Setting forth to the people old stories concerning the thievery of that class (of men)?
خلق را در دزدی آن طایفه ** می‌نمود افسانه‌های سالفه
To that one and this one he would relate tales of their snatching (stealing) pieces of cloth while cutting it,
قصه‌ی پاره‌ربایی در برین ** می حکایت کرد او با آن و این
And during the night-talk he would read aloud a book on (the tricks of) tailors, when a throng had gathered round him.
در سمر می‌خواند دزدی‌نامه‌ای ** گرد او جمع آمده هنگامه‌ای
Since he found eager listeners among those who came (to hear him), all parts of him had become the story (that he was telling).1655
مستمع چون یافت جاذب زان وفود ** جمله اجزااش حکایت گشته بود
The Prophet, on whom be peace, said, ‘Verily God teaches wisdom by the tongues of the preachers according to the measure of the aspirations of those who hear them.’
قال النبی علیه السلام ان الله تعالی یلقن الحکمة علی لسان الواعظین بقدر همم المستمعین
If any one have suave eloquence, hearing draws it out: the teacher's enthusiasm and energy are (derived) from the boy (whom he teaches).
جذب سمعست ار کسی را خوش لبیست ** گرمی و جد معلم از صبیست
When the harpist who plays the four-and-twenty (musical modes) finds no ear (to listen), his harp becomes a burden;
چنگیی را کو نوازد بیست و چار ** چون نیابد گوش گردد چنگ بار
Neither ditty nor ode comes into his memory: his ten fingers will not get to work.
نه حراره یادش آید نه غزل ** نه ده انگشتش بجنبد در عمل
If there were no ears to receive (the message from) the Unseen, no announcer (prophet) would have brought a Revelation from Heaven;
And if there were no eyes to see the works of God, neither would the sky have revolved nor would the earth have smiled (been gay with verdure).1660
ور نبودی دیده‌های صنع‌بین ** نه فلک گشتی نه خندیدی زمین
The declaration lawláka (but for thee) means this, that the (whole) affair (of creation) is for the sake of the piercing eye and the seer.
آن دم لولاک این باشد که کار ** از برای چشم تیزست و نظار
How should the vulgar, in their love for bedfellow and dishes (of food), have any care for love of God's work?
عامه را از عشق هم‌خوابه و طبق ** کی بود پروای عشق صنع حق
You do not pour tutmáj broth into a trough till there are a number of greedy dogs to drink it.
آب تتماجی نریزی در تغار ** تا سگی چندی نباشد طعمه‌خوار
Go, be the Cave-dog of His Lordship in order that His election (of you) may deliver you from this trough.
رو سگ کهف خداوندیش باش ** تا رهاند زین تغارت اصطفاش
When he (the story-teller) related the pitiless thefts which those tailors commit in secret,1665
چونک دزدیهای بی‌رحمانه گفت ** کی کنند آن درزیان اندر نهفت
A Turk from Khitá (who was) amongst the crowd (audience) was exceedingly annoyed by that exposure.
اندر آن هنگامه ترکی از خطا ** سخت طیره شد ز کشف آن غطا
At night-time he (the story-teller) was exposing those secrets (of the tailors) for the benefit of the intelligent (listeners), as (plainly as secrets shall be exposed) on the Day of Resurrection.
شب چو روز رستخیز آن رازها ** کشف می‌کرد از پی اهل نهی
Wherever you come to close quarters with a wrangle, you will see there two enemies (engaged) in exposing (each other's) secret.
هر کجا آیی تو در جنگی فراز ** بینی آنجا دو عدو در کشف راز
Know that that hour (of quarrel) is (like) the (hour of the) Last Judgement mentioned (in the Qur’án), and know that the throat which tells the secret is (like) the trumpet (of Isráfíl);
آن زمان را محشر مذکور دان ** وان گلوی رازگو را صور دان
For God hath provided the motives of anger and (thus) hath cause those shameful things to be divulged.1670
که خدا اسباب خشمی ساختست ** وآن فضایح را بکوی انداختست
When he (the story-teller) had related many instances of the perfidy of tailors, the Turk became annoyed and angry and aggrieved,
بس که غدر درزیان را ذکر کرد ** حیف آمد ترک را و خشم و درد
And said, ‘O story-teller, in your city who is the greatest expert in this (kind of) deceit and fraud?’
گفت ای قصاص در شهر شما ** کیست استاتر درین مکر و دغا
[How the Turk boasted and wagered that the tailor would not be able to steal anything from him.]
دعوی کردن ترک و گرو بستن او کی درزی از من چیزی نتواند بردن
He replied, ‘There is a tailor named Pír-i Shush who beats (all other) folk in light-fingeredness and thievery.’
Because of his anxiety sleep did not overcome the Turk (all) that night: he was fighting with the phantom of the thief.
ترک را آن شب نبرد از غصه خواب ** با خیال دزد می‌کرد او حراب
In the morning he put a piece of satin under his arm, went to the bazaar, and (entered) the shop of that cunning rogue.
بامدادان اطلسی زد در بغل ** شد به بازار و دکان آن دغل
Then he saluted him warmly, and the master(-tailor) sprang up from his seat and opened his lips to bid him welcome.
پس سلامش کرد گرم و اوستاد ** جست از جا لب به ترحیبش گشاد
He inquired (after his health, etc.) with a cordiality exceeding (even) that of the Turk, so that he planted in his (the Turk's) heart (feelings of) affection for him.
گرم پرسیدش ز حد ترک بیش ** تا فکند اندر دل او مهر خویش
When he (the Turk) heard from him a song like the nightingale's, he threw down before him the piece of Stamboul satin,1685
چون بدید از وی نوای بلبلی ** پیشش افکند اطلس استنبلی
Saying, ‘Cut this into a coat for the day of battle: (let it be) wide below my navel and tight above it—
که ببر این را قبای روز جنگ ** زیر نافم واسع و بالاش تنگ
Tight above, to show off my body (figure); wide below, so as not to hamper my legs.’
تنگ بالا بهر جسم‌آرای را ** زیر واسع تا نگیرد پای را
He replied, ‘O kindly man, I will do (you) a hundred services,’ and in (token of) accepting it (the commission) he laid his hand upon his eye.
گفت صد خدمت کنم ای ذو وداد ** در قبولش دست بر دیده نهاد
Then he measured (the satin) and inspected the working surface (of it) and, after that, opened his lips in idle chat.
پس بپیمود و بدید او روی کار ** بعد از آن بگشاد لب را در فشار
Of stories about other Amírs and of the bounties and gifts of those persons1690
از حکایتهای میران دگر ** وز کرمها و عطاء آن نفر
And about the misers and their (mean) economies—(of all this) he gave a sample for the purpose of (exciting) laughter.
وز بخیلان و ز تحشیراتشان ** از برای خنده هم داد او نشان
In a flash he whipped out a pair of scissors and went on cutting while his lips were full of tales and beguiling talk.
هم‌چو آتش کرد مقراضی برون ** می‌برید و لب پر افسانه و فسون
How the tailor told laughable jests, and how the narrow eyes of the Turk were closed by the violence of his laughter, and how the tailor found an opportunity (to steal).
مضاحک گفتن درزی و ترک را از قوت خنده بسته شدن دو چشم تنگ او و فرصت یافتن درزی
The Turk began to laugh at the stories, and at that moment his narrow eyes closed.
ترک خندیدن گرفت از داستان ** چشم تنگش گشت بسته آن زمان
He (the tailor) filched a shred (of satin) and put it under his thigh, (where it was) hidden from all living beings except God.
پاره‌ای دزدید و کردش زیر ران ** از جز حق از همه احیا نهان
God saw it, but He is disposed to cover up (sins); yet when you carry (them) beyond bounds He is a tell-tale.1695
حق همی‌دید آن ولی ستارخوست ** لیک چون از حد بری غماز اوست
From his delight in his (the tailor's) anecdotes the Turk's former boast went out of his head.
ترک را از لذت افسانه‌اش ** رفت از دل دعوی پیشانه‌اش
What satin? What boast? What wager? The Turk is intoxicated with the jokes of the pasha.
اطلس چه دعوی چه رهن چه ** ترک سرمستست در لاغ اچی
The Turk implored him, crying, ‘For God's sake go on telling jokes, for they are meat to me.’
لابه کردش ترک کز بهر خدا ** لاغ می‌گو که مرا شد مغتذا
(Then) the rascal told such a ridiculous story that he (the Turk) fell on his back in an explosion of laughter.
گفت لاغی خندمینی آن دغا ** که فتاد از قهقهه او بر قفا
He (the tailor) swiftly clapped a shred of satin to the hem of his under-breeches, while the Turk was paying no attention and greedily sucking in (absorbing) the jests.1700
پاره‌ای اطلس سبک بر نیفه زد ** ترک غافل خوش مضاحک می‌مزد
Still (continuing his entreaties), the Turk of Khitá said for the third time, ‘Tell me a joke for God's sake!’
هم‌چنین بار سوم ترک خطا ** گفت لاغی گوی از بهر خدا