Re semiconfecta, iratus, agitans veretrum: quia te exspectat ideo (sunt) duo oculi ejus ad januam (conversi).” [Half-finished and angry, (its) penis (was still) moving: its (the ass’s) two eyes (were turned) toward the door in expectation of you.”]
نیم کاره و خشمگین جنبان ذکر ** ز انتظار تو دو چشمش سوی در
This she said under her breath and concealed (her thought) from the maid: at that moment she treated her, like innocent persons, honourably.
زیر لب گفت این نهان کرد از کنیز ** داشتش آن دم چو بی‌جرمان عزیز
Afterwards she said to her, “Put the chádar on your head, go and take a message from me to such and such a house.
بعد از آن گفتش که چادر نه به سر ** رو فلان خانه ز من پیغام بر
Say so-and-so and do so-and-so.” I abridge the talk of the women.
این چنین گو وین چنین کن وآنچنان ** مختصر کردم من افسانه‌ی زنان
Take the gist of what is to the purpose. When the discreet old woman had sent her (the maid) away,1360
آنچ مقصودست مغز آن بگیر ** چون براهش کرد آن زال ستیر
Propter ebrietatem libidinis gaudebat: she shut the door, saying meanwhile, [She was happy from the intoxication of (her) lust: she shut the door, saying meanwhile,]
بود از مستی شهوت شادمان ** در فرو بست و همی‌گفت آن زمان
“I have secured privacy, I will shout in thanksgiving: I am delivered from the four dángs and the two dángs.”
یافتم خلوت زنم از شکر بانگ ** رسته‌ام از چار دانگ و از دو دانگ
Gaudio hircus (prurigo) feminae quae in igne libidinis asini inquieta erat mille factus est. [From joy, the woman’s goat (of lust) had become a thousand (-fold); (she became) restless in the sparks of the ass’s lust.]
از طرب گشته بزان زن هزار ** در شرار شهوت خر بی‌قرار
Qualis hircus est ille quem tanta libido ludibrium fecit? Stultum deludi non est mirabile. [What goat (was) that?—for lust took her goat (made a fool of her). The taking of a fool’s goat is not (something) amazing.]
چه بزان که آن شهوت او را بز گرفت ** بز گرفتن گیج را نبود شگفت
Lustful desire makes the heart deaf and blind, so that an ass seems like Joseph, fire (like) light.1365
میل شهوت کر کند دل را و کور ** تا نماید خر چو یوسف نار نور
Oh, many a one intoxicated with fire and seeking fire deems himself absolute light.
ای بسا سرمست نار و نارجو ** خویشتن را نور مطلق داند او
(He is lost) unless a (chosen) servant of God, or the pull of God (Himself), lead him into the (right) way and turn over his leaf,
جز مگر بنده‌ی خدا یا جذب حق ** با رهش آرد بگرداند ورق
So that he may know that the fiery phantom (which he mistook for light) in the Path is but a loan (unreal).
تا بداند که آن خیال ناریه ** در طریقت نیست الا عاریه
(Sensual) cupidity causes foul things to appear fair: among the banes of the Way there is none like lust, none worse.
زشتها را خوب بنماید شره ** نیست چون شهوت بتر ز آفتاب ره
It has disgraced a hundred thousand good names, it has stupefied (besotted) a hundred thousand clever men.1370
صد هزاران نام خوش را کرد ننگ ** صد هزاران زیرکان را کرد دنگ
Since it caused an ass to appear (like) Joseph of Egypt, how (in what aspect) will that (miscreant) Jew cause a Joseph to appear?
چون خری را یوسف مصری نمود ** یوسفی را چون نماید آن جهود
Its spell made dung seem honey to you: what, forsooth, will it make honey seem at the time of contest?
بر تو سرگین را فسونش شهد کرد ** شهد را خود چون کند وقت نبرد
Lust arises from eating and drinking: diminish your food, or marry and (so) flee from wickedness.
شهوت از خوردن بود کم کن ز خور ** یا نکاحی کن گریزان شو ز شر
When you have eaten and drunk (too much), it leads to things forbidden: there must necessarily be some outgoing of income.
چون بخوردی می‌کشد سوی حرم ** دخل را خرجی بباید لاجرم
Marriage, then, is like (the exorcism), “There is neither power nor (strength except in God),” lest the Devil cast you into temptation.1375
پس نکاح آمد چو لاحول و لا ** تا که دیوت نفکند اندر بلا
Since you are fond of eating and drinking, ask a woman (in marriage) at once; else the cat comes and carries off the fat sheep's tail.
چون حریص خوردنی زن خواه زود ** ورنه آمد گربه و دنبه ربود
Quickly put a heavy load on the shying ass before he puts (you) down.
بار سنگی بر خری که می‌جهد ** زود بر نه پیش از آن کو بر نهد
(If) you do not know the effect of fire, hold aloof (from it): do not approach the fire with such (little) knowledge (as you have).
فعل آتش را نمی‌دانی تو برد ** گرد آتش با چنین دانش مگرد
If you have no knowledge of the cooking-pot and the fire, neither the pot nor the soup will be spared by the flames.
علم دیگ و آتش ار نبود ترا ** از شرر نه دیگ ماند نه ابا
Water must be there and skill too, in order that the (contents of the) pot may be safely cooked in boiling.1380
آب حاضر باید و فرهنگ نیز ** تا پزد آب دیگ سالم در ازیز
If you are ignorant of the science of the ironsmith, your beard and hair will be burned when you pass by that place (the forge).
چون ندانی دانش آهنگری ** ریش و مو سوزد چو آنجا بگذری
Femina januam clausit asinumque animo gaudente attraxit: necessario poenam gustavit. [The woman shut the (stable) door and drew the ass (to her) joyfully; necessarily, she tasted the penalty (for her shameful behavior).]
در فرو بست آن زن و خر را کشید ** شادمانه لاجرم کیفر چشید
In medium stabulum eum trahendo duxit: sub asino decubuit supina [Pulling, she brought it into the middle of the stable: she lay down on (her) back under the male ass]
در میان خانه آوردش کشان ** خفت اندر زیر آن نر خر ستان
In eadem sella quam viderat ab ancilla (adhibitam), ut ista meretrix quoque voto potiretur. [On the same chair that she saw (used) by the maidservant in order to attain her desire; that whore (did) also.]
هم بر آن کرسی که دید او از کنیز ** تا رسد در کام خود آن قحبه نیز
Pedem sustulit, asinus (veretrum) in eam trusit: asini veretro ignis in ea accensus est. [She raised (her) feet and the ass thrust (its penis) into her; a fire (of lust) was kindled in her by the ass’s penis.]1385
پا بر آورد و خر اندر ویی سپوخت ** آتشی از کیر خر در وی فروخت
Cum asinus eruditus esset, in hera infixit (veretrum) usque ad testiculos: simul hera periit. [The ass had been trained; it pressed (its penis) into the lady up to (its) testicles: the lady died at once.]
خر مدب گشته در خاتون فشرد ** تا بخایه در زمان خاتون بمرد
Jecur ejus veretri verbere discissum, viscera inter se dirupta. [(Her) liver was torn by the blow of the ass’s penis; (her) intestines were torn away from each other. ]
بر درید از زخم کیر خر جگر ** روده‌ها بسکسته شد از همدگر
Extemplo femina, nulla voce facta, animam reddidit: hinc cecidit sella, illinc femina. [She did not utter (anything): the woman gave up (her) soul at once. The chair fell to one side, the woman to (the other) side.]
دم نزد در حال آن زن جان بداد ** کرسی از یک‌سو زن از یک‌سو فتاد
Area stabuli sanguine plena, femina inverso capite prostrata: periit, animamque ejus abripuit Fati calamitas. [The floor of the stable became filled with blood, the woman (lay) prostrate: she died and the calamities (of Fate) took (her) life. ]
صحن خانه پر ز خون شد زن نگون ** مرد او و برد جان ریب المنون
Ecce mors nefanda cum centum opprobriis, O pater: num vidisti (quemquam) de veretro asini martyrem? [An abominable death with a hundred disgraces, O father: have you (ever) seen a martyr (slain) by an ass’s penis?]1390
مرگ بد با صد فضیحت ای پدر ** تو شهیدی دیده‌ای از کیر خر
Hear from the Qur’án (what is) the torment of disgrace: do not sacrifice your life in such a shameful cause.
تو عذاب الخزی بشنو از نبی ** در چنین ننگی مکن جان را فدی
Know that the male ass is this bestial soul: to be under it is more shameful than that (woman's behaviour).
دانک این نفس بهیمی نر خرست ** زیر او بودن از آن ننگین‌ترست
If you die in egoism in the way of (for the sake of) the fleshly soul, know for certain that you are like that woman.
در ره نفس ار بمیری در منی ** تو حقیقت دان که مثل آن زنی
He (God) will give our fleshly soul the form of an ass, because He makes the (outward) forms to be in accordance with the (inward) nature.
نفس ما را صورت خر بدهد او ** زانک صورتها کند بر وفق خو
This is the manifestation of the secret at the Resurrection: by God, by God, flee from the ass-like body!1395
این بود اظهار سر در رستخیز ** الله الله از تن چون خر گریز
God terrified (threatened) the unbelievers with the Fire: the unbelievers said, “Better the Fire than shame.”
کافران را بیم کرد ایزد ز نار ** کافران گفتند نار اولی ز عار
He said, “Nay, that Fire is the source of (all) shames”—like the fire (of lust) that destroyed this woman.
گفت نی آن نار اصل عارهاست ** هم‌چو این ناری که این زن را بکاست
In her greed she ate immoderately: the mouthful of an infamous death stuck in her throat (and choked her).
لقمه اندازه نخورد از حرص خود ** در گلو بگرفت لقمه مرگ بد
Eat (and drink) in moderation, O greedy man, though it be a mouthful of halwá or khabís.
لقمه اندازه خور ای مرد حریص ** گرچه باشد لقمه حلوا و خبیص
The high God hath given the balance a tongue (which you must regulate): hark, recite the Súratu’ l-Rahmán (the Chapter of the Merciful) in the Qur’án.1400
حق تعالی داد میزان را زبان ** هین ز قرآن سوره‌ی رحمن بخوان
Beware, do not in your greed let the balance go: cupidity and greed are enemies that lead you to perdition.
هین ز حرص خویش میزان را مهل ** آز و حرص آمد ترا خصم مضل
Greed craves all and loses all: do not serve greed, O ignoble son of the ignoble.
حرص جوید کل بر آید او ز کل ** حرص مپرست ای فجل ابن الفجل
The maid, whilst she went (on her errand), was saying (to herself), “Ah, mistress, thou hast sent away the expert.
آن کنیزک می‌شد و می‌گفت آه ** کردی ای خاتون تو استا را به راه
Thou wilt set to work without the expert and wilt foolishly hazard thy life.
کار بی‌استاد خواهی ساختن ** جاهلانه جان بخواهی باختن
O thou who hast stolen from me an imperfect knowledge, thou wert ashamed to ask about the trap.”1405
ای ز من دزدیده علمی ناتمام ** ننگ آمد که بپرسی حال دام