این زمان بشنو چه مانع شد مگر ** مستمع را رفت دل جای دگر
Hear what has interfered (hindered my exposition) at the present time: methinks the hearer's mind has wandered elsewhere.
خاطرش شد سوی صوفی قنق ** اندر آن سودا فرو شد تا عنق
His thoughts have turned to the Súfí guest: he is sunk up to the neck (wholly absorbed) in that business.
لازم آمد باز رفتن زین مقال ** سوی آن افسانه بهر وصف حال
(Therefore) it behoves me to go back from this discourse to that story in order to describe what happened (to him).
صوفی آن صورت مپندار ای عزیز ** همچو طفلان تا کی از جوز و مویز
O dear friend, do not fancy the Súfí is the (external) form (which you behold): how long, like children, (will you be content) with walnuts and raisins?
جسم ما جوز و مویز است ای پسر ** گر تو مردی زین دو چیز اندر گذر200
Our body is (as) walnuts and raisins, O son; if you are a man, relinquish these two things;
ور تو اندر نگذری اکرام حق ** بگذراند مر ترا از نه طبق
And (even) if you do not relinquish them (by your own act), the grace of God will enable you to pass beyond the nine tiers (of Heaven).
بشنو اکنون صورت افسانه را ** لیک هین از که جدا کن دانه را
Now listen to the outward form of the tale, but take heed to separate the grain from the chaff.
.
.
حلقه‌ای آن صوفیان مستفید ** چون که در وجد و طرب آخر رسید
When at last (the meditation of) that circle of Súfís who were seeking (spiritual) profit came to an end (culminated) in ecstasy and enthusiasm,
خوان بیاوردند بهر میهمان ** از بهیمه یاد آورد آن زمان
They brought dishes of food for the guest, and he then bethought him of his beast.
گفت خادم را که در آخر برو ** راست کن بهر بهیمه کاه و جو205
He said to the famulus (the servant of the Súfís), “Go into the stable and make the straw and barley all right for the animal.”
گفت لا حول این چه افزون گفتن است ** از قدیم این کارها کار من است
“Good gracious!” he replied, “why this saying overmuch? These things have been my care since long ago.”
گفت تر کن آن جوش را از نخست ** کان خر پیر است و دندانهاش سست
The Súfí said, “First wet his barley, for ’tis an old ass, and his teeth are shaky.”
گفت لاحول این چه میگویی مها ** از من آموزند این ترتیبها
“Good gracious!” said he, “why are you telling (me) this, Sir? They are taught by me (to make) these arrangements.”
گفت پالانش فرو نه پیش پیش ** داروی منبل بنه بر پشت ریش
The Súfí said, “First of all take off his saddle and (then) put the salve of manbal on his sore back.”
گفت لاحول آخر ای حکمت گزار ** جنس تو مهمانم آمد صد هزار210
“Good gracious!” exclaimed the servant. “Why, O purveyor of wisdom, I have had a thousand guests of your sort,
جمله راضی رفتهاند از پیش ما ** هست مهمان جان ما و خویش ما
And all have departed from us well-pleased: the guest is (dear to us as) our life and our kinsman.”
گفت آبش ده و لیکن شیر گرم ** گفت لاحول از توام بگرفت شرم
The Súfí said, “Give him water, but (let it be) lukewarm.” “Good gracious!” cried the other, “I am ashamed of you.”
گفت اندر جو تو کمتر کاه کن ** گفت لاحول این سخن کوتاه کن
The Súfí said, “Put (only) a little straw in his barley.” “Good gracious! Cut short this speech,” he replied.
گفت جایش را بروب از سنگ و پشک ** ور بود تر ریز بر وی خاک خشک
The Súfí said, “Sweep his place (clear) of stones and dung, and if it is wet, sprinkle dry earth on it.”
گفت لاحول ای پدر لاحول کن ** با رسول اهل کمتر گو سخن215
“Good gracious!” cried he, “implore God's grace, O father and say little (give few instructions) to a messenger who knows his business.”
گفت بستان شانه پشت خر بخار ** گفت لاحول ای پدر شرمی بدار
The Súfí said, “Take the comb and curry the ass's back.” “Good gracious! do have some shame, O father,” said he.
خادم این گفت و میان را بست چست ** گفت رفتم کاه و جو آرم نخست
The servant said this and briskly girded up his loins. “I go,” said he; “first I will fetch the straw and barley.”
رفت و از آخر نکرد او هیچ یاد ** خواب خرگوشی بدان صوفی بداد
Off he went and never thought of the stable at all: he gave that Súfí (a pretence like) the sleep of the hare.
رفت خادم جانب اوباش چند ** کرد بر اندرز صوفی ریشخند
The servant went off to (join) some rascals and made a mockery of the Súfí's admonition.
صوفی از ره مانده بود و شد دراز ** خوابها میدید با چشم فراز220
The Súfí was fatigued by his journey and stretched his limbs (lay down to sleep): with his eyes closed he was dreaming
کان خرش در چنگ گرگی مانده بود ** پارهها از پشت و رانش میربود
That his ass was left (helpless) in the clutch of a wolf, (which) was tearing pieces (of flesh) from its back and thighs.
گفت لاحول این چه مالیخولیاست ** ای عجب آن خادم مشفق کجاست
“Good gracious!” he exclaimed, “what melancholy (madness) is this? Oh, where is that kindly servant?”
باز میدید آن خرش در راه رو ** گه به چاهی میفتاد و گه به گو
Again he would see his ass going along the road and falling now into a well and now into a ditch.
گونهگون میدید ناخوش واقعه ** فاتحه میخواند او و القارعه
He was dreaming various unpleasant dreams; he was reciting the Fátiha and the Qári‘a.
گفت چاره چیست یاران جستهاند ** رفتهاند و جمله درها بستهاند225
He said (to himself), “What can be done to help? My friends have hurried out: they have departed and made all the doors fast.”
باز میگفت ای عجب آن خادمک ** نه که با ما گشت هم نان و نمک
Again he would say, “Oh, I wonder—that wretched servant! Did not he partake of bread and salt with us?
من نکردم با وی الا لطف و لین ** او چرا با من کند بر عکس کین
I showed him nothing but courtesy and mildness: why should he on the contrary show hatred towards me?
هر عداوت را سبب باید سند ** ور نه جنسیت وفا تلقین کند
Every enmity must rest on some cause; otherwise, our common humanity would dictate faithfulness (in friendship).”
باز میگفت آدم با لطف وجود ** کی بر آن ابلیس جوری کرده بود
Then he would say again, “When had Adam, the kind and generous, done an injury to Iblís?
آدمی مر مار و کژدم را چه کرد ** کاو همیخواهد مر او را مرگ و درد230
What was done by man to snake and scorpion that they wish (to inflict) death and pain upon him?
گرگ را خود خاصیت بدریدن است ** این حسد در خلق آخر روشن است
To rend is the instinct of the wolf: after all, this envy is conspicuous in mankind.”
باز میگفت این گمان بد خطاست ** بر برادر این چنین ظنم چراست
Again he would say, “It is wrong thus to think evil: why have I such thoughts against my brother?”
باز گفتی حزم سوء الظن تست ** هر که بد ظن نیست کی ماند درست
Then he would say, “Prudence consists in your thinking evil: how shall he that thinks no evil remain unhurt?”
صوفی اندر وسوسه و آن خر چنان ** که چنین بادا جز ای دشمنان
The Súfí was in (this) anxiety, and (meanwhile) the ass was in such a plight that—may it befall our enemies!
آن خر مسکین میان خاک و سنگ ** کژ شده پالان دریده پالهنگ235
That poor ass was amidst earth and stones, with his saddle crooked and his halter torn,
خسته از ره جملهی شب بیعلف ** گاه در جان کندن و گه در تلف
Killed (exhausted) by the journey, without fodder all the night long, now at the last gasp and now perishing.
خر همه شب ذکر میکرد ای اله ** جو رها کردم کم از یک مشت کاه
All night the ass was repeating, “O God, I give up the barley; (but am I to have) less than one handful of straw?”
با زبان حال میگفت ای شیوخ ** رحمتی که سوختم زین خام شوخ
With mute eloquence he was saying, “O Shaykhs, (have) some pity, for I am consumed (with anguish) because of this raw impudent rogue.”
آن چه آن خر دید از رنج و عذاب ** مرغ خاکی بیند اندر سیل آب
What that ass suffered of pain and torment, the land-bird suffers (the same) in a flood of water.
بس به پهلو گشت آن شب تا سحر ** آن خر بیچاره از جوع البقر240
(All) that night till dawn the wretched ass, from exceeding hunger, rolled frequently on his side.
روز شد خادم بیامد بامداد ** زود پالان جست بر پشتش نهاد
Day rose. The servant came at morn and at once laid the saddle firmly on the ass's back.
خر فروشانه دو سه زخمش بزد ** کرد با خر آن چه ز آن سگ میسزد
After the fashion of ass-dealers he gave him two or three blows (with a goad): he did to the ass what is befitting from such a cur (as he was).
خر جهنده گشت از تیزی نیش ** کو زبان تا خر بگوید حال خویش
The sharpness of the sting set the ass jumping; where is the tongue (has an ass such a tongue) that he may describe his own state (feelings)?
گمان بردن کاروانیان که بهمیه‌ای صوفی رنجور است
How the people of the caravan supposed the Sufi's beast was ill
چون که صوفی بر نشست و شد روان ** رو در افتادن گرفت او هر زمان
When the Súfí mounted and got going, he (the ass) began to fall on his face every time,
هر زمانش خلق بر میداشتند ** جمله رنجورش همیپنداشتند245
(And) every time the people (the travellers) lifted him up: they all thought he was ill.