Let the cooking-pot boil gradually, as a skilful (cook) does: the stew boiled in a mad hurry is of no use.
دیگ را تدریج و استادانه جوش ** کار ناید قلیه‌ی دیوانه جوش
Was not God able to create heaven in one moment by (the word) “Be”? Without any doubt (He was).
حق نه قادر بود بر خلق فلک ** در یکی لحظه به کن بی‌هیچ شک
Why, then, O seeker of instruction, did He extend (the time) for it to six days, every day (being as long as) a thousand years?
پس چرا شش روز آن را درکشید ** کل یوم الف عام ای مستفید
Wherefore is the creation of a child (completed) in nine months? Because gradualness is a characteristic of (the action of) that King.1215
خلقت طفل از چه اندر نه مه‌است ** زانک تدریج از شعار آن شه‌است
Why was (the time occupied in) the creation of Adam forty mornings? (Because) He (God) was adding (perfections) to that clay little by little,
خلقت آدم چرا چل صبح بود ** اندر آن گل اندک‌اندک می‌فزود
Not like you, O foolish one, who have rushed forward just now: you are a child, and you have made yourself out to be an Elder.
نه چو تو ای خام که اکنون تاختی ** طفلی و خود را تو شیخی ساختی
You have run up, like a gourd, to the top of all, (but) where is the (spiritual) warfare and combat to sustain you?
بر دویدی چون کدو فوق همه ** کو ترا پای جهاد و ملحمه
You have rested on trees and walls for support: you have climbed up like a pumpkin, O little baldhead.
تکیه کردی بر درختان و جدار ** بر شدی ای اقرعک هم قرع‌وار
If at first you mounted on a tall cypress, yet in the end you are dry and pulpless and empty.1220
اول ار شد مرکبت سرو سهی ** لیک آخر خشک و بی‌مغزی تهی
Your green (fresh) colour soon turned yellow (faded), O pumpkin, for it was derived from rouge, it was not original.
رنگ سبزت زرد شد ای قرع زود ** زانک از گلگونه بود اصلی نبود
Story of the old woman who used to depilate and rouge her ugly face, though it could never be put right and become pleasing.
داستان آن عجوزه کی روی زشت خویشتن را جندره و گلگونه می‌ساخت و ساخته نمی‌شد و پذیرا نمی‌آمد
There was a decrepit old woman aged ninety years, her face covered with wrinkles and her complexion (yellow as) saffron.
بود کمپیری نودساله کلان ** پر تشنج روی و رنگش زعفران
Her face was in folds like the surface of a traveller's food-wallet, but there remained in her the passionate desire for a husband.
چون سر سفره رخ او توی توی ** لیک در وی بود مانده عشق شوی
Her teeth had dropped out and her hair had become (white) as milk: her figure was (bent) like a bow, and every sense in her was decayed.
ریخت دندانهاش و مو چون شیر شد ** قد کمان و هر حسش تغییر شد
Her passion for a husband and her lust and desire were (there) in full (force): the passion for snaring (was there), though the trap had fallen to pieces.1225
عشق شوی و شهوت و حرصش تمام ** عشق صید و پاره‌پاره گشته دام
(She was like) a cock that crows at the wrong time, a road that leads nowhere, a big fire beneath an empty kettle;
مرغ بی‌هنگام و راه بی‌رهی ** آتشی پر در بن دیگ تهی
(Like one who is) exceedingly fond of the race-course, but has no horse and no means of running; (or) exceedingly fond of piping, but having neither lip nor pipe.
عاشق میدان و اسپ و پای نی ** عاشق زمر و لب و سرنای نی
May (even) Jews have no (such) cupidity in (their) old age! Oh, (how) miserable is he on whom God hath bestowed this cupidity!
حرص در پیری جهودان را مباد ** ای شقیی که خداش این حرص داد
A dog's teeth drop out when it grows old: it leaves people (alone) and takes to (eating) dung;
ریخت دندانهای سگ چون پیر شد ** ترک مردم کرد و سرگین‌گیر شد
(But) look at these sexagenarian dogs! Their dog-teeth get sharper at every moment.1230
این سگان شصت ساله را نگر ** هر دمی دندان سگشان تیزتر
The hairs drop from the fur of an old dog; (but) see these old (human) dogs clad in satin!
پیر سگ را ریخت پشم از پوستین ** این سگان پیر اطلس‌پوش بین
See how their passionate desire and greed for women and gold, like the progeny of dogs, is increasing continually!
عشقشان و حرصشان در فرج و زر ** دم به دم چون نسل سگ بین بیشتر
Such a life as this, which is Hell's stock-in-trade, is a shambles for the butchers (executioners) of (the Divine) Wrath;
این چنین عمری که مایه‌ی دوزخ است ** مر قصابان غضب را مسلخ است
(Yet) when people say to him, “May your life be long!” he is delighted and opens his mouth in laughter.
چون بگویندش که عمر تو دراز ** می‌شود دلخوش دهانش از خنده باز
He thinks a curse like this is a benediction: he never uncloses his (inward) eye or raises his head once (from the slumber of heedlessness).1235
این چنین نفرین دعا پندارد او ** چشم نگشاید سری بر نارد او
If he had seen (even as much as) a hair's tip of the future state, he would have said to him (who wished him long life), “May thy life be like this!”
گر بدیدی یک سر موی از معاد ** اوش گفتی این چنین عمر تو باد
Story of the dervish who blessed a man of Gílán, saying, “May God bring thee back in safety to thy home and household!”
داستان آن درویش کی آن گیلانی را دعا کرد کی خدا ترا به سلامت به خان و مان باز رساناد
One day a sturdy beggar, (who was) very fond of bread and carried a basket (about with him), accosted a Khwája of Gílán.
گفت یک روزی به خواجه‌ی گیلیی ** نان پرستی نر گدا زنبیلیی
On receiving some bread from him, he cried, “O Thou (God) whose help is besought, bring him back happy to his home and household!”
چون ستد زو نان بگفت ای مستعان ** خوش به خان و مان خود بازش رسان
He (the Khwája) said, “If the house is the one that I have seen (recently), may God bring thee there, O squalid wretch!”
گفت خان ار آنست که من دیده‌ام ** حق ترا آنجا رساند ای دژم
Worthless folk humiliate every story-teller: if his words are lofty, they make them low;1240
هر محدث را خسان باذل کنند ** حرفش ار عالی بود نازل کنند
For the tale is (lofty or low) in proportion to (the understanding of) the hearer: the tailor cuts the coat according to the Khwája's (customer's) figure.
زانک قدر مستمع آید نبا ** بر قد خواجه برد درزی قبا
[Description of the old woman.]
صفت آن عجوز
Since the audience is not free from such reproach, there is no means of avoiding low and undignified talk.
چونک مجلس بی چنین پیغاره نیست ** از حدیث پست نازل چاره نیست
Hark, redeem this topic (of discourse) from pawn: return to the tale of the old woman.
واستان هین این سخن را از گرو ** سوی افسانه‌ی عجوزه باز رو
When he (any one) has become advanced in years and is not a man (adept) in this Way, bestow the name of “aged crone” upon him.
چون مسن گشت و درین ره نیست مرد ** تو بنه نامش عجوز سال‌خورد
He has neither (any spiritual) capital and basis, nor is he capable of receiving (such a) stock-in-trade.1245
نه مرورا راس مال و پایه‌ای ** نه پذیرای قبول مایه‌ای
He is neither a giver nor a receiver of (spiritual) delight; in him there is neither reality nor (the power of) absorbing reality.
نه دهنده نی پذیرنده‌ی خوشی ** نه درو معنی و نه معنی‌کشی
(He has) neither tongue nor ear nor understanding and insight nor consciousness nor unconsciousness nor reflections;
نه زبان نه گوش نه عقل و بصر ** نه هش و نه بیهشی و نه فکر
Neither humble supplication nor any beauty (with which) to show pride: his (whole interior), coat on coat, is stinking, like an onion.
نه نیاز و نه جمالی بهر ناز ** تو بتویش گنده مانند پیاز
He has not traversed any path, nor (has he) the foot for (any power to traverse) the path: that shameless one has neither (inward) glow nor burning (passion) and sighs.
نه رهی ببریده او نه پای راه ** نه تبش آن قحبه را نه سوز و آه
Story of the dervish to whom, whenever he begged anything from a certain house, he (the owner) used to say, “It is not (to be had here).”
قصه‌ی درویشی کی از آن خانه هرچه می‌خواست می‌گفت نیست
A beggar came to a house and asked for a piece of dry bread or a piece of moist (new) bread.1250
سایلی آمد به سوی خانه‌ای ** خشک نانه خواست یا تر نانه‌ای
The owner of the house said, “Where is bread in this place? Are you crazy? How is this (house) a baker's shop?”
گفت صاحب‌خانه نان اینجا کجاست ** خیره‌ای کی این دکان نانباست
“At least,” he begged, “get me a little bit of fat.” “Why,” said he, “it isn't a butcher's shop.”
He said, “O master of the house, give me a pittance of flour.” “Do you think this is a mill?” he replied.
گفت پاره‌ی آرد ده ای کدخدا ** گفت پنداری که هست این آسیا
“Well then,” said he, “give me some water from the reservoir.” “Why,” he replied, “it isn't a river or a watering-place.”
گفت باری آب ده از مکرعه ** گفت آخر نیست جو یا مشرعه
Whatever he asked for, from bread to bran, he (the householder) was mocking and deriding him.1255
هر چه او درخواست از نان یا سبوس ** چربکی می‌گفت و می‌کردش فسوس
The beggar went in and drew up his skirt: in ea domo voluit consulto cacare. [The beggar went in and drew up his skirt: he wanted to defecate deliberately inside the house.]
آن گدا در رفت و دامن بر کشید ** اندر آن خانه بحسبت خواست رید
He (the householder) cried, “Hey, hey!” “Be quiet, O morose man,” said he, “ut in hoc loco deserto alvum exonerem. [He (the householder) cried, “Hey, hey!” “Be quiet, O morose man,” said he, “so that I may relieve myself inside this desolate place.]
گفت هی هی گفت تن زن ای دژم ** تا درین ویرانه خود فارغ کنم
Since there is no means of living (zístan) here, upon a house like this cacare (rístan) oportet.” [Since there is no means of living (zístan) here, one should defecate (rístan) upon a house such as this.”]
چون درینجا نیست وجه زیستن ** بر چنین خانه بباید ریستن
Since you are not a falcon, so as to (be able to) catch the prey, (a falcon) hand-trained for the King's hunting;
چون نه‌ای بازی که گیری تو شکار ** دست آموز شکار شهریار
Nor a peacock painted with a hundred (beautiful) designs, so that (all) eyes should be illumined by the picture which you present;1260
نیستی طاوس با صد نقش بند ** که به نقشت چشمها روشن کنند
Nor a parrot, so that when sugar is given to you, (all) ears should bend to (listen to) your sweet talk;
هم نه‌ای طوطی که چون قندت دهند ** گوش سوی گفت شیرینت نهند