He who says, “I have collected riches”—what is (the meaning of) it? It means, “I have brought in all this filth.”
این سخن گرچه که رسوایی‌فزاست ** در میان تونیان زین فخرهاست
Albeit this saying is exceedingly disgraceful, there are boasts on this account amongst the stokers.
که تو شش سله کشیدی تا به شب ** من کشیدم بیست سله بی کرب255
(One of them says), “Thou hast carried (only) six baskets ere nightfall; I have carried twenty baskets without trouble.”
آنک در تون زاد و پاکی را ندید ** بوی مشک آرد برو رنجی پدید
He that was born in the stove and never saw purity, the smell of musk produces a painful effect upon him.
قصه‌ی آن دباغ کی در بازار عطاران از بوی عطر و مشک بیهوش و رنجور شد
Story of the tanner who fainted and sickened on smelling otto and musk in the bazaar of the perfumers.
آن یکی افتاد بیهوش و خمید ** چونک در بازار عطاران رسید
A certain man fell senseless and curled up as soon as he came into the bazaar of the perfumers.
بوی عطرش زد ز عطاران راد ** تا بگردیدش سر و بر جا فتاد
The scent of the perfume (floating) from the goodly perfumers smote him, so that his head reeled and he fell on the spot.
هم‌چو مردار اوفتاد او بی‌خبر ** نیم روز اندر میان ره‌گذر
He fell unconscious, like a carcase, at noontide in the middle of the thoroughfare.
جمع آمد خلق بر وی آن زمان ** جملگان لاحول‌گو درمان کنان260
Thereupon the people gathered over him, all crying Lá hawl and applying remedies.
آن یکی کف بر دل او می براند ** وز گلاب آن دیگری بر وی فشاند
One was putting his hand on his (the tanner's) heart, while another sprinkled rose-water upon him;
او نمی‌دانست کاندر مرتعه ** از گلاب آمد ورا آن واقعه
(For) he did not know that from (smelling) rose-water in the meadow (the bazaar) that calamity had overtaken him.
آن یکی دستش همی‌مالید و سر ** وآن دگر کهگل همی آورد تر
One was massaging his hands and head, and another was bringing moist clay mixed with straw (to serve as a cold plaster);
آن بخور عود و شکر زد به هم ** وآن دگر از پوششش می‌کرد کم
One compounded incense of aloes-wood and sugar, while another was divesting him of part of his clothes;
وآن دگر نبضش که تا چون می‌جهد ** وان دگر بوی از دهانش می‌ستد265
And another felt his pulse, to see how it was beating; and another was smelling his mouth,
تا که می خوردست و یا بنگ و حشیش ** خلق درماندند اندر بیهشیش
To see whether he had drunk wine or eaten beng or hashish: the people (having exhausted every resource) remained in despair at his insensibility.
پس خبر بردند خویشان را شتاب ** که فلان افتاده است آن‌جا خراب
So they speedily brought the news to his kinsfolk—“Such and such a person is lying there in a state of collapse;
کس نمی داند که چون مصروع گشت ** یا چه شد کو را فتاد از بام طشت
No one knows how he was stricken with catalepsy, or what it was that led to this public exposure.”
یک برادر داشت آن دباغ زفت ** گربز و دانا بیامد زود تفت
That stout tanner had a brother, (who was) cunning and sagacious: he came at once in hot haste.
اندکی سرگین سگ در آستین ** خلق را بشکافت و آمد با حنین270
(With) a small quantity of dog's dung in his sleeve, he cleft (his way through) the crowd and approached (the senseless man) with cries of grief.
گفت من رنجش همی دانم ز چیست ** چون سبب دانی دوا کردن جلیست
“I know,” said he, “whence his illness arises: when you know the cause (of a disease), the (means of) curing (it) is manifest.
چون سبب معلوم نبود مشکلست ** داروی رنج و در آن صد محملست
When the cause is unknown, the remedy for the illness is difficult (to find), and in that (case) there are a hundred grounds to which it may be referred;
چون بدانستی سبب را سهل شد ** دانش اسباب دفع جهل شد
(But) when you have ascertained the cause, it becomes easy: knowledge of causes is the means of expelling ignorance.”
گفت با خود هستش اندر مغز و رگ ** توی بر تو بوی آن سرگین سگ
He said to himself, “The smell of that dog's dung is multiplied in his brain and veins.