And about the misers and their (mean) economies—(of all this) he gave a sample for the purpose of (exciting) laughter.
وز بخیلان و ز تحشیراتشان ** از برای خنده هم داد او نشان
In a flash he whipped out a pair of scissors and went on cutting while his lips were full of tales and beguiling talk.
همچو آتش کرد مقراضی برون ** میبرید و لب پر افسانه و فسون
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).
مضاحک گفتن درزی و ترک را از قوت خنده بسته شدن دو چشم تنگ او و فرصت یافتن درزی
The Turk began to laugh at the stories, and at that moment his narrow eyes closed.
ترک خندیدن گرفت از داستان ** چشم تنگش گشت بسته آن زمان
He (the tailor) filched a shred (of satin) and put it under his thigh, (where it was) hidden from all living beings except God.
پارهای دزدید و کردش زیر ران ** از جز حق از همه احیا نهان
God saw it, but He is disposed to cover up (sins); yet when you carry (them) beyond bounds He is a tell-tale.1695
حق همیدید آن ولی ستارخوست ** لیک چون از حد بری غماز اوست
From his delight in his (the tailor's) anecdotes the Turk's former boast went out of his head.
ترک را از لذت افسانهاش ** رفت از دل دعوی پیشانهاش
What satin? What boast? What wager? The Turk is intoxicated with the jokes of the pasha.
اطلس چه دعوی چه رهن چه ** ترک سرمستست در لاغ اچی
The Turk implored him, crying, ‘For God's sake go on telling jokes, for they are meat to me.’
لابه کردش ترک کز بهر خدا ** لاغ میگو که مرا شد مغتذا
(Then) the rascal told such a ridiculous story that he (the Turk) fell on his back in an explosion of laughter.
گفت لاغی خندمینی آن دغا ** که فتاد از قهقهه او بر قفا
He (the tailor) swiftly clapped a shred of satin to the hem of his under-breeches, while the Turk was paying no attention and greedily sucking in (absorbing) the jests.1700
پارهای اطلس سبک بر نیفه زد ** ترک غافل خوش مضاحک میمزد