- He said, “If you want to buy sugar, my balance-weight is clay.”
- گفت گل سنگ ترازوی منست ** گر ترا میل شکر بخریدنست
- He (the customer) said, “I am requiring sugar for an urgent affair: let the balance-weight be whatever you wish.”
- گفت هستم در مهمی قندجو ** سنگ میزان هر چه خواهی باش گو
- To himself he said, “What does the weight matter to one that eats clay? Clay is better than gold.”
- گفت با خود پیش آنک گل‌خورست ** سنگ چه بود گل نکوتر از زرست
- As the dallála (go-between) who said, “O son, I have found a very beautiful new bride (for you). 630
- هم‌چو آن دلاله که گفت ای پسر ** نو عروسی یافتم بس خوب‌فر
- (She is) exceedingly pretty, but there is just one thing, that the lady is a confectioner's daughter.”
- سخت زیبا لیک هم یک چیز هست ** که آن ستیره دختر حلواگرست
- “(All the) better,” said he; “if it is indeed so, his daughter will be fatter and sweeter.”
- گفت بهتر این چنین خود گر بود ** دختر او چرب و شیرین‌تر بود
- “If you have no (proper) weight and your weight is of clay, this is better and better: clay is the fruit (desired) of my heart.”
- گر نداری سنگ و سنگت از گلست ** این به و به گل مرا میوه‌ی دلست
- He (the druggist) placed the clay, because of its being ready (to his hand), in one scale of the balance instead of the (proper) weight;
- اندر آن کفه‌ی ترازو ز اعتداد ** او به جای سنگ آن گل را نهاد
- Then, for the other scale, he was breaking with his hand the equivalent amount of sugar. 635
- پس برای کفه‌ی دیگر به دست ** هم به قدر آن شکر را می‌شکست
- Since he had no pick-axe, he took a long time and made the customer sit waiting.
- چون نبودش تیشه‌ای او دیر ماند ** مشتری را منتظر آنجا نشاند