He (Mu‘áwiya) said, “Now you have told the truth, you are veracious. This (deceit) comes (naturally) from you: to this you are adapted.
گفت اکنون راست گفتی صادقی ** از تو این آید تو این را لایقی
You are a spider, you have flies as your prey; O cur, I am not a fly, (so) do not worry.
عنکبوتی تو مگس داری شکار ** من نیم ای سگ مگس زحمت میار
I am a white falcon: the King hunts me. How should a spider weave his web about me?
باز اسپیدم شکارم شه کند ** عنکبوتی کی بگرد ما تند
Go now, continue to catch flies as far as you can: invite the flies to (partake of) some buttermilk;
رو مگس میگیر تا تانی هلا ** سوی دوغی زن مگسها را صلا
And if you call (them) to honey, that too will certainly be lies and buttermilk (fraud).2790
ور بخوانی تو به سوی انگبین ** هم دروغ و دوغ باشد آن یقین
You awakened me, (but) it (that awakenment) was (really) slumber: you showed (me) a ship, (but) that was (really) a whirlpool.
تو مرا بیدار کردی خواب بود ** تو نمودی کشتی آن گرداب بود
You were calling me to good for the purpose that you might drive me away from the better good.”
تو مرا در خیر ز آن میخواندی ** تا مرا از خیر بهتر راندی
How a thief escaped because some one gave the alarm to the master of the house, who had nearly overtaken and caught the thief.
فوت شدن دزد به آواز دادن آن شخص صاحب خانه را که نزدیک آمده بود که دزد را دریابد و بگیرد
This (behaviour of Iblís) is like that (which is told in the following story), how a certain man saw a thief in the house and ran after him.
این بدان ماند که شخصی دزد دید ** در وثاق اندر پی او میدوید
He ran after him (the length of) two or three fields, till the fatigue threw him into a sweat.
تا دو سه میدان دوید اندر پیش ** تا در افگند آن تعب اندر خویش
At the moment when, rushing on, he had come so near to him that he might spring upon him and seize him,2795
اندر آن حمله که نزدیک آمدش ** تا بدو اندر جهد دریابدش
The second thief cried out to him, “Come, that you may see these signs of calamity.
دزد دیگر بانگ کردش که بیا ** تا ببینی این علامات بلا
Be quick and turn back, O man of (prompt) action, that you may see (how) very pitiable (is) the state of things here.”
زود باش و باز گرد ای مرد کار ** تا ببینی حال اینجا زار زار
He (the householder) said (to himself), “Maybe a thief is yonder: if I do not return at once, this (fate) will befall me.
گفت باشد کان طرف دزدی بود ** گر نگردم زود این بر من رود
He may lay hands upon my wife and child, (and in that case) how would it profit me to bind this thief (whom I am pursuing)?
در زن و فرزند من دستی زند ** بستن این دزد سودم کی کند
This Moslem is calling me in kindness: unless I return quickly, repentance will befall (me).”2800
این مسلمان از کرم میخواندم ** گر نگردم زود پیش آید ندم
In (confident) hope of the compassion of that well-disposed (friend), he left the thief and again set off (in another direction).
بر امید شفقت آن نیک خواه ** دزد را بگذاشت باز آمد به راه
“O good friend,” said he, “what is the matter? By whose hand (violence) is this lamentation and outcry of yours (caused)?”
گفت ای یار نکو احوال چیست ** این فغان و بانگ تو از دست کیست
“Look here,” said (the other). “See the thief's footprints! The pimping thief has gone this way. [ “Look here,” said (the other). “See the thief's footprints! The thief whose wife is for hire (who prostitutes his wife to other men) has gone this way.]
گفت اینک بین نشان پای دزد ** این طرف رفته ست دزد زن بمزد
Look at the cuckold thief's footprints! Follow him by means of these marks and traces.”
نک نشان پای دزد قلتبان ** در پی او رو بدین نقش و نشان
He answered, “O fool, what are you telling me? Why, I had (as good as) caught him,2805
گفت ای ابله چه میگویی مرا ** من گرفته بودم آخر مر و را
(But) at your cry I let the thief go. I deemed you, ass (as you are), a (reasonable) man.
دزد را از بانگ تو بگذاشتم ** من تو خر را آدمی پنداشتم
What silly gabble and nonsense is this, O fellow? I (had) found the reality: what (use to me) is the clue?”
این چه ژاژست و چه هرزه ای فلان ** من حقیقت یافتم چه بود نشان
He replied, “I am giving you a clue to the real (thing). This is the clue; I am acquainted with the reality.”
گفت من از حق نشانت میدهم ** این نشان است از حقیقت آگهم
He (the householder) said, “You are an artful knave or else you are a fool; nay, you are a thief and cognisant of this affair.
گفت طراری تو یا خود ابلهی ** بلکه تو دزدی و زین حال آگهی
I was (on the point of) dragging my adversary along, (when) you let him escape, saying (to me), ‘Here are (his) traces.’”2810
خصم خود را میکشیدم من کشان ** تو رهانیدی و را کاینک نشان