The charmer chants (a spell) as an enemy (does); he is (casting) a spell upon the snake and the snake is (casting) a spell upon him.
مرد افسونگر بخواند چون عدو ** او فسون بر مار و مار افسون بر او
If his trap were not (devised by him as) a spell for the snake (a means of catching it), how would he become a prey to the snake's spell?
گر نبودی دام او افسون مار ** کی فسون مار را گشتی شکار
The charmer, from greed of getting and making (money), is not conscious of the snake's spell at the time.2335
مرد افسونگر ز حرص کسب و کار ** در نیابد آن زمان افسون مار
The snake says, ‘O charmer, beware, beware! Thou hast beheld thine own spell (and its effect upon me): now behold mine!
مار گوید ای فسون‌‌گر هین و هین ** آن خود دیدی فسون من ببین
Thou beguilest me with the Name of God in order that thou mayst expose me to shame and confusion.
تو به نام حق فریبی مر مرا ** تا کنی رسوای شور و شر مرا
The Name of God enthralled me, not thy contrivance: thou madest the Name of God a trap: woe to thee!
نام حقم بست نه آن رای تو ** نام حق را دام کردی وای تو
The Name of God will take vengeance from thee on my behalf: I commit my soul and body to the Name of God.
نام حق بستاند از تو داد من ** من به نام حق سپردم جان و تن
Either it will sever the vein of thy life by my stroke, or it will bring thee into a prison as (it has brought) me.’”2340
یا به زخم من رگ جانت برد ** یا که همچون من به زندانت برد
Rough speeches of this sort, (whole) volumes, the woman recited to her youthful husband.
زن از این گونه خشن گفتارها ** خواند بر شوی جوان طومارها
How the man counselled his wife, saying, “Do not look with contempt on the poor, but regard the work of God as perfect, and do not let thy vain thought and opinion of thine own penury cause thee to sneer at poverty and revile the poor.”
نصیحت کردن مرد مر زن را که در فقیران به خواری منگر و در کار حق به گمان کمال نگر و طعنه مزن بر فقر و فقیران به خیال و گمان بی‌‌نوایی خویشتن
“O woman,” said he, “art thou a woman or the father of sorrow? Poverty is (my) pride, and do not thou beat me on the head (lash me with thy reproaches).
گفت ای زن تو زنی یا بو الحزن ** فقر فخر آمد مرا بر سر مزن
Wealth and gold are as a cap to the head: ’tis the bald man that makes a shelter of his cap,
مال و زر سر را بود همچون کلاه ** کل بود او کز کله سازد پناه
(But) he that has curly and beautiful locks is happier when his cap is gone.
آن که زلف جعد و رعنا باشدش ** چون کلاهش رفت خوشتر آیدش
The man of God (the saint) resembles the eye: therefore (his) sight is better bare (unveiled) than covered.2345
مرد حق باشد به مانند بصر ** پس برهنه‌‌ش به که پوشیده نظر
When a slave-dealer offers (slaves) for sale, he removes from the (sound) slave the garment that hides defects.
وقت عرضه کردن آن برده فروش ** بر کند از بنده جامه‌‌ی عیب پوش
But if there be any defect, how should he strip him? Nay, he tricks him (the purchaser) by means of the garment.
ور بود عیبی برهنه کی کند ** بل به جامه خدعه‌‌ای با وی کند
‘This one,’ says he, ‘is ashamed of good and evil: stripping him would cause him to run away from thee.’
گوید این شرمنده است از نیک و بد ** از برهنه کردن او از تو رمد
The (rich) merchant is plunged in vice up to the ears, (but) the merchant has money, and his money covers his vice,
خواجه در عیب است غرقه تا به گوش ** خواجه را مال است و مالش عیب پوش
For because of cupidity none that is covetous sees his vice: feelings of cupidity are a bond uniting (men's) hearts;2350