How should the vulgar, in their love for bedfellow and dishes (of food), have any care for love of God's work?
عامه را از عشق همخوابه و طبق ** کی بود پروای عشق صنع حق
You do not pour tutmáj broth into a trough till there are a number of greedy dogs to drink it.
آب تتماجی نریزی در تغار ** تا سگی چندی نباشد طعمهخوار
Go, be the Cave-dog of His Lordship in order that His election (of you) may deliver you from this trough.
رو سگ کهف خداوندیش باش ** تا رهاند زین تغارت اصطفاش
When he (the story-teller) related the pitiless thefts which those tailors commit in secret,1665
چونک دزدیهای بیرحمانه گفت ** کی کنند آن درزیان اندر نهفت
A Turk from Khitá (who was) amongst the crowd (audience) was exceedingly annoyed by that exposure.
اندر آن هنگامه ترکی از خطا ** سخت طیره شد ز کشف آن غطا
At night-time he (the story-teller) was exposing those secrets (of the tailors) for the benefit of the intelligent (listeners), as (plainly as secrets shall be exposed) on the Day of Resurrection.
شب چو روز رستخیز آن رازها ** کشف میکرد از پی اهل نهی
Wherever you come to close quarters with a wrangle, you will see there two enemies (engaged) in exposing (each other's) secret.
هر کجا آیی تو در جنگی فراز ** بینی آنجا دو عدو در کشف راز
Know that that hour (of quarrel) is (like) the (hour of the) Last Judgement mentioned (in the Qur’án), and know that the throat which tells the secret is (like) the trumpet (of Isráfíl);
آن زمان را محشر مذکور دان ** وان گلوی رازگو را صور دان
For God hath provided the motives of anger and (thus) hath cause those shameful things to be divulged.1670
که خدا اسباب خشمی ساختست ** وآن فضایح را بکوی انداختست
When he (the story-teller) had related many instances of the perfidy of tailors, the Turk became annoyed and angry and aggrieved,
بس که غدر درزیان را ذکر کرد ** حیف آمد ترک را و خشم و درد
And said, ‘O story-teller, in your city who is the greatest expert in this (kind of) deceit and fraud?’
گفت ای قصاص در شهر شما ** کیست استاتر درین مکر و دغا
[How the Turk boasted and wagered that the tailor would not be able to steal anything from him.]
دعوی کردن ترک و گرو بستن او کی درزی از من چیزی نتواند بردن
He replied, ‘There is a tailor named Pír-i Shush who beats (all other) folk in light-fingeredness and thievery.’
Because of his anxiety sleep did not overcome the Turk (all) that night: he was fighting with the phantom of the thief.
ترک را آن شب نبرد از غصه خواب ** با خیال دزد میکرد او حراب
In the morning he put a piece of satin under his arm, went to the bazaar, and (entered) the shop of that cunning rogue.
بامدادان اطلسی زد در بغل ** شد به بازار و دکان آن دغل
Then he saluted him warmly, and the master(-tailor) sprang up from his seat and opened his lips to bid him welcome.
پس سلامش کرد گرم و اوستاد ** جست از جا لب به ترحیبش گشاد
He inquired (after his health, etc.) with a cordiality exceeding (even) that of the Turk, so that he planted in his (the Turk's) heart (feelings of) affection for him.
گرم پرسیدش ز حد ترک بیش ** تا فکند اندر دل او مهر خویش
When he (the Turk) heard from him a song like the nightingale's, he threw down before him the piece of Stamboul satin,1685
چون بدید از وی نوای بلبلی ** پیشش افکند اطلس استنبلی
Saying, ‘Cut this into a coat for the day of battle: (let it be) wide below my navel and tight above it—
که ببر این را قبای روز جنگ ** زیر نافم واسع و بالاش تنگ