“Well then,” said he, “give me some water from the reservoir.” “Why,” he replied, “it isn't a river or a watering-place.”
گفت باری آب ده از مکرعه ** گفت آخر نیست جو یا مشرعه
Whatever he asked for, from bread to bran, he (the householder) was mocking and deriding him.1255
هر چه او درخواست از نان یا سبوس ** چربکی میگفت و میکردش فسوس
The beggar went in and drew up his skirt: in ea domo voluit consulto cacare. [The beggar went in and drew up his skirt: he wanted to defecate deliberately inside the house.]
آن گدا در رفت و دامن بر کشید ** اندر آن خانه بحسبت خواست رید
He (the householder) cried, “Hey, hey!” “Be quiet, O morose man,” said he, “ut in hoc loco deserto alvum exonerem. [He (the householder) cried, “Hey, hey!” “Be quiet, O morose man,” said he, “so that I may relieve myself inside this desolate place.]
گفت هی هی گفت تن زن ای دژم ** تا درین ویرانه خود فارغ کنم
Since there is no means of living (zístan) here, upon a house like this cacare (rístan) oportet.” [Since there is no means of living (zístan) here, one should defecate (rístan) upon a house such as this.”]
چون درینجا نیست وجه زیستن ** بر چنین خانه بباید ریستن
Since you are not a falcon, so as to (be able to) catch the prey, (a falcon) hand-trained for the King's hunting;
چون نهای بازی که گیری تو شکار ** دست آموز شکار شهریار
Nor a peacock painted with a hundred (beautiful) designs, so that (all) eyes should be illumined by the picture which you present;1260
نیستی طاوس با صد نقش بند ** که به نقشت چشمها روشن کنند
Nor a parrot, so that when sugar is given to you, (all) ears should bend to (listen to) your sweet talk;
هم نهای طوطی که چون قندت دهند ** گوش سوی گفت شیرینت نهند
Nor a nightingale to sing, like a lover, sweetly and plaintively in the meadow or the tulip-garden;
هم نهای بلبل که عاشقوار زار ** خوش بنالی در چمن یا لالهزار
Nor a hoopoe to bring messages, nor are you like a stork to make your nest on high—
هم نهای هدهد که پیکیها کنی ** نه چو لکلک که وطن بالا کنی
In what work are you (employed), and for what (purpose) are you bought? What (sort of) bird are you, and with what (digestive) are you eaten?
در چه کاری تو و بهر چت خرند ** تو چه مرغی و ترا با چه خورند
Mount beyond this ship of hagglers to the shop of Bounty where God is the purchaser.1265
زین دکان با مکاسان برتر آ ** تا دکان فضل که الله اشتری
(There) that Gracious One hath purchased the piece of goods that no people would look at on account of its shabbiness.
کالهای که هیچ خلقش ننگرید ** از خلاقت آن کریم آن را خرید
With Him no base coin is rejected, for His object in buying is not (to make a) profit.
هیچ قلبی پیش او مردود نیست ** زانک قصدش از خریدن سود نیست
Return to the tale of the old woman.
رجوع به داستان آن کمپیر
Since that (crone who was faded as) autumn desired to be wed, that lustful one plucked out the hair of her eyebrows. [Since that (crone who was faded as) autumn desired to be wed, that one (who was) desirous of a (drawn back) foreskin plucked out the hair of her eyebrows.]
چون عروسی خواست رفتن آن خریف ** موی ابرو پاک کرد آن مستخیف
The old woman took the mirror (and held it) before her face, that she might beautify her cheeks and face and mouth.
پیش رو آیینه بگرفت آن عجوز ** تا بیاراید رخ و رخسار و پوز
She rubbed (them) gleefully (with) rouge several times, (but) the creases of her face did not become more concealed,1270
چند گلگونه بمالید از بطر ** سفرهی رویش نشد پوشیدهتر
(So) that filthy (hag) was cutting out portions of the Holy Book and sticking them on her face,
عشرهای مصحف از جا میبرید ** میبچفسانید بر رو آن پلید
In order that the creases of her face might be hidden, and that she might become the bezel in the ring of fair (women).
تا که سفرهی روی او پنهان شود ** تا نگین حلقهی خوبان شود
She was putting (these) bits of the Book all over her face, (but) they always dropped off when she put on her chádar (veil);
عشرها بر روی هر جا مینهاد ** چونک بر میبست چادر میفتاد
Then she would stick them on again with spittle on all sides of her face,
باز او آن عشرها را با خدو ** میبچفسانید بر اطراف رو
And once more that bezel (paragon of beauty) would arrange her veil, and (again) the bits of the Book would fall from her face to the ground.1275
باز چادر راست کردی آن تکین ** عشرها افتادی از رو بر زمین
Since they always dropped off though she tried many an artifice, (at last) she exclaimed, “A hundred curses on Iblís!”
چون بسی میکرد فن و آن میفتاد ** گفت صد لعنت بر آن ابلیس باد
Immediately Iblís took (visible) shape and said (to her), “O luckless dried-up harlot,
شد مصور آن زمان ابلیس زود ** گفت ای قحبهی قدید بیورود
In all my life I have never thought of this: I have never seen this (impiety practised) by any harlot except thee.
من همه عمر این نیندیشیدهام ** نه ز جز تو قحبهای این دیدهام