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از ره تقلید آن صوفی همین ** خر برفت آغاز کرد اندر حنین
- By way of imitation that Súfí began (to sing) in (tones of) impassioned feeling this same (phrase), “The ass is gone.”
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چون گذشت آن نوش و جوش و آن سماع ** روز گشت و جمله گفتند الوداع
- When the pleasure and excitement and music and dancing were over, day dawned and they all said, “Farewell!”
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خانقه خالی شد و صوفی بماند ** گرد از رخت آن مسافر میفشاند 540
- The monastery was deserted, and the Súfí remained (alone): that traveller set about shaking the dust from his baggage.
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رخت از حجره برون آورد او ** تا به خر بر بندد آن همراه جو
- He brought out the baggage from his cell, in order that he might tie it on the ass, (for he was) desirous of (finding) people to travel with.
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تا رسد در همرهان او میشتافت ** رفت در آخر خر خود را نیافت
- He was hurrying that he might overtake his fellow-travellers; he went into the stable but did not find the ass.
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گفت آن خادم به آبش برده است ** ز انکه خر دوش آب کمتر خورده است
- He said, “The servant has taken it (the ass) to water, because it drank little water last night.”
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خادم آمد گفت صوفی خر کجاست ** گفت خادم ریش بین جنگی بخاست
- The servant came, and the Súfí said to him, “Where is the ass?” “Look at your beard,” replied the servant, and a quarrel arose.
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گفت من خر را به تو بسپردهام ** من ترا بر خر موکل کردهام 545
- He (the Súfí) said, “I have entrusted the ass to you, I have put you in charge of the ass.
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از تو خواهم آن چه من دادم به تو ** باز ده آن چه فرستادم به تو
- Discuss (the matter) with propriety, don't argue: deliver back to me what I delivered to you.
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بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار ** آن چه بسپردم ترا واپس سپار
- I demand from you what I gave to you: return that which I sent to you.
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گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد ** بایدش در عاقبت واپس سپرد
- The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be restored (to its owner).
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ور نهای از سرکشی راضی بدین ** نک من و تو خانهی قاضی دین
- And if you, from insolence, are not content with this, look here, let us (go) to the house of the Cadi of (our) religion.”
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گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان ** حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان 550
- The servant said, “I was overpowered: the Súfís rushed (on me), and I was in fear for my life.
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تو جگر بندی میان گربگان ** اندر اندازی و جویی ز آن نشان
- Do you throw a liver with the parts next it amongst cats, and (then) seek the trace of it?
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در میان صد گرسنه گردهای ** پیش صد سگ گربهی پژمردهای
- One cake of bread amongst a hundred hungry people, one wasted (starved) cat before a hundred dogs?”
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گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند ** قاصد خون من مسکین شدند
- “I suppose,” said the Súfí, “that they took it (the ass) from you by violence, (and thereby) aimed at the life of wretched me;
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تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا ** که خرت را میبرند ای بینوا
- (And seeing this) you would not come and say to me, ‘They are taking away your ass, O poor man!’
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تا خر از هر که بود من واخرم ** ور نه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم 555
- So that I might buy back the ass from (the purchaser) whoever he is, or else they might divide my money (amongst themselves and return the ass to me).
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صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند ** این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند
- There were a hundred ways of mending (the injury) when they (the Súfís) were present, (but) now each one is gone to a (different) clime.
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من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم ** این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم
- Whom should I seize? Whom should I take to the Cadi? ’Tis from you in sooth that this judgement has come upon me.
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چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب ** پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب
- How wouldn't you come and say (to me), ‘O stranger, such a terrible outrage has occurred’?”
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گفت و الله آمدم من بارها ** تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها
- “By God,” said he, “I came several times to inform you of these doings,
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تو همیگفتی که خر رفت ای پسر ** از همه گویندگان با ذوقتر 560
- (But) you were always saying, ‘The ass is gone, O son,’ with more gusto than all (the others) who said it.
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باز میگشتم که او خود واقف است ** زین قضا راضی است مردی عارف است
- (So) I was (always) going back, (thinking), ‘He himself is aware; he is satisfied with this (Divine) judgement: he is a man that knows (God)’.”
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گفت آن را جمله میگفتند خوش ** مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش
- The Súfí said, “They all were saying (it) merrily, (so) I also took delight in saying it.