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
He (the tailor) told a story more laughable than (those which he had related) on the two previous occasions, and made this Turk entirely his prey.
گفت لاغی خندمینتر زان دو بار ** کرد او این ترک را کلی شکار
His eyes shut, his reason flown, bewildered, the boastful Turk was intoxicated with guffaws.
چشم بسته عقل جسته مولهه ** مست ترک مدعی از قهقهه
Then for the third time he (the tailor) filched a strip from the coat (which he was cutting), since the Turk's laughter gave him ample scope (for his dexterity).
پس سوم بار از قبا دزدید شاخ ** که ز خندهش یافت میدان فراخ
When for the fourth time the Turk of Khitá was demanding a jest from the master(-tailor),1705
چون چهارم بار آن ترک خطا ** لاغ از آن استا همیکرد اقتضا
The master took pity on him and put aside (abandoned) artfulness and injustice.
رحم آمد بر وی آن استاد را ** کرد در باقی فن و بیداد را
He said (to himself), ‘This infatuated man has a great desire for these (facetious tales), not knowing what a loss and swindle they are (for him).’
گفت مولع گشت این مفتون درین ** بیخبر کین چه خسارست و غبین
(Nevertheless) he (the Turk) showered kisses on (the face and eyes of) the master, crying, ‘For God's sake tell me a story!’
بوسهافشان کرد بر استاد او ** که بمن بهر خدا افسانه گو
O thou who hast become a story and (art) dead to (useful) existence, how long wilt thou wish to make trial of stories?
ای فسانه گشته و محو از وجود ** چند افسانه بخواهی آزمود
No story is more laughable than thou (thyself): stand (and meditate) on the edge of thine own ruinous grave!1710
خندمینتر از تو هیچ افسانه نیست ** بر لب گور خراب خویش ایست
O thou who hast gone down into the grave of ignorance and doubt, how long wilt thou seek (to hear) the jests and tales of Time?
ای فرو رفته به گور جهل و شک ** چند جویی لاغ و دستان فلک