Rumi's Masnavi - And once more that bezel (paragon of beauty) would arrange her veil, and (again) the bits of the Book would fall from her face to the ground.

And once more that bezel (paragon of beauty) would arrange her veil, and (again) the bits of the Book would fall from her face to the ground. 1275

باز چادر راست کردی آن تکین ** عشرها افتادی از رو بر زمین

Since they always dropped off though she tried many an artifice, (at last) she exclaimed, “A hundred curses on Iblís!”

چون بسی می‌کرد فن و آن می‌فتاد ** گفت صد لعنت بر آن ابلیس باد

Immediately Iblís took (visible) shape and said (to her), “O luckless dried-up harlot,

شد مصور آن زمان ابلیس زود ** گفت ای قحبه‌ی قدید بی‌ورود

In all my life I have never thought of this: I have never seen this (impiety practised) by any harlot except thee.

من همه عمر این نیندیشیده‌ام ** نه ز جز تو قحبه‌ای این دیده‌ام

Thou hast sown unique seed in (the field of) infamy: thou hast not left a single Scripture (Qur’án) in the world.

تخم نادر در فضیحت کاشتی ** در جهان تو مصحفی نگذاشتی

Thou art a hundred Devils, troop on troop: let me alone, O foul hag!” 1280

صد بلیسی تو خمیس اندر خمیس ** ترک من گوی ای عجوزه‌ی دردبیس

How long will you steal portions of the lore of the Book, in order that your face may be coloured like an apple?

چند دزدی عشر از علم کتاب ** تا شود رویت ملون هم‌چو سیب

How long will you steal the words of the men of God, that you may sell (them) and obtain applause (from the crowd)?

چند دزدی حرف مردان خدا ** تا فروشی و ستانی مرحبا

The daubed-on colour never made you (really) rosy; the tied-on bough never performed the function of the (fruit-bearing) stump (from which the dates are cut off).

رنگ بر بسته ترا گلگون نکرد ** شاخ بر بسته فن عرجون نکرد

At last, when the veil of death comes over you, these bits of the Book drop away from your face.

عاقبت چون چادر مرگت رسد ** از رخت این عشرها اندر فتد