For this is the witness to the truth of my words, and this is the token of my eating greasy and delicious food.”735
کین گواه صدق گفتار منست ** وین نشان چرب و شیرین خوردنست
His belly would say in soundless (mute) response, “May God destroy the plots of the liars!
اشکمش گفتی جواب بیطنین ** که اباد الله کید الکاذبین
Thy boasting hath set me on fire: may that greasy moustache of thine be torn out!
لاف تو ما را بر آتش بر نهاد ** کان سبال چرب تو بر کنده باد
Were it not for thy foul boasting, O beggar, some generous man would have taken pity on me;
گر نبودی لاف زشتت ای گدا ** یک کریمی رحم افکندی به ما
And if thou hadst shown the ailment and hadst not played false, some physician would have prepared a remedy for it.”
ور نمودی عیب و کژ کم باختی ** یک طبیبی داروی او ساختی
God hath said, “Do not move ear or tail crookedly:their veracity shall profit the veracious.”740
گفت حق که کژ مجنبان گوش و دم ** ینفعن الصادقین صدقهم
Ne recurvatus in antro dormiveris, O tu qui passus es nocturnam pollutionem: reveal that which you have, and act straight; [Do not sleep bent in a cave, O you (who have) soiled (yourself) in the night (with sperm): reveal that which you have, and act straight;]
گفت اندر کژ مخسپ ای محتلم ** آنچ داری وا نما و فاستقم
Or if you tell not your fault, at least refrain from (idle) talk: do not kill yourself by ostentation and trickery.
ور نگویی عیب خود باری خمش ** از نمایش وز دغل خود را مکش
If you have got any money, do not open your mouth: there are touchstones on the Way,
گر تو نقدی یافتی مگشا دهان ** هست در ره سنگهای امتحان
And for the touchstones too there are tests concerning their own (inward) states.
سنگهای امتحان را نیز پیش ** امتحانها هست در احوال خویش
God hath said, “From birth unto death they are tried every year twice.”745
گفت یزدان از ولادت تا بحین ** یفتنون کل عام مرتین
There is test upon test, O father: beware, do not (be ready to) buy yourself at the smallest test.
امتحان در امتحانست ای پدر ** هین به کمتر امتحان خود را مخر
How Bal‘am the son of Bá‘úr was (felt himself) secure, because the Lord had made (many) tests (of him) and he had come through them honourably.
آمن بودن بلعم باعور کی امتحانها کرد حضرت او را و از آنها روی سپید آمده بود
Bal‘am the son of Bá‘úr and the accursed Iblís were disgraced at the ultimate test.
بلعم باعور و ابلیس لعین ** ز امتحان آخرین گشته مهین
He (the boastful hypocrite), by his pretension, desires to be (reputed) rich, (but) his belly is execrating his moustache,
او بدعوی میل دولت میکند ** معدهاش نفرین سبلت میکند
Crying, “Display that which he is hiding! He has consumed me (with anguish): O God, expose him!”
کانچ پنهان میکند پیدایش کن ** سوخت ما را ای خدا رسواش کن
All the members of his body are his adversaries, for he prates of spring (while) they are in December.750
جمله اجزای تنش خصم ویند ** کز بهاری لافد ایشان در دیند
Vain talk repels acts of kindness and tears off the bough of pity from the trunk of the tree.
لاف وا داد کرمها میکند ** شاخ رحمت را ز بن بر میکند
Bring forward (practise) honesty, or else be silent, and then behold pity and enjoy it.
راستی پیش آر یا خاموش کن ** وانگهان رحمت ببین و نوش کن
That belly became the adversary of his moustache and secretly had recourse to prayer,
آن شکم خصم سبال او شده ** دست پنهان در دعا اندر زده
Crying, “O God, expose this idle brag of the base, in order that the pity of the noble may be moved towards me.”
کای خدا رسوا کن این لاف لام ** تا بجنبد سوی ما رحم کرام
The belly's prayer was answered: the ardency of need put out a flag.755
مستجاب آمد دعای آن شکم ** شورش حاجت بزد بیرون علم
God hath said, “Though thou be a profligate and idolater, I will answer when thou callest Me.”
گفت حق گر فاسقی و اهل صنم ** چون مرا خوانی اجابتها کنم
Do thou cleave fast unto prayer and ever cry out: in the end it will deliver thee from the hands of the ghoul.
تو دعا را سخت گیر و میشخول ** عاقبت برهاندت از دست غول
When the belly committed itself to God, the cat came and carried off the skin of that sheep's tail.
چون شکم خود را به حضرت در سپرد ** گربه آمد پوست آن دنبه ببرد
They ran after the cat, (but) she fled. The child (of the braggart), from fear of his scolding, changed colour (turned pale).
از پس گربه دویدند او گریخت ** کودک از ترس عتابش رنگ ریخت