A Súfí came (back) to his house in the daytime: the house had (only) one door, and his wife was with a cobbler.
صوفیی آمد به سوی خانه روز ** خانه یک در بود و زن با کفش‌دوز
Uxor copulata erat cum servo (amatore) suo in illo uno cubiculo propter corporis libidenem. [(His) wife was copulating with her slave (lover) in that one chamber due to bodily temptation.]
جفت گشته با رهی خویش زن ** اندر آن یک حجره از وسواس تن
When in the forenoon the Súfí knocked on the door with all his might, both (the lovers) were at a loss (what to do): (there was) neither device nor way (of escape).160
چون بزد صوفی به جد در چاشتگاه ** هر دو درماندند نه حیلت نه راه
It was never known (it was unprecedented) for him to return home from the shop at that time,
هیچ معهودش نبد کو آن زمان ** سوی خانه باز گردد از دکان
But on that day the alarmed man purposely returned to his house at an unseasonable hour, because of a fancy (suspicion).
قاصدا آن روز بی‌وقت آن مروع ** از خیالی کرد تا خانه رجوع
The wife's confidence was (based) on the fact that he had never come home from his work at this time.
اعتماد زن بر آن کو هیچ بار ** این زمان فا خانه نامد او ز کار
By (Divine) destiny, her reasoning did not come (turn out to be) right: though He (God) is the Coverer (of sins), still He will impose the penalty.
آن قیاسش راست نامد از قضا ** گرچه ستارست هم بدهد سزا
When you have done evil, be afraid, do not be secure, since it (the evil) is seed, and God will cause it to grow.165
چونک بد کردی بترس آمن مباش ** زانک تخمست و برویاند خداش
For awhile He covers it up, to the end that sorrow and shame for (having committed) that evil may come to you.
چند گاهی او بپوشاند که تا ** آیدت زان بد پشیمان و حیا
In the time of ‘Umar, that Prince of the Faithful gave a thief over to the executioner and officer of police.
عهد عمر آن امیر مومنان ** داد دزدی را به جلاد و عوان
The thief cried out, saying, ‘O Prince of the land, this is my first offence. Mercy!’
بانگ زد آن دزد کای میر دیار ** اولین بارست جرمم زینهار
‘God forfend,’ said ‘Umar, ‘that God should inflict severe punishment the first time.
گفت عمر حاش لله که خدا ** بار اول قهر بارد در جزا
He covers up (the sin) many times in order to manifest His grace; then again, He chastises (the sinner) in order to manifest His justice,170
بارها پوشد پی اظهار فضل ** باز گیرد از پی اظهار عدل
To the end that both these attributes may be displayed, and the former be hope-inspiring and the latter deterrent.’
تا که این هر دو صفت ظاهر شود ** آن مبشر گردد این منذر شود
The woman, too, had committed this wickedness many times: it passed lightly (over her) and seemed light to her.
بارها زن نیز این بد کرده بود ** سهل بگذشت آن و سهلش می‌نمود
The feeble intelligence (which she had) was unaware that the pitcher does not for ever come (back) whole from the brook.
آن نمی‌دانست عقل پای‌سست ** که سبو دایم ز جو ناید درست
That (Divine) destiny brought her to such straits as sudden death does (in the case of) the (religious) hypocrite,
آنچنانش تنگ آورد آن قضا ** که منافق را کند مرگ فجا
(When there is) neither way (of escape) nor comrade (to help) nor (hope of) quarter, (and when) the Angel (of Death) has put out his hand to (seize) the soul.175
نه طریق و نه رفیق و نه امان ** دست کرده آن فرشته سوی جان
(Such is the state of the hypocrite), even as this woman in that chamber of iniquity was paralysed, she and her companion, by the tribulation.
آنچنان کین زن در آن حجره جفا ** خشک شد او و حریفش ز ابتلا
The Súfí said to himself, ‘O ye two miscreants, I will take vengeance on you, but with patience.
گفت صوفی با دل خود کای دو گبر ** از شما کینه کشم لیکن به صبر
(I will not act in haste) but at this moment I will feign ignorance, that every ear may not hear this bell.’
لیک نادانسته آرم این نفس ** تا که هر گوشی ننوشد این جرس
He (God) who manifests the right takes vengeance on you secretly, little by little, like the malady of phthisis.
از شما پنهان کشد کینه محق ** اندک اندک هم‌چو بیماری دق
The man suffering from phthisis dwindles incessantly like ice, but at every moment he thinks he is better.180
مرد دق باشد چو یخ هر لحظه کم ** لیک پندارد بهر دم بهترم
(He is) like the hyena which they (the hunters) are catching, and which is duped by their saying, ‘Where is this hyena?’
هم‌چو کفتاری که می‌گیرندش و او ** غره‌ی آن گفت کین کفتار کو
That woman had no secret room; she had no subterranean cellar or passage, no way to the top (of the house),
هیچ پنهان‌خانه آن زن را نبود ** سمج و دهلیز و ره بالا نبود
No oven where he (her lover) might be concealed, nor any sack that might be a screen for him.
نه تنوری که در آن پنهان شود ** نه جوالی که حجاب آن شود
’Twas like the broad plain of Resurrection Day—no hollow or hillock or place of refuge.
هم‌چو عرصه‌ی پهن روز رستخیز ** نه گو و نه پشته نه جای گریز
God hath described this distressful place, (which is) for the scene of the (Last) Congregation, (in the words) thou wilt not see therein any unevenness.185
گفت یزدان وصف این جای حرج ** بهر محشر لا تری فیها عوج
How the wife, for the sake of imposition, hid the beloved one under her chádar and offered a false excuse, "for verily, great is the cunning of you (women)."
معشوق را زیر چادر پنهان کردن جهت تلبیس و بهانه گفتن زن کی ان کید کن عظیم
She quickly threw her chádar upon him: she made the man a woman and opened the door.
چادر خود را برو افکند زود ** مرد را زن ساخت و در را بر گشود
Beneath the chádar the man was exposed to view and clearly seen—very conspicuous, like a camel on a staircase.
زیر چادر مرد رسوا و عیان ** سخت پیدا چون شتر بر نردبان
She said, ‘’Tis a lady, one of the notables of the town: she has her share of wealth and fortune.
گفت خاتونیست از اعیان شهر ** مر ورا از مال و اقبالست بهر
I bolted the door, lest any stranger should come in suddenly unawares.’
در ببستم تا کسی بیگانه‌ای ** در نیاید زود نادانانه‌ای
The Súfí said, ‘Oh, what service is there (to be done) for her, that I may perform it without (expecting) any thanks or favour (in return)?’190
گفت صوفی چیستش هین خدمتی ** تا بر آرم بی‌سپاس و منتی
She (the wife) said, ‘Her desire is kinship and alliance (with us): she is an excellent lady, God knows who she is.
گفت میلش خویشی و پیوستگیست ** نیک خاتونیست حق داند که کیست
She wished to see our daughter privily; (but) as it happens, the girl is at school;
خواست دختر را ببیند زیر دست ** اتفاقا دختر اندر مکتبست
(So) then she said, Whether she (the daughter) be flour or bran, with (all my) soul and heart I will make her (my son's) bride.
باز گفت ار آرد باشد یا سبوس ** می‌کنم او را به جان و دل عروس
She has a son, who is not in the town: he is handsome and clever, an active lad and one that earns a living.’
یک پسر دارد که اندر شهر نیست ** خوب و زیرک چابک و مکسب کنیست
The Súfí said, ‘We are poor and wretched and inferior (in station); this lady's family are rich and respected.195
گفت صوفی ما فقیر و زار و کم ** قوم خاتون مال‌دار و محتشم
How should this (girl) be an equal match for them in marriage?—one folding door of wood and another of ivory!
کی بود این کفو ایشان در زواج ** یک در از چوب و دری دیگر ز عاج
In wedlock both the partners must be equal, otherwise it will pinch, and (their) happiness will not endure.’
کفو باید هر دو جفت اندر نکاح ** ورنه تنگ آید نماند ارتیاح
How the wife said that she (the lady) was not bent upon household goods, and that what she wanted was modesty and virtue; and how the Súfí answered her (his wife) cryptically.
گفتن زن کی او در بند جهاز نیست مراد او ستر و صلاحست و جواب گفتن صوفی این را سرپوشیده
She (the wife) said, ‘I gave such an excuse, but she said, No, I am not one who seeks (worldly) means.
گفت گفتم من چنین عذری و او ** گفت نه من نیستم اسباب جو
We are sick and surfeited with possessions and gold; we are not like the common folk in regard to coveting and amassing (wealth).
ما ز مال و زر ملول و تخمه‌ایم ** ما به حرص و جمع نه چون عامه‌ایم
Our quest is (for) modesty and purity and virtue: truly, welfare in both worlds depends on that.’200
قصد ما سترست و پاکی و صلاح ** در دو عالم خود بدان باشد فلاح
The Súfí once more made the excuse of poverty and repeated it, so that it should not be hidden.
باز صوفی عذر درویشی بگفت ** و آن مکرر کرد تا نبود نهفت
The wife replied, ‘I too have repeated it and have explained our lack of household goods;
گفت زن من هم مکرر کرده‌ام ** بی‌جهازی را مقرر کرده‌ام
(But) her resolution is firmer than a mountain, for she is not dismayed by a hundred poverties.
اعتقاد اوست راسختر ز کوه ** که ز صد فقرش نمی‌آید شکوه
She keeps saying, What I want is chastity: the thing sought from you is sincerity and high-mindedness.’
او همی‌گوید مرادم عفتست ** از شما مقصود صدق و همتست
The Súfí said, ‘In sooth she has seen and is seeing our household goods and possessions, (both) the overt and the covert—205
گفت صوفی خود جهاز و مال ما ** دید و می‌بیند هویدا و خفا
A narrow house, a dwelling-place for a single person, where a needle would not remain hid.
خانه‌ی تنگی مقام یک تنی ** که درو پنهان نماند سوزنی
Moreover, she in (her) guilelessness knows better than we (what is) modesty and purity and renunciation and virtue.
باز ستر و پاکی و زهد و صلاح ** او ز ما به داند اندر انتصاح