لیک حاضر باش در خود ای فتی ** تا به خانه او بیابد مر ترا

But (always) be present (attentive and ready) in yourself O youth, in order that He may find you at home.

ورنه خلعت را برد او باز پس ** که نیابیدم به خانه‌ش هیچ کس

Else He will take back His gift of honour, saying, ‘I found nobody in the house.’”

باز سال کردن صوفی از آن قاضی

How the Súfi again questioned the Cadi.

گفت صوفی که چه بودی کین جهان ** ابروی رحمت گشادی جاودان 1645

The Súfi said, “How would it be if this world were to unknit the eyebrow of mercy for evermore!

هر دمی شوری نیاوردی به پیش ** بر نیاوردی ز تلوینهاش نیش

If it were not to bring on some trouble at every moment and produce anguish by its (incessant) changes!

شب ندزدیدی چراغ روز را ** دی نبردی باغ عیش آموز را

If Night were not to steal the lamp of Day, and if December were not to sweep away the orchard that has learned to delight (in its fresh beauty)!

جام صحت را نبودی سنگ تب ** آمنی با خوف ناوردی کرب

If there were no stone of fever to shatter the cup of health, and if fear did not bring anxieties for (one’s) safety!

خود چه کم گشتی ز جود و رحمتش ** گر نبودی خرخشه در نعمتش

How, indeed, would His munificence and mercy be diminished if in His bounty there were no torment?”

جواب قاضی سال صوفی را و قصه‌ی ترک و درزی را مثل آوردن

The Cadi's answer to the questions of the Súfí, and how he adduced the Story of the Turk and the Tailor as a parable.

گفت قاضی بس تهی‌رو صوفیی ** خالی از فطنت چو کاف کوفیی 1650

The Cadi said, “You are a very idle vagabond Súfí: you are devoid of intelligence, (you are) like the Kúfic káf.

تو بنشنیدی که آن پر قند لب ** غدر خیاطان همی‌گفتی به شب

Haven't you heard that a certain sugar-lipped (story-teller) used to tell at nightfall of the perfidy of tailors,

خلق را در دزدی آن طایفه ** می‌نمود افسانه‌های سالفه

Setting forth to the people old stories concerning the thievery of that class (of men)?

قصه‌ی پاره‌ربایی در برین ** می حکایت کرد او با آن و این

To that one and this one he would relate tales of their snatching (stealing) pieces of cloth while cutting it,

در سمر می‌خواند دزدی‌نامه‌ای ** گرد او جمع آمده هنگامه‌ای

And during the night-talk he would read aloud a book on (the tricks of) tailors, when a throng had gathered round him.

مستمع چون یافت جاذب زان وفود ** جمله اجزااش حکایت گشته بود 1655

Since he found eager listeners among those who came (to hear him), all parts of him had become the story (that he was telling).

قال النبی علیه السلام ان الله تعالی یلقن الحکمة علی لسان الواعظین بقدر همم المستمعین

The Prophet, on whom be peace, said, ‘Verily God teaches wisdom by the tongues of the preachers according to the measure of the aspirations of those who hear them.’

جذب سمعست ار کسی را خوش لبیست ** گرمی و جد معلم از صبیست

If any one have suave eloquence, hearing draws it out: the teacher's enthusiasm and energy are (derived) from the boy (whom he teaches).

چنگیی را کو نوازد بیست و چار ** چون نیابد گوش گردد چنگ بار

When the harpist who plays the four-and-twenty (musical modes) finds no ear (to listen), his harp becomes a burden;

نه حراره یادش آید نه غزل ** نه ده انگشتش بجنبد در عمل

Neither ditty nor ode comes into his memory: his ten fingers will not get to work.

گر نبودی گوشهای غیب‌گیر ** وحی ناوردی ز گردون یک بشیر

If there were no ears to receive (the message from) the Unseen, no announcer (prophet) would have brought a Revelation from Heaven;

ور نبودی دیده‌های صنع‌بین ** نه فلک گشتی نه خندیدی زمین 1660

And if there were no eyes to see the works of God, neither would the sky have revolved nor would the earth have smiled (been gay with verdure).

آن دم لولاک این باشد که کار ** از برای چشم تیزست و نظار

The declaration lawláka (but for thee) means this, that the (whole) affair (of creation) is for the sake of the piercing eye and the seer.

عامه را از عشق هم‌خوابه و طبق ** کی بود پروای عشق صنع حق

How should the vulgar, in their love for bedfellow and dishes (of food), have any care for love of God's work?

آب تتماجی نریزی در تغار ** تا سگی چندی نباشد طعمه‌خوار

You do not pour tutmáj broth into a trough till there are a number of greedy dogs to drink it.

رو سگ کهف خداوندیش باش ** تا رهاند زین تغارت اصطفاش

Go, be the Cave-dog of His Lordship in order that His election (of you) may deliver you from this trough.

چونک دزدیهای بی‌رحمانه گفت ** کی کنند آن درزیان اندر نهفت 1665

When he (the story-teller) related the pitiless thefts which those tailors commit in secret,

اندر آن هنگامه ترکی از خطا ** سخت طیره شد ز کشف آن غطا

A Turk from Khitá (who was) amongst the crowd (audience) was exceedingly annoyed by that exposure.

شب چو روز رستخیز آن رازها ** کشف می‌کرد از پی اهل نهی

At night-time he (the story-teller) was exposing those secrets (of the tailors) for the benefit of the intelligent (listeners), as (plainly as secrets shall be exposed) on the Day of Resurrection.

هر کجا آیی تو در جنگی فراز ** بینی آنجا دو عدو در کشف راز

Wherever you come to close quarters with a wrangle, you will see there two enemies (engaged) in exposing (each other's) secret.

آن زمان را محشر مذکور دان ** وان گلوی رازگو را صور دان

Know that that hour (of quarrel) is (like) the (hour of the) Last Judgement mentioned (in the Qur’án), and know that the throat which tells the secret is (like) the trumpet (of Isráfíl);

که خدا اسباب خشمی ساختست ** وآن فضایح را بکوی انداختست 1670

For God hath provided the motives of anger and (thus) hath cause those shameful things to be divulged.

بس که غدر درزیان را ذکر کرد ** حیف آمد ترک را و خشم و درد

When he (the story-teller) had related many instances of the perfidy of tailors, the Turk became annoyed and angry and aggrieved,

گفت ای قصاص در شهر شما ** کیست استاتر درین مکر و دغا

And said, ‘O story-teller, in your city who is the greatest expert in this (kind of) deceit and fraud?’

دعوی کردن ترک و گرو بستن او کی درزی از من چیزی نتواند بردن

[How the Turk boasted and wagered that the tailor would not be able to steal anything from him.]

گفت خیاطیست نامش پور شش ** اندرین چستی و دزدی خلق‌کش

He replied, ‘There is a tailor named Pír-i Shush who beats (all other) folk in light-fingeredness and thievery.’

گفت من ضامن که با صد اضطراب ** او نیارد برد پیشم رشته‌تاب

‘I warrant,’ said he (the Turk), ‘that (even) with a hundred efforts he will not be able to take away a coil of thread in my presence.’

پس بگفتندش که از تو چست‌تر ** مات او گشتند در دعوی مپر 1675

Then they told him, ‘Cleverer persons than you have been checkmated by him: do not soar (too high) in your pretensions.

رو به عقل خود چنین غره مباش ** که شوی یاوه تو در تزویرهاش

Go to, be not so deluded by your intelligence, else you will be lost in his wiles.’

گرم‌تر شد ترک و بست آنجا گرو ** که نیارد برد نی کهنه نی نو

The Turk became (still) hotter and made a wager there (and then) that he (the tailor) would not be able to rob (him of anything) either old or new.

مطمعانش گرم‌تر کردند زود ** او گرو بست و رهان را بر گشود

Those who flattered his hopes made him hotter (than before): immediately he wagered and declared the stakes,

که گرو این مرکب تازی من ** بدهم ار دزدد قماشم او به فن

Saying, ‘I will pay this Arab horse of mine as a forfeit if he artfully steals my stuff;

ور نتواند برد اسپی از شما ** وا ستانم بهر رهن مبتدا 1680

And if he cannot rob (me) I shall receive a horse from you (as an equivalent) for the first stake.’

ترک را آن شب نبرد از غصه خواب ** با خیال دزد می‌کرد او حراب

Because of his anxiety sleep did not overcome the Turk (all) that night: he was fighting with the phantom of the thief.

بامدادان اطلسی زد در بغل ** شد به بازار و دکان آن دغل

In the morning he put a piece of satin under his arm, went to the bazaar, and (entered) the shop of that cunning rogue.

پس سلامش کرد گرم و اوستاد ** جست از جا لب به ترحیبش گشاد

Then he saluted him warmly, and the master(-tailor) sprang up from his seat and opened his lips to bid him welcome.

گرم پرسیدش ز حد ترک بیش ** تا فکند اندر دل او مهر خویش

He inquired (after his health, etc.) with a cordiality exceeding (even) that of the Turk, so that he planted in his (the Turk's) heart (feelings of) affection for him.

چون بدید از وی نوای بلبلی ** پیشش افکند اطلس استنبلی 1685

When he (the Turk) heard from him a song like the nightingale's, he threw down before him the piece of Stamboul satin,

که ببر این را قبای روز جنگ ** زیر نافم واسع و بالاش تنگ

Saying, ‘Cut this into a coat for the day of battle: (let it be) wide below my navel and tight above it—

تنگ بالا بهر جسم‌آرای را ** زیر واسع تا نگیرد پای را

Tight above, to show off my body (figure); wide below, so as not to hamper my legs.’

گفت صد خدمت کنم ای ذو وداد ** در قبولش دست بر دیده نهاد

He replied, ‘O kindly man, I will do (you) a hundred services,’ and in (token of) accepting it (the commission) he laid his hand upon his eye.

پس بپیمود و بدید او روی کار ** بعد از آن بگشاد لب را در فشار

Then he measured (the satin) and inspected the working surface (of it) and, after that, opened his lips in idle chat.

از حکایتهای میران دگر ** وز کرمها و عطاء آن نفر 1690

Of stories about other Amírs and of the bounties and gifts of those persons

وز بخیلان و ز تحشیراتشان ** از برای خنده هم داد او نشان

And about the misers and their (mean) economies—(of all this) he gave a sample for the purpose of (exciting) laughter.

هم‌چو آتش کرد مقراضی برون ** می‌برید و لب پر افسانه و فسون

In a flash he whipped out a pair of scissors and went on cutting while his lips were full of tales and beguiling talk.

مضاحک گفتن درزی و ترک را از قوت خنده بسته شدن دو چشم تنگ او و فرصت یافتن درزی

How the tailor told laughable jests, and how the narrow eyes of the Turk were closed by the violence of his laughter, and how the tailor found an opportunity (to steal).