On the river-bank a Súfí was seated, washing his hands and face and cleansing himself more and more.
بر لب جو صوفیی بنشسته بود ** دست و رو می‌شست و پاکی می‌فزود
He saw the nape of his (the Súfí's) neck and, like a crazy man, felt a longing to give it a slap;1330
او قفااش دید چون تخییلیی ** کرد او را آرزوی سیلیی
(So) he raised his hand to inflict a blow on the nape of the pottage-worshipping Súfí,
بر قفای صوفی حمزه‌پرست ** راست می‌کرد از برای صفع دست
Saying (to himself), “The physician told me it would make me ill if I would not let my desire have its way.
کارزو را گر نرانم تا رود ** آن طبیبم گفت کان علت شود
I will give him a slap in quarrel, for (God hath said), ‘Do not cast yourselves with your own hands into destruction.’
سیلیش اندر برم در معرکه ** زانک لا تلقوا بایدی تهلکه
O such-and-such, this self-restraint and abstinence is (thy) destruction: give him a good blow, do not keep quiet like the others.”
تهلکه‌ست این صبر و پرهیز ای فلان ** خوش بکوبش تن مزن چون دیگران
When he slapped him, there was the sound of a crack: the Súfí cried, “Hey, hey, O rascally pimp!”1335
چون زدش سیلی برآمد یک طراق ** گفت صوفی هی هی ای قواد عاق
The Súfí was about to give him two or three blows with his fist and tear out his moustache and beard piecemeal (but refrained from doing so).
خواست صوفی تا دو سه مشتش زند ** سبلت و ریشش یکایک بر کند
Mankind are (like) sufferers from phthisis and without a remedy (for their disease), and through the Devil's deception they are passionately addicted to slapping (each other).
خلق رنجور دق و بیچاره‌اند ** وز خداع دیو سیلی باره‌اند
All (of them) are eager to injure the innocent and are seeking (to find) fault behind each others' backs.
جمله در ایذای بی‌جرمان حریص ** در قفای همدگر جویان نقیص