He dreamed that he heard a Voice from heaven saying, “Thy fortune will be found in Cairo;4240
خواب دید او هاتفی گفت او شنید ** که غنای تو به مصر آید پدید
Go to Cairo: there thy affair will be set right. He (God) hath accepted thy humble petition: He is the (only) Object of hope.
رو به مصر آنجا شود کار تو راست ** کرد کدیت را قبول او مرتجاست
In such-and-such a spot is a great treasure: thou must go to Cairo in quest of it.
در فلان موضع یکی گنجی است زفت ** در پی آن بایدت تا مصر رفت
Hark, O wretched man, go without any delay from Baghdád to Cairo and the home of sugar-candy.”
بی‌درنگی هین ز بغداد ای نژند ** رو به سوی مصر و منبت‌گاه قند
When he departed from Baghdád (and came) to Cairo, at the sight of Cairo his courage was restored,
چون ز بغداد آمد او تا سوی مصر ** گرم شد پشتش چو دید او روی مصر
(For he was) in hope of (the fulfilment of) the promise given by the heavenly Voice that he would find in Cairo the treasure to remove his trouble—4245
بر امید وعده‌ی هاتف که گنج ** یابد اندر مصر بهر دفع رنج
“In such and such a quarter and such and such a spot there is a buried treasure exceedingly rare and very choice.”
در فلان کوی و فلان موضع دفین ** هست گنجی سخت نادر بس گزین
But of money for expenses, great or small, he had nothing left; and he was about to go and beg from the common folk,
لیک نفقه‌ش بیش و کم چیزی نماند ** خواست دقی بر عوام‌الناس راند
But (feelings of) shame and honour held him back, (so that) he began to plant himself firmly on fortitude.
لیک شرم و همتش دامن گرفت ** خویش را در صبر افشردن گرفت
(Meanwhile), however, his soul fluttered (in distress) on account of hunger: he saw no means of escape from foraging and begging.
باز نفسش از مجاعت بر طپید ** ز انتجاع و خواستن چاره ندید
“At nightfall,” he said (to himself), “I will slip out very quietly, in order that I may beg in the dark without feeling ashamed.4250
گفت شب بیرون روم من نرم نرم ** تا ز ظلمت نایدم در کدیه شرم
At night I will chant (litanies) and bawl like a night-mendicant, that half a dáng may come to me from the roofs.”
هم‌چو شبکوکی کنم شب ذکر و بانگ ** تا رسد از بامهاام نیم دانگ
Thus meditating, he went out into the street, and with these thoughts (in his head) he wandered to and fro.
اندرین اندیشه بیرون شد بکوی ** واندرین فکرت همی شد سو به سوی
At one moment shame and dignity prevented him (from begging), at another moment hunger said to him, “Beg!”
یک زمان مانع همی‌شد شرم و جاه ** یک زمانی جوع می‌گفتش بخواه
Till a third part of the night was gone, (he kept putting) one foot forward and one foot backward (hesitating and asking himself), “Shall I beg or shall I lie down to sleep with my lips dry?”
پای پیش و پای پس تا ثلث شب ** که بخواهم یا بخسپم خشک‌لب
How that person arrived at Cairo and at night came out into the street to play the mendicant and beg, and how he was arrested by the night-patrol and after having been soundly beaten succeeded through him in gaining his object. “And it may be that ye loathe a thing though it is better for you”; and as God most High hath (also) said, “God will surely vouchsafe after hardship ease”; and as God most High hath said, “Lo, with hardship goeth ease”; and as he (the Prophet), on whom be peace, hath said, “O year of drought, become severe, and then thou wilt pass away.” And the whole of the Qur’án and all the Revealed Books confirm this.
رسیدن آن شخص به مصر و شب بیرون آمدن به کوی از بهر شبکوکی و گدایی و گرفتن عسس او را و مراد اوحاصل شدن از عسس بعد از خوردن زخم بسیار و عسی ان تکرهوا شیا و هو خیر لکم و قوله تعالی سیجعل الله بعد عسر یسرا و قوله علیه‌السلام اشتدی ازمة تنفرجی و جمیع القرآن و الکتب المنزلة فی تقریر هذا
Suddenly the night-patrol seized him and, unable to restrain his anger, beat him with fist and cudgel.4255
ناگهانی خود عسس او را گرفت ** مشت و چوبش زد ز صفرا تا شکفت
As it happened, the people (of the city) had suffered losses in those dark nights from (the depredations of) night-thieves.
اتفاقا اندر آن شب‌های تار ** دیده بد مردم ز شب‌دزدان ضرار
They were nights of alarm and disaster, and the police were searching for the thieves with all their might,
بود شب‌های مخوف و منتحس ** پس به جد می‌جست دزدان را عسس
(So much so) that the Khalífa said, “Cut off the hand of any one who roams about by night, even if he is a kinsman of mine.”
تا خلیفه گفت که ببرید دست ** هر که شب گردد وگر خویش منست
The king had terrified the police with threats, saying, “Why are you (so) merciful to the thieves?
بر عسس کرده ملک تهدید و بیم ** که چرا باشید بر دزدان رحیم
For what reason do you believe their blarney or why do you accept gold (bribes) from them?”4260
عشوه‌شان را از چه رو باور کنید ** یا چرا زیشان قبول زر کنید
To show mercy to thieves and any sinister-handed (noxious) person is to inflict blows and have no mercy on the weak.
رحم بر دزدان و هر منحوس‌دست ** بر ضعیفان ضربت و بی‌رحمیست
Beware, from sympathy with a particular (offender) do not let him go unpunished: do not consider his sufferings, consider the sufferings of the public.
هین ز رنج خاص مسکل ز انتقام ** رنج او کم بین ببین تو رنج عام
Amputate the snake-bitten finger to prevent (worse) mischief: keep in view the infection and (consequent) destruction of the (whole) body.
اصبع ملدوغ بر در دفع شر ** در تعدی و هلاک تن نگر
In those days, as it happened, the thieves, both expert and unskilled, had become numerous.
اتفاقا اندر آن ایام دزد ** گشته بود انبوه پخته و خام دزد