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2
202-251

  • 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.

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  • 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 جو 205
  • 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 هزار 210
  • “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 سخن‏ 215
  • “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 فراز 220
  • 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 بسته‏اند 225
  • 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 درد 230
  • 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 پالهنگ‏ 235
  • 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 البقر 240
  • (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 همی‏پنداشتند 245
  • (And) every time the people (the travellers) lifted him up: they all thought he was ill.

  • آن یکی گوشش همی‏پیچید سخت ** و آن دگر در زیر گامش جست لخت‏
  • One would twist his ears hard, while another sought for the (lacerated) part under his palate,

  • و آن دگر در نعل او می‏جست سنگ ** و آن دگر در چشم او می‏دید زنگ‏
  • And another searched for the stone in his shoe, and another looked at the dirt in his eye.

  • باز می‏گفتند ای شیخ این ز چیست ** دی نمی‏گفتی که شکر این خر قوی است‏
  • Also they were saying,“O Shaykh, what is the cause of this? Were not you saying yesterday, ‘Thanks (to God), this ass is strong’?”

  • گفت آن خر کاو به شب لاحول خورد ** جز بدین شیوه نداند راه کرد
  • He replied, “The ass that ate Lá hawl during the night cannot get along except in this manner.

  • چون که قوت خر به شب لاحول بود ** شب مسبح بود و روز اندر سجود 250
  • Inasmuch as the ass's food by night was Lá hawl, he was glorifying God by night and (is engaged) in prostrating himself by day.”

  • آدمی خوارند اغلب مردمان ** از سلام علیک‏شان کم جو امان‏
  • Most people are man-eaters: put no trust in their saying, “Peace to you.”