- The Cadi said, “Show plainly that you are insolvent.” “Here are the prisoners,” he replied, “as thy witnesses.”
- گفت قاضی مفلسی را وانما ** گفت اینک اهل زندانت گوا
- “They,” said the Cadi, “are suspect, because they are fleeing from you and weeping blood (on account of your ill-treatment of them);
- گفت ایشان متهم باشند چون ** میگریزند از تو میگریند خون
- Also, they are suing to be delivered from you: by reason of this self-interest the testimony they give is worthless.” 645
- از تو میخواهند هم تا وارهند ** زین غرض باطل گواهی میدهند
- All the people belonging to the court of justice said, “We bear witness both to his (moral) degeneracy and his insolvency.”
- جمله اهل محکمه گفتند ما ** هم بر ادبار و بر افلاسش گوا
- Every one whom the Cadi questioned about his condition said, “My lord, wash thy hands of this insolvent.”
- هر که را پرسید قاضی حال او ** گفت مولا دست ازین مفلس بشو
- The Cadi said, “March him round the city for all to see, (and cry), ‘This man is an insolvent and a great rogue.’
- گفت قاضی کش بگردانید فاش ** گرد شهر این مفلس است و بس قلاش
- Make proclamations concerning him, street by street; beat the drum (as an advertisement) of his insolvency everywhere in open view.
- کو به کو او را مناداها زنید ** طبل افلاسش عیان هر جا زنید
- Let no one sell to him on credit, let no one lend him a farthing. 650
- هیچ کس نسیه بنفروشد بدو ** قرض ندهد هیچ کس او را تسو
- Whosoever may bring here a claim against him for fraud, I will not put him in prison any more.
- هر که دعوی آردش اینجا به فن ** بیش زندانش نخواهم کرد من
- His insolvency has been proven to me: he has nothing in his possession, (neither) money nor goods.”
- پیش من افلاس او ثابت شده است ** نقد و کالا نیستش چیزی به دست
- Man is in the prison of this world in order that peradventure his insolvency may be proven.
- آدمی در حبس دنیا ز آن بود ** تا بود کافلاس او ثابت شود
- Our God has also proclaimed in our Qur’án the insolvency of the Devil,
- مفلسی دیو را یزدان ما ** هم منادی کرد در قرآن ما
- Saying, “He is a swindler and insolvent and liar: do not make any partnership or do any trade with him.” 655
- کاو دغا و مفلس است و بد سخن ** هیچ با او شرکت و سودا مکن
- And if you do so (and) bring (vain) pretexts to him, he is insolvent: how will you get profit from him?
- ور کنی او را بهانه آوری ** مفلس است او صرفه از وی کی بری
- When the trouble started, they brought on the scene the camel of a Kurd who sold firewood.
- حاضر آوردند چون فتنه فروخت ** اشتر کردی که هیزم میفروخت
- The helpless Kurd made a great outcry; he also gladdened the officer (appointed to seize the camel) with (the gift of) a dáng;
- کرد بیچاره بسی فریاد کرد ** هم موکل را به دانگی شاد کرد
- (But) they took away his camel from the time of forenoon until nightfall, and his lamentation was of no use.
- اشترش بردند از هنگام چاشت ** تا شب و افغان او سودی نداشت
- Upon the camel sat that sore famine (the insolvent), while the owner of the camel was running at its heels. 660
- بر شتر بنشست آن قحط گران ** صاحب اشتر پی اشتر دوان
- They sped from quarter to quarter and from street to street, till the whole town knew him by sight.
- سو به سو و کو به کو میتاختند ** تا همه شهرش عیان بشناختند
- Before every bath and market-place all the people gazed on his (features and) figure.
- پیش هر حمام و هر بازارگاه ** کرده مردم جمله در شکلش نگاه
- (There were) ten loud-voiced criers, Turks and Kurds and Anatolians and Arabs, (proclaiming),
- ده منادی گر بلند آوازیان ** کرد و ترک و رومیان و تازیان
- “This man is insolvent and has nothing: let no one lend him a single brass farthing;
- مفلس است این و ندارد هیچ چیز ** قرض تا ندهد کس او را یک پشیز
- He does not possess a single mite, patent or latent: he is a bankrupt, a piece of falsehood, a cunning knave, an oil-bag. 665
- ظاهر و باطن ندارد حبهای ** مفلسی قلبی دغایی دبهای
- Beware and beware! Have no dealings with him; when he brings the ox (to sell), make fast the knot.
- هان و هان با او حریفی کم کنید ** چون که کاو آرد گره محکم کنید
- And if ye bring this decayed fellow to judgement, I will not put a corpse in prison.
- ور به حکم آرید این پژمرده را ** من نخواهم کرد زندان مرده را