این حکایت بشنو از صاحب بیان ** در طریق و عادت قزوینیان
Hear from the narrator this story about the way and custom of the people of Qazwín.
بر تن و دست و کتفها بی‌‌گزند ** از سر سوزن کبودیها زنند
They tattoo themselves in blue with the point of a needle on body and hand and shoulders, so as to suffer no injury.
سوی دلاکی بشد قزوینیی ** که کبودم زن بکن شیرینیی
A certain man of Qazwín went to a barber and said, “Tattoo me (and) do it charmingly (artistically).”
گفت چه صورت زنم ای پهلوان ** گفت بر زن صورت شیر ژیان
“O valiant sir,” said he, “what figure shall I tattoo?” He answered, “Prick in the figure of a furious lion.
طالعم شیر است نقش شیر زن ** جهد کن رنگ کبودی سیر زن2985
Leo is my ascendant: tattoo the form of a lion. Exert yourself, prick in plenty of the blue dye.”
گفت بر چه موضعت صورت زنم ** گفت بر شانه‌‌گهم زن آن رقم
“On what place,” he asked, “shall I tattoo you?” Said he, “Prick the design on my shoulder-blade.”
چون که او سوزن فرو بردن گرفت ** درد آن در شانگه مسکن گرفت
As soon as he began to stick in the needle, the pain of it settled in the shoulder,
پهلوان در ناله آمد کای سنی ** مر مرا کشتی چه صورت می‌‌زنی
And the hero fell a-moaning—“O illustrious one, you have killed me: what figure are you tattooing?”
گفت آخر شیر فرمودی مرا ** گفت از چه عضو کردی ابتدا
“Why,” said he, “you bade me do a lion.” “What limb (of the lion),” asked the other, “did you begin with?”
گفت از دمگاه آغازیده‌‌ام ** گفت دم بگذار ای دو دیده‌‌ام2990
“I have begun at the tail,” said he. “O my dear friend,” he cried, “leave out the tail!
از دم و دمگاه شیرم دم گرفت ** دمگه او دمگهم محکم گرفت
My breath is stopped by the lion's tail and rump: his rump has tightly closed (choked) my windpipe.
شیر بی‌‌دم باش گو ای شیر ساز ** که دلم سستی گرفت از زخم گاز
Let the lion be without a tail, O lion-maker, for my heart is faint from the blows of the prong (the tattooer's needle).”
جانب دیگر گرفت آن شخص زخم ** بی‌‌محابا بی‌‌مواسا بی‌‌ز رحم
That person commenced to prick in (the blue) on another part (of the man's shoulder) without fear, without favour, without mercy.
بانگ کرد او کاین چه اندام است از او ** گفت این گوش است ای مرد نکو
He yelled—“Which of his members is this?” “This is his ear, my good man,” the barber replied.
گفت تا گوشش نباشد ای حکیم ** گوش را بگذار و کوته کن گلیم2995
“O Doctor,” said he, “let him have no ears: omit the ears and cut the frock short.”
جانب دیگر خلش آغاز کرد ** باز قزوینی فغان را ساز کرد
The barber began to insert (his needle) in another part: once more the man of Qazwín set out to wail,
کاین سوم جانب چه اندام است نیز ** گفت این است اشکم شیر ای عزیز
Saying, “What is the member (you are pricking in) now on this third spot?” He replied, “This is the lion's belly, my dear sir.”
گفت تا اشکم نباشد شیر را ** چه شکم باید نگار سیر را
“Let the lion have no belly,” said he: “the pain has become too great: do not strike (further) blows.”
خیره شد دلاک و بس حیران بماند ** تا به دیر انگشت در دندان بماند
The barber became distraught and then remained in bewilderment: he stood for a long time with his fingers in his teeth;
بر زمین زد سوزن از خشم اوستاد ** گفت در عالم کسی را این فتاد3000
The master angrily flung the needle to the ground and said, “Has this happened to any one in the world?
شیر بی‌‌دم و سر و اشکم که دید ** این چنین شیری خدا خود نافرید
Who (ever) saw a lion without tail and head and belly? God himself did not create a lion like this.”
ای برادر صبر کن بر درد نیش ** تا رهی از نیش نفس گبر خویش
O brother, endure the pain of the lancet, that you may escape from the poison of your miscreant self (nafs),
کان گروهی که رهیدند از وجود ** چرخ و مهر و ماهشان آرد سجود
For sky and sun and moon bow in worship to the people who have escaped from self existence.
هر که مرد اندر تن او نفس گبر ** مر و را فرمان برد خورشید و ابر
Any one in whose body the miscreant self has died, sun and cloud obey his command.
چون دلش آموخت شمع افروختن ** آفتاب او را نیارد سوختن3005
Since his heart has learned to light the candle (of spiritual knowledge and love), the sun cannot burn him.
گفت حق در آفتاب منتجم ** ذکر تزاور کذا عن کهفهم
God hath made mention of the rising sun as turning aside— like that—from their cave.
خار جمله لطف چون گل می‌‌شود ** پیش جزوی کاو سوی کل می‌‌رود
The thorn becomes entirely beautiful, like the rose, in the sight of the particular that is going towards the Universal.
چیست تعظیم خدا افراشتن ** خویشتن را خوار و خاکی داشتن
What is (the meaning of) to exalt and glorify God? To deem yourself despicable and (worthless) as dust.
چیست توحید خدا آموختن ** خویشتن را پیش واحد سوختن
What is (the meaning of) to learn the knowledge of God's unity? To consume yourself in the presence of the One.
گر همی‌‌خواهی که بفروزی چو روز ** هستی همچون شب خود را بسوز3010
If you wish to shine like day, burn up your night-like self-existence.
هستی‌‌ات در هست آن هستی نواز ** همچو مس در کیمیا اندر گداز
Melt away your existence, as copper (melts away) in the elixir, in the being of Him who fosters (and sustains) existence.
در من و ما سخت کرده ستی دو دست ** هست این جمله‌‌ی خرابی از دو هست
You have fastened both your hands tight on (are determined not to give up) “I” and “we”: all this (spiritual) ruin is caused by dualism.
رفتن گرگ و روباه در خدمت شیر به شکار
How the wolf and fox went to hunt in attendance on the lion.
شیر و گرگ و روبهی بهر شکار ** رفته بودند از طلب در کوهسار
A lion, wolf, and fox had gone to hunt in the mountains in quest (of food),
تا به پشت همدگر بر صیدها ** سخت بر بندند بار قیدها
That by supporting each other they might tie fast the burden of the fetters (of captivity) on the hunted animals,
هر سه با هم اندر آن صحرای ژرف ** صیدها گیرند بسیار و شگرف3015
And all three together might seize much and great quarry in that deep wilderness.
گر چه ز یشان شیر نر را ننگ بود ** لیک کرد اکرام و همراهی نمود
Although the fierce lion was ashamed of them (the wolf and fox), yet he did them honour and gave them his company on the way.
این چنین شه را ز لشکر زحمت است ** لیک همره شد جماعت رحمت است
To a king like this the (escort of) soldiers are an annoyance, but he accompanied them: a united party is a mercy (from God).
این چنین مه را ز اختر ننگهاست ** او میان اختران بهر سخاست
A moon like this is disgraced by the stars: it is amongst the stars for generosity's sake.
امر شاورهم پیمبر را رسید ** گر چه رایی نیست رایش را ندید
The (Divine) command, Consult them, came to the Prophet, though no counsel is to be compared with his own.
در ترازو جو رفیق زر شده ست ** نی از آن که جو چو زر گوهر شده ست3020
In the scales barley has become the companion of gold, (but that is) not because barley has become a substance like gold.
روح قالب را کنون همره شده ست ** مدتی سگ حارس درگه شده ست
The spirit has now become the body's fellow-traveller: the dog has become for a time the guardian of the palace-gate.
چون که رفتند این جماعت سوی کوه ** در رکاب شیر با فر و شکوه
When this party (the wolf and fox) went to the mountains at the stirrup (side) of the lion majestic and grand,
گاو کوهی و بز و خرگوش زفت ** یافتند و کار ایشان پیش رفت
They found a mountain-ox and goat and fat hare, and their business went forward (prosperously).
هر که باشد در پی شیر حراب ** کم نیاید روز و شب او را کباب
Whoever is on the heels of him that is a lion in combat, roast-meat does not fail him by day or by night.
چون ز که در بیشه آوردندشان ** کشته و مجروح و اندر خون کشان3025
When they brought them (the animals which they had caught) from the mountains to the jungle, killed and wounded and dragging along in (streams of) blood,
گرگ و روبه را طمع بود اندر آن ** که رود قسمت به عدل خسروان
The wolf and fox hoped that a division (of the prey) would be made according to the justice of emperors.
عکس طمع هر دوشان بر شیر زد ** شیر دانست آن طمعها را سند
The reflexion of the hope of both of them struck the lion: the lion knew (what was) the ground for those hopes.
هر که باشد شیر اسرار و امیر ** او بداند هر چه اندیشد ضمیر
Any one that is the lion and prince of (spiritual) mysteries, he will know all that the conscience thinks.
هین نگه دار ای دل اندیشه جو ** دل ز اندیشه‌‌ی بدی در پیش او
Beware! Guard thyself, O heart disposed to thinking, from any evil thought in his presence.
داند و خر را همی‌‌راند خموش ** در رخت خندد برای روی‌‌پوش3030
He knows and keeps riding on silently: he smiles in thy face in order to mask (his feelings).