A Súfí came (back) to his house in the daytime: the house had (only) one door, and his wife was with a cobbler.
صوفیی آمد به سوی خانه روز ** خانه یک در بود و زن با کفش‌دوز
Uxor copulata erat cum servo (amatore) suo in illo uno cubiculo propter corporis libidenem. [(His) wife was copulating with her slave (lover) in that one chamber due to bodily temptation.]
جفت گشته با رهی خویش زن ** اندر آن یک حجره از وسواس تن
When in the forenoon the Súfí knocked on the door with all his might, both (the lovers) were at a loss (what to do): (there was) neither device nor way (of escape).160
چون بزد صوفی به جد در چاشتگاه ** هر دو درماندند نه حیلت نه راه
It was never known (it was unprecedented) for him to return home from the shop at that time,
هیچ معهودش نبد کو آن زمان ** سوی خانه باز گردد از دکان
But on that day the alarmed man purposely returned to his house at an unseasonable hour, because of a fancy (suspicion).
قاصدا آن روز بی‌وقت آن مروع ** از خیالی کرد تا خانه رجوع
The wife's confidence was (based) on the fact that he had never come home from his work at this time.
اعتماد زن بر آن کو هیچ بار ** این زمان فا خانه نامد او ز کار
By (Divine) destiny, her reasoning did not come (turn out to be) right: though He (God) is the Coverer (of sins), still He will impose the penalty.
آن قیاسش راست نامد از قضا ** گرچه ستارست هم بدهد سزا
When you have done evil, be afraid, do not be secure, since it (the evil) is seed, and God will cause it to grow.165
چونک بد کردی بترس آمن مباش ** زانک تخمست و برویاند خداش
For awhile He covers it up, to the end that sorrow and shame for (having committed) that evil may come to you.
چند گاهی او بپوشاند که تا ** آیدت زان بد پشیمان و حیا
In the time of ‘Umar, that Prince of the Faithful gave a thief over to the executioner and officer of police.
عهد عمر آن امیر مومنان ** داد دزدی را به جلاد و عوان
The thief cried out, saying, ‘O Prince of the land, this is my first offence. Mercy!’
بانگ زد آن دزد کای میر دیار ** اولین بارست جرمم زینهار
‘God forfend,’ said ‘Umar, ‘that God should inflict severe punishment the first time.
گفت عمر حاش لله که خدا ** بار اول قهر بارد در جزا
He covers up (the sin) many times in order to manifest His grace; then again, He chastises (the sinner) in order to manifest His justice,170
بارها پوشد پی اظهار فضل ** باز گیرد از پی اظهار عدل
To the end that both these attributes may be displayed, and the former be hope-inspiring and the latter deterrent.’
تا که این هر دو صفت ظاهر شود ** آن مبشر گردد این منذر شود
The woman, too, had committed this wickedness many times: it passed lightly (over her) and seemed light to her.
بارها زن نیز این بد کرده بود ** سهل بگذشت آن و سهلش می‌نمود
The feeble intelligence (which she had) was unaware that the pitcher does not for ever come (back) whole from the brook.
آن نمی‌دانست عقل پای‌سست ** که سبو دایم ز جو ناید درست
That (Divine) destiny brought her to such straits as sudden death does (in the case of) the (religious) hypocrite,
آنچنانش تنگ آورد آن قضا ** که منافق را کند مرگ فجا
(When there is) neither way (of escape) nor comrade (to help) nor (hope of) quarter, (and when) the Angel (of Death) has put out his hand to (seize) the soul.175
نه طریق و نه رفیق و نه امان ** دست کرده آن فرشته سوی جان
(Such is the state of the hypocrite), even as this woman in that chamber of iniquity was paralysed, she and her companion, by the tribulation.
آنچنان کین زن در آن حجره جفا ** خشک شد او و حریفش ز ابتلا
The Súfí said to himself, ‘O ye two miscreants, I will take vengeance on you, but with patience.
گفت صوفی با دل خود کای دو گبر ** از شما کینه کشم لیکن به صبر
(I will not act in haste) but at this moment I will feign ignorance, that every ear may not hear this bell.’
لیک نادانسته آرم این نفس ** تا که هر گوشی ننوشد این جرس
He (God) who manifests the right takes vengeance on you secretly, little by little, like the malady of phthisis.
از شما پنهان کشد کینه محق ** اندک اندک هم‌چو بیماری دق
The man suffering from phthisis dwindles incessantly like ice, but at every moment he thinks he is better.180
مرد دق باشد چو یخ هر لحظه کم ** لیک پندارد بهر دم بهترم
(He is) like the hyena which they (the hunters) are catching, and which is duped by their saying, ‘Where is this hyena?’
هم‌چو کفتاری که می‌گیرندش و او ** غره‌ی آن گفت کین کفتار کو
That woman had no secret room; she had no subterranean cellar or passage, no way to the top (of the house),
هیچ پنهان‌خانه آن زن را نبود ** سمج و دهلیز و ره بالا نبود