from you is sincerity and high-mindedness.’
گفت صوفی خود جهاز و مال ما ** دید و می‌بیند هویدا و خفا205
The Súfí said, ‘In sooth she has seen and is seeing our household goods and possessions, (both) the overt and the covert—
خانه‌ی تنگی مقام یک تنی ** که درو پنهان نماند سوزنی
A narrow house, a dwelling-place for a single person, where a needle would not remain hid.
باز ستر و پاکی و زهد و صلاح ** او ز ما به داند اندر انتصاح
Moreover, she in (her) guilelessness knows better than we (what is) modesty and purity and renunciation and virtue.
به ز ما می‌داند او احوال ستر ** وز پس و پیش و سر و دنبال ستر
She knows better than we (all) the aspects of modesty, and the rear and front and head and tail of modesty.
ظاهرا او بی‌جهاز و خادمست ** وز صلاح و ستر او خود عالمست
Evidently she (our daughter) is without household goods and servant, and she (the lady) herself is well-acquainted with virtue and modesty.
شرح مستوری ز بابا شرط نیست ** چون برو پیدا چو روز روشنیست210
It is not required of a father to dilate on (his daughter's) modesty, when in her it is manifest as a bright day.’
این حکایت را بدان گفتم که تا ** لاف کم بافی چو رسوا شد خطا
I have told this story with the intent that thou mayst not weave idle talk when the offence is glaring.