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6
1683-1732

  • Then he saluted him warmly, and the master(-tailor) sprang up from his seat and opened his lips to bid him welcome.
  • 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.
  • When he (the Turk) heard from him a song like the nightingale's, he threw down before him the piece of Stamboul satin, 1685
  • Saying, ‘Cut this into a coat for the day of battle: (let it be) wide below my navel and tight above it—
  • Tight above, to show off my body (figure); wide below, so as not to hamper my legs.’
  • 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.
  • Then he measured (the satin) and inspected the working surface (of it) and, after that, opened his lips in idle chat.
  • Of stories about other Amírs and of the bounties and gifts of those persons 1690
  • And about the misers and their (mean) economies—(of all this) he gave a sample for the purpose of (exciting) laughter.
  • In a flash he whipped out a pair of scissors and went on cutting while his lips were full of tales and beguiling talk.
  • 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).
  • The Turk began to laugh at the stories, and at that moment his narrow eyes closed.
  • He (the tailor) filched a shred (of satin) and put it under his thigh, (where it was) hidden from all living beings except God.
  • God saw it, but He is disposed to cover up (sins); yet when you carry (them) beyond bounds He is a tell-tale. 1695
  • From his delight in his (the tailor's) anecdotes the Turk's former boast went out of his head.
  • What satin? What boast? What wager? The Turk is intoxicated with the jokes of the pasha.
  • The Turk implored him, crying, ‘For God's sake go on telling jokes, for they are meat to me.’
  • (Then) the rascal told such a ridiculous story that he (the Turk) fell on his back in an explosion of laughter.
  • 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
  • Still (continuing his entreaties), the Turk of Khitá said for the third time, ‘Tell me a joke for God's sake!’
  • 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.
  • His eyes shut, his reason flown, bewildered, the boastful Turk was intoxicated with guffaws.
  • 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).
  • When for the fourth time the Turk of Khitá was demanding a jest from the master(-tailor), 1705
  • The master took pity on him and put aside (abandoned) artfulness and injustice.
  • 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).’
  • (Nevertheless) he (the Turk) showered kisses on (the face and eyes of) the master, crying, ‘For God's sake tell me a story!’
  • O thou who hast become a story and (art) dead to (useful) existence, how long wilt thou wish to make trial of stories?
  • No story is more laughable than thou (thyself): stand (and meditate) on the edge of thine own ruinous grave! 1710
  • 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?
  • How long wilt thou listen to the blandishments of this world that leave neither thy mind underanged nor thy spirit?
  • The jests of Time, this mean and petty boon-companion, have robbed of honour a hundred thousand like thee.
  • This Universal Tailor is ever tearing and stitching the garments of a hundred travellers silly as children.
  • If his jests conferred a gift on the orchards (in spring), when December came they (his jests) gave that gift to the winds. 1715
  • The old children sit down beside him to beg that he will jest (and amuse them) by (giving them) fortunes good or bad.
  • How the tailor said to the Turk, “Hey, hold your tongue: if I tell any more funny stories the coat will be (too) tight for you.”
  • The tailor said, ‘Begone, unmanly fellow! Woe to you if I make another jest;
  • (For) then, after that, the coat will be (too) tight for you: does any one practice this (fraud) on himself?
  • What laughter (is this)? If you had an inkling (of the truth), instead of laughing you would weep (tears of) blood.’
  • Explaining that the idle folk who wish (to hear) stories are like the Turk, and that the deluding and treacherous World is like the tailor, and that lusts and women are (like) this World's telling laughable jokes, and that Life resembles the piece of satin placed before this Tailor to be made into a coat of eternity and a garment of piety.
  • The Tailor, (who is) Worldly Vanity, takes away the satin of your life, bit by bit, with his scissors, (which are) the months. 1720
  • You wish that your star might always jest and your happiness continue for ever.
  • You are very angry with its quartile aspects and its disdain and enmity and mischiefs;
  • You are very annoyed with its silence and inauspiciousness and severity and its endeavour to show hostility,
  • Saying, ‘Why doesn't the merry Venus dance?’ Do not depend on its good luck and auspicious dance.
  • Your star says, ‘If I jest any more, I shall cause you to be swindled entirely.’ 1725
  • Do not regard the counterfeiting of these stars: regard your love for the counterfeiter, O despicable man.
  • Parable.
  • A certain man was on the way to his shop (when) he found the road in front of him barred by women.
  • He was hurrying along hot-foot, and the way was blocked by a crowd of women (beautiful) as the moon.
  • He turned his face to one woman and said, ‘O vile (creature), how numerous you are, little girls, eh!’
  • The woman turned towards him and replied, ‘O man of trust, do not think it dreadful that there are so many of us. 1730
  • Consider that notwithstanding the multitude of us on the earth you (men) find it insufficient for your enjoyment.
  • Propter paucitatem feminarum inciditis in paedicationem: infamissini in mundo sunt agens et patiens.’ [Because of the scarcity of women, you engage in sodomy: (both) active and passive (homosexuals) are the shame of the world.]