کرد اشارت دلق که ای شاه کرم ** یک‌دمی بگذار تا من دم زنم
Dalqak made a gesture, as though to say, “O gracious king, let me have a moment to take breath,
تا که باز آید به من عقلم دمی ** که فتادم در عجایب عالمی
That my wits may once come back to me, for I am fallen into a marvellous state (of exhaustion).”
بعد یک ساعت که شه از وهم و ظن ** تلخ گشتش هم گلو و هم دهن 2530
After a little while, during which both the throat and the mouth of the king were made bitter by (anxious) foreboding and surmise—
که ندیده بود دلقک را چنین ** که ازو خوشتر نبودش هم‌نشین
Because he had never seen Dalqak like this; for there was no companion more agreeable to him than he;
دایما دستان و لاغ افراشتی ** شاه را او شاد و خندان داشتی
He was always bringing up stories and jests and keeping the king in merriment and laughter.
آن چنان خندانش کردی در نشست ** که گرفتی شه شکم را با دو دست
When sitting (with him) he used to make him laugh so (heartily) that the king would grip his belly with both hands;
که ز زور خنده خوی کردی تنش ** رو در افتادی ز خنده کردنش
And (many a time) his body sweated from the violence of his laughter and he would fall on his face with laughing.
باز امروز این چنین زرد و ترش ** دست بر لب می‌زند کای شه خمش 2535
(How strange, then, that) to-day, on the contrary, he (Dalqak), pale and grim like this, is laying his hand on his lips as though to say, “Hush, O King!”
وهم در وهم و خیال اندر خیال ** شاه را تا خود چه آید از نکال
Foreboding on foreboding and fancy on fancy (occurred) to the king (as he wondered) what chastisement would come (upon him),
که دل شه با غم و پرهیز بود ** زانک خوارمشاه بس خون‌ریز بود
For the king's heart was anxious and alarmed because the Khwárizmsháh was very bloodthirsty,