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!
خلق را از بند صندوق فسون ** کی خرد جز انبیا و مرسلون
Who but the prophets and apostles can redeem the people from confinement in the chest of guile?
از هزاران یک کسی خوش‌منظرست ** که بداند کو به صندوق اندرست 4505
Among thousands there is (only) one person of comely aspect, who knows that he is inside the chest.
او جهان را دیده باشد پیش از آن ** تا بدان ضد این ضدش گردد عیان
He must formerly have beheld the (spiritual) world, so that by means of that contrary this contrary should be made evident to him.
زین سبب که علم ضاله‌ی مومنست ** عارف ضاله‌ی خودست و موقنست
Because “knowledge is the true believer's lost camel,” he recognises his own lost camel and feels certain (that it is his).
آنک هرگز روز نیکو خود ندید ** او درین ادبار کی خواهد طپید
(But) he that has never seen good fortune, how will he be perturbed in this calamity?
یا به طفلی در اسیری اوفتاد ** یا خود از اول ز مادر بنده زاد
Either he fell into captivity in childhood, or was born a slave at first from his mother's womb.
ذوق آزادی ندیده جان او ** هست صندوق صور میدان او 4510
His soul has never known the delight of (spiritual) freedom: the chest of (phenomenal) forms is his arena.
دایما محبوس عقلش در صور ** از قفس اندر قفس دارد گذر
His mind is for ever imprisoned in forms: he (only) passes from cage into cage.
منفذش نه از قفس سوی علا ** در قفس‌ها می‌رود از جا به جا
He has no means of passing beyond the cage (and going) aloft: he goes to and fro into (successive) cages.
در نبی ان استطعتم فانفذوا ** این سخن با جن و انس آمد ز هو
In the Qur’án (is the text), “If ye have the power, pass beyond”: these words came from Him (God) to the Jinn and mankind.
گفت منفذ نیست از گردونتان ** جز به سلطان و به وحی آسمان
He said, “There is no way for you to pass beyond the sky save by (Divine) authority and by inspiration from Heaven.”
گر ز صندوقی به صندوقی رود ** او سمایی نیست صندوقی بود 4515
If he (any one) go from chest to chest, he is not of Heaven, he is of the chest (the lower world).
فرجه صندوق نو نو مسکرست ** در نیابد کو به صندوق اندرست
The pleasure of changing his chest (only) stupefies him anew: he does not perceive that he is inside the chest.