Whenever Noah was frying meat in the frying-pan, Wáhila (his wife) would throw stones at the frying-pan,
نوح چون بر تابه بریان ساختی ** واهله بر تابه سنگ انداختی
And his wife's plotting would defeat his (missionary) work, (so that) the clear water of his exhortation would become turbid;
مکر زن بر کار او چیره شدی ** آب صاف وعظ او تیره شدی
(For) she used to send secret messages to the (unbelieving) folk, saying, “Preserve your religion from (being corrupted by) these erring men!”
قوم را پیغام کردی از نهان ** که نگه دارید دین زین گمرهان
How the cadi went to the house of Júhí's wife, and how Júhí knocked angrily at the door, and how the cadi took refuge in a chest, etc.
رفتن قاضی به خانه‌ی زن جوحی و حلقه زدن جوحی به خشم بر در و گریختن قاضی در صندوقی الی آخره
The guile of woman is infinite. The sagacious cadi went at night to the wife ut cum ea coiret. [The guile of woman is infinite. The sagacious cadi went at night to the wife (of Júhí) for sexual intercourse.]4475
مکر زن پایان ندارد رفت شب ** قاضی زیرک سوی زن بهر دب
The wife set two (lighted) candles and the dessert for his entertainment. “(I can do) without this drink,” said he: “I am intoxicated (with love).”
زن دو شمع و نقل مجلس راست کرد ** گفت ما مستیم بی این آب‌خورد
At that moment Júhí came and knocked at the door: the cadi looked for a place into which he could slink for refuge.
اندر آن دم جوحی آمد در بزد ** جست قاضی مهربی تا در خزد
He saw no hiding-place but a chest: in his fright the man went into the chest.
غیر صندوقی ندید او خلوتی ** رفت در صندوق از خوف آن فتی
(Then) Júhí came in and said (to his wife), “O spouse, O thou who art my plague (both) in spring and autumn,
اندر آمد جوحی و گفت ای حریف ** اتی وبالم در ربیع و در خریف
What do I possess that is not sacrificed to thee: (why, then, is it) that thou art always crying out at me?4480
من چه دارم که فداات نیست آن ** که ز من فریاد داری هر زمان
Thou hast let loose thy tongue at my dry crusts: now thou callest me ‘pauper,’ now ‘cuckold.’
بر لب خشکم گشادستی زبان ** گاه مفلس خوانیم گه قلتبان
If, my dear, I suffer from these two maladies, one (the latter) comes from thee and the other from God.
این دو علت گر بود ای جان مرا ** آن یکی از تست و دیگر از خدا
What do I possess but that chest, which is a source of suspicion and a ground for (evil) surmise?
من چه دارم غیر آن صندوق که آن ** هست مایه‌ی تهمت و پایه‌ی گمان
People think I keep gold in it, and because of these (false) opinions charity is withheld from me.
خلق پندارند زر دارم درون ** داد واگیرند از من زین ظنون
The appearance of the chest is very pleasing, but it is quite empty of goods and silver and gold.4485
صورت صندوق بس زیباست لیک ** از عروض و سیم و ز خالیست نیک
(’Tis) like the person of a hypocrite, (one who is) handsome and dignified; (but) in the basket you will find nothing except a snake.
چون تن زراق خوب و با وقار ** اندر آن سله نیابی غیر مار
To-morrow I will take the chest into the street and burn it in the midst of the market at the cross-ways,
من برم صندوق را فردا به کو ** پس بسوزم در میان چارسو
That true believer and Zoroastrian and Jew may see there was nothing in this chest but (cause for) cursing.”
تا ببیند مومن و گبر و جهود ** که درین صندوق جز لعنت نبود
“O husband,” cried the woman, “come now, give up this (idea)!” (However), he swore several times that he would do just as he had said.
گفت زن هی در گذر ای مرد ازین ** خورد سوگندان که نکنم جز چنین
Early (next morning) he (went) like the wind, fetched a porter, and immediately put the chest on his back.4490
از پگه حمال آورد او چو باد ** زود آن صندوق بر پشتش نهاد
(He set off with it, while) the cadi inside the chest shouted in an agony (of terror), “O porter! O porter!”
اندر آن صندوق قاضی از نکال ** بانگ می‌زد که ای حمال و ای حمال
The porter looked to the right and the left to see from what direction the shouts and warnings were coming.
کرد آن حمال راست و چپ نظر ** کز چه سو در می‌رسد بانک و خبر
“I wonder,” said he, “is it a hátif, this voice which is calling me, or is it a peri (jinní) summoning me mysteriously?”
هاتفست این داعی من ای عجب ** یا پری‌ام می‌کند پنهان طلب
When the shouts followed one another in succession and increased, he said, “’Tis not a hátif,” and recovered himself.
چون پیاپی گشت آن آواز و بیش ** گفت هاتف نیست باز آمد به خویش
At last he perceived that the shouts and cries for help came from the chest and that somebody was concealed in it.4495
عاقبت دانست کان بانگ و فغان ** بد ز صندوق و کسی در وی نهان
The lover who has fallen passionately in love with an (earthly) object of affection has gone into the chest, though (in appearance) he is outside.
عاشقی کو در غم معشوق رفت ** گر چه بیرونست در صندوق رفت
He has spent (wasted) his life in the chest on account of (worldly) cares: he can see nothing of the world except a chest.
عمر در صندوق برد از اندهان ** جز که صندوقی نبیند از جهان
The head that is not (raised) above the sky—know that it is (confined) in that chest by its vain desires.
آن سری که نیست فوق آسمان ** از هوس او را در آن صندوق دان
When he (such an one) goes forth from the chest of the body, he will (only) go from one tomb to another tomb.
چون ز صندوق بدن بیرون رود ** او ز گوری سوی گوری می‌شود
This topic is endless. The cadi said to him, “O porter, O carrier of the chest,4500
این سخن پایان ندارد قاضیش ** گفت ای حمال و ای صندوق‌کش
Give news of me to my deputy at the court of justice and acquaint him with all (the details of) this (affair) as quickly as possible,
از من آگه کن درون محکمه ** نایبم را زودتر با این همه
In order that he may buy this (chest) with gold from this witless fellow and take it fastened, just as it is, to my house.”
تا خرد این را به زر زین بی‌خرد ** هم‌چنین بسته به خانه‌ی ما برد
O Lord, appoint a spiritually endowed company to redeem us from the chest of the body!
ای خدا بگمار قومی روحمند ** تا ز صندوق بدنمان وا خرند
Who but the prophets and apostles can redeem the people from confinement in the chest of guile?
خلق را از بند صندوق فسون ** کی خرد جز انبیا و مرسلون
Among thousands there is (only) one person of comely aspect, who knows that he is inside the chest.4505
از هزاران یک کسی خوش‌منظرست ** که بداند کو به صندوق اندرست
He must formerly have beheld the (spiritual) world, so that by means of that contrary this contrary should be made evident to him.
او جهان را دیده باشد پیش از آن ** تا بدان ضد این ضدش گردد عیان
Because “knowledge is the true believer's lost camel,” he recognises his own lost camel and feels certain (that it is his).
زین سبب که علم ضاله‌ی مومنست ** عارف ضاله‌ی خودست و موقنست
(But) he that has never seen good fortune, how will he be perturbed in this calamity?
آنک هرگز روز نیکو خود ندید ** او درین ادبار کی خواهد طپید
Either he fell into captivity in childhood, or was born a slave at first from his mother's womb.
یا به طفلی در اسیری اوفتاد ** یا خود از اول ز مادر بنده زاد
His soul has never known the delight of (spiritual) freedom: the chest of (phenomenal) forms is his arena.4510
ذوق آزادی ندیده جان او ** هست صندوق صور میدان او
His mind is for ever imprisoned in forms: he (only) passes from cage into cage.
دایما محبوس عقلش در صور ** از قفس اندر قفس دارد گذر
He has no means of passing beyond the cage (and going) aloft: he goes to and fro into (successive) cages.
منفذش نه از قفس سوی علا ** در قفس‌ها می‌رود از جا به جا
In the Qur’án (is the text), “If ye have the power, pass beyond”: these words came from Him (God) to the Jinn and mankind.
در نبی ان استطعتم فانفذوا ** این سخن با جن و انس آمد ز هو
He said, “There is no way for you to pass beyond the sky save by (Divine) authority and by inspiration from Heaven.”
گفت منفذ نیست از گردونتان ** جز به سلطان و به وحی آسمان
If he (any one) go from chest to chest, he is not of Heaven, he is of the chest (the lower world).4515
گر ز صندوقی به صندوقی رود ** او سمایی نیست صندوقی بود
The pleasure of changing his chest (only) stupefies him anew: he does not perceive that he is inside the chest.
فرجه صندوق نو نو مسکرست ** در نیابد کو به صندوق اندرست
If he is not deluded by (all) these chests, he seeks release and deliverance, like the cadi.