سوی قصه گفتنش می‌‌داشت گوش ** سوی نبض و جستنش می‌‌داشت هوش160
He listened to her story (while) he continued to observe her pulse and its beating,
تا که نبض از نام کی گردد جهان ** او بود مقصود جانش در جهان‌‌ا ن
So that at whosoever's name her pulse should begin to throb, (he might know that) that person is the object of her soul's desire in the world.
دوستان شهر او را بر شمرد ** بعد از آن شهری دگر را نام برد
He reckoned up the friends and town; then he mentioned another town by name.
گفت چون بیرون شدی از شهر خویش ** در کدامین شهر بوده ستی تو بیش
He said: “When you went forth from your own town, in which town did you live mostly?”
نام شهری گفت وز آن هم در گذشت ** رنگ روی و نبض او دیگر نگشت
She mentioned the name of a certain town and from that too she passed on (to speak of another, and meanwhile) there was no change in the colour of her face or in her pulse.
خواجگان و شهرها را یک به یک ** باز گفت از جای و از نان و نمک165
Masters and towns, one by one, she told of, and about dwelling-place and bread and salt.
شهر شهر و خانه خانه قصه کرد ** نی رگش جنبید و نی رخ گشت زرد
She told stories of many a town and many a house, (and still) no vein of her quivered nor did her cheek grow pale.
نبض او بر حال خود بد بی‌‌گزند ** تا بپرسید از سمرقند چو قند
Her pulse remained in its normal state, unimpaired, till he asked about Samarcand, the (city) sweet as candy.
نبض جست و روی سرخ و زرد شد ** کز سمرقندی زرگر فرد شد
(Thereat) her pulse jumped and her face went red and pale (by turns), for she had been parted from a man of Samarcand, a goldsmith.
چون ز رنجور آن حکیم این راز یافت ** اصل آن درد و بلا را باز یافت
When the physician found out this secret from the sick (girl), he discerned the source of that grief and woe.