Feigning to have seen nothing, she knocked at the door of the room (stable), saying, “How long will you be sweeping the room, O maid?”
کرد نادیده و در خانه بکوفت ** کای کنیزک چند خواهی خانه روفت
She spoke these words as a blind (and added), “I have come, O maid: open the door.”
از پی روپوش میگفت این سخن ** کای کنیزک آمدم در باز کن
(Then) she became silent and said no more to the maid: she concealed the secret for the sake of her own desire.1350
کرد خاموش و کنیزک را نگفت ** راز را از بهر طمع خود نهفت
Thereupon the maid hid all the apparatus of iniquity and came forward and opened the door.
پس کنیزک جمله آلات فساد ** کرد پنهان پیش شد در را گشاد
She made her face sour and her eyes full of moisture (tears) and rubbed her lips (against each other), meaning to say, “I am fasting.”
رو ترش کرد و دو دیده پر ز نم ** لب فرو مالید یعنی صایمم
In her hand was a soft broom, as though to say, “I was sweeping the room in order to clean it.”
در کف او نرمه جاروبی که من ** خانه را میروفتم بهر عطن
When, with the broom (in her hand), she opened the door, the mistress said under her breath, “O crafty one,
چونک باع جاروب در را وا گشاد ** گفت خاتون زیر لب کای اوستاد
You have made your face sour and (taken) a broom in your hand; what is (the meaning of) the ass having turned away from his fodder?1355
رو ترش کردی و جاروبی به کف ** چیست آن خر برگسسته از علف
Re semiconfecta, iratus, agitans veretrum: quia te exspectat ideo (sunt) duo oculi ejus ad januam (conversi).” [Half-finished and angry, (its) penis (was still) moving: its (the ass’s) two eyes (were turned) toward the door in expectation of you.”]
نیم کاره و خشمگین جنبان ذکر ** ز انتظار تو دو چشمش سوی در
This she said under her breath and concealed (her thought) from the maid: at that moment she treated her, like innocent persons, honourably.
زیر لب گفت این نهان کرد از کنیز ** داشتش آن دم چو بیجرمان عزیز
Afterwards she said to her, “Put the chádar on your head, go and take a message from me to such and such a house.
بعد از آن گفتش که چادر نه به سر ** رو فلان خانه ز من پیغام بر
Say so-and-so and do so-and-so.” I abridge the talk of the women.
این چنین گو وین چنین کن وآنچنان ** مختصر کردم من افسانهی زنان
Take the gist of what is to the purpose. When the discreet old woman had sent her (the maid) away,1360
آنچ مقصودست مغز آن بگیر ** چون براهش کرد آن زال ستیر
Propter ebrietatem libidinis gaudebat: she shut the door, saying meanwhile, [She was happy from the intoxication of (her) lust: she shut the door, saying meanwhile,]
بود از مستی شهوت شادمان ** در فرو بست و همیگفت آن زمان
“I have secured privacy, I will shout in thanksgiving: I am delivered from the four dángs and the two dángs.”
یافتم خلوت زنم از شکر بانگ ** رستهام از چار دانگ و از دو دانگ
Gaudio hircus (prurigo) feminae quae in igne libidinis asini inquieta erat mille factus est. [From joy, the woman’s goat (of lust) had become a thousand (-fold); (she became) restless in the sparks of the ass’s lust.]
از طرب گشته بزان زن هزار ** در شرار شهوت خر بیقرار
Qualis hircus est ille quem tanta libido ludibrium fecit? Stultum deludi non est mirabile. [What goat (was) that?—for lust took her goat (made a fool of her). The taking of a fool’s goat is not (something) amazing.]
چه بزان که آن شهوت او را بز گرفت ** بز گرفتن گیج را نبود شگفت
Lustful desire makes the heart deaf and blind, so that an ass seems like Joseph, fire (like) light.1365
میل شهوت کر کند دل را و کور ** تا نماید خر چو یوسف نار نور
Oh, many a one intoxicated with fire and seeking fire deems himself absolute light.
ای بسا سرمست نار و نارجو ** خویشتن را نور مطلق داند او
(He is lost) unless a (chosen) servant of God, or the pull of God (Himself), lead him into the (right) way and turn over his leaf,
جز مگر بندهی خدا یا جذب حق ** با رهش آرد بگرداند ورق
So that he may know that the fiery phantom (which he mistook for light) in the Path is but a loan (unreal).
تا بداند که آن خیال ناریه ** در طریقت نیست الا عاریه
(Sensual) cupidity causes foul things to appear fair: among the banes of the Way there is none like lust, none worse.
زشتها را خوب بنماید شره ** نیست چون شهوت بتر ز آفتاب ره
It has disgraced a hundred thousand good names, it has stupefied (besotted) a hundred thousand clever men.1370
صد هزاران نام خوش را کرد ننگ ** صد هزاران زیرکان را کرد دنگ
Since it caused an ass to appear (like) Joseph of Egypt, how (in what aspect) will that (miscreant) Jew cause a Joseph to appear?
چون خری را یوسف مصری نمود ** یوسفی را چون نماید آن جهود
Its spell made dung seem honey to you: what, forsooth, will it make honey seem at the time of contest?
بر تو سرگین را فسونش شهد کرد ** شهد را خود چون کند وقت نبرد