How is it that you are not weary of your shop and of haggling and disputing in order to cheat people?
چون ز دکان و مکاس و قیل و قال ** در فریب مردمت ناید ملال
How is it that you have not been surfeited by speaking ill of men in their absence and backbiting them for sixty years?
چون ز غیبت و اکل لحم مردمان ** شصت سالت سیریی نامد از آن
Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a vile woman; [Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a ruptured (deflowered) vulva;]4300
عشوهها در صید شلهی کفته تو ** بی ملولی بارها خوش گفته تو
And the last time you utter them with fire and energy, a hundred times more ardently than the first time.
بار آخر گوییش سوزان و چست ** گرمتر صد بار از بار نخست
Passion makes the old medicine new; passion lops every bough of weariness.
درد داروی کهن را نو کند ** درد هر شاخ ملولی خو کند
Passion is the elixir that makes (things) new: how (can there be) weariness where passion has arisen?
کیمیای نو کننده دردهاست ** کو ملولی آن طرف که درد خاست
Oh, do not sigh heavily from weariness: seek passion, seek passion, passion, passion!
هین مزن تو از ملولی آه سرد ** درد جو و درد جو و درد درد
Vain remedies (only) beguile (true) passion: they are (like) brigands and those who extort money in the form of tolls.4305
خادع دردند درمانهای ژاژ ** رهزنند و زرستانان رسم باژ
A briny water is no remedy for thirst: (even) if it seem cold and delicious at the moment of drinking,
آب شوری نیست در مان عطش ** وقت خوردن گر نماید سرد و خوش
Yet it beguiles (you) and prevents (you) from seeking the sweet water by which a hundred plants are made to grow.
لیک خادع گشته و مانع شد ز جست ** ز آب شیرینی کزو صد سبزه رست
Likewise every piece of spurious gold prevents (you) from recognising the good (genuine) gold wherever it is (to be found).
همچنین هر زر قلبی مانعست ** از شناس زر خوش هرجا که هست
It (the spurious gold) cuts off your feet and (clips) your wings by imposture, saying, “I am what you seek: take me, O seeker.”
پا و پرت را به تزویری برید ** که مراد تو منم گیر ای مرید
It says, “I will remove thy passion,” (but) in truth it is (worthless as) dregs: it is (really) checkmate (defeat) though it is victory in appearance.4310
گفت دردت چینم او خود درد بود ** مات بود ار چه به ظاهر برد بود
Go, always be fleeing from the false remedy, in order that thy passion may be successful and rich in perfume.
رو ز درمان دروغین میگریز ** تا شود دردت مصیب و مشکبیز
He (the night-patrol) said, “You are not a thief and you are not a reprobate: you are a good man, but you are foolish and silly.
گفت نه دزدی تو و نه فاسقی ** مرد نیکی لیک گول و احمقی
You make such a long journey, (relying) on a phantasy and (mere) dream: your intelligence has not the least spark of brightness.
بر خیال و خواب چندین ره کنی ** نیست عقلت را تسوی روشنی
I have dreamed many times, continuously, that there is a concealed treasure at Baghdád,
بارها من خواب دیدم مستمر ** که به بغدادست گنجی مستتر
Buried in such-and-such a quarter and such-and-such a street” —the name, in fact, was that of the street where this sorrowful man lived.4315
در فلان سوی و فلان کویی دفین ** بود آن خود نام کوی این حزین
“It is in so-and-so's house: go and seek it!”—the enemy (the night-patrol) named the house and mentioned his (the treasure-seeker's) name.
هست در خانهی فلانی رو بجو ** نام خانه و نام او گفت آن عدو
“I myself have often dreamed that there is a treasure in the dwelling-place at Baghdád.
دیدهام خود بارها این خواب من ** که به بغدادست گنجی در وطن
I never left my home on account of this phantasy, (but) you in consequence of a single dream come (hither) without thinking of the fatigue.
هیچ من از جا نرفتم زین خیال ** تو به یک خوابی بیایی بیملال
The dreams of a fool are suitable to his intelligence: like it, they are worthless and good-for-nothing.
خواب احمق لایق عقل ویست ** همچو او بیقیمتست و لاشیست
Know that a woman's dreams are inferior to those of a man because of her deficiency of intelligence and weakness of soul.4320
خواب زن کمتر ز خواب مرد دان ** از پی نقصان عقل و ضعف جان
The dreams of one deficient in intelligence and foolish are of little value: what, then, must be the dreams produced by (entire) lack of intelligence? (Mere) wind!”
خواب ناقصعقل و گول آید کساد ** پس ز بیعقلی چه باشد خواب باد
He (the treasure-seeker) said to himself, “The treasure is in my house: then why am I poverty-stricken and lamenting there?
گفت با خود گنج در خانهی منست ** پس مرا آنجا چه فقر و شیونست