خار در پا شد چنین دشوار یاب ** خار در دل چون بود واده جواب
A thorn in the foot is so hard to find: how (then) is it with a thorn in the heart? Answer (that)!
خار در دل گر بدیدی هر خسی ** دست کی بودی غمان را بر کسی
If every base fellow had seen the thorn in the heart, when would sorrows gain the upper hand over any one?
کس به زیر دم خر خاری نهد ** خر نداند دفع آن بر میجهد
Somebody sticks a thorn under a donkey's tail: the donkey does not know how to get rid of it: he starts jumping.
بر جهد و ان خار محکمتر زند ** عاقلی باید که خاری بر کند155
He jumps, and the thorn strikes more firmly (pierces deeper): it needs an intelligent person to extract a thorn.
خر ز بهر دفع خار از سوز و درد ** جفته میانداخت صد جا زخم کرد
In order to get rid of the thorn, the donkey from irritation and pain went on kicking and dealing blows in a hundred places,
آن حکیم خارچین استاد بود ** دست میزد جا به جا میآزمود
(But) that thorn-removing physician was an expert: putting his hand on one spot after another, he tested (it).
ز ان کنیزک بر طریق داستان ** باز میپرسید حال دوستان
He inquired of the girl concerning her friends, by way of narrative,
با حکیم او قصهها میگفت فاش ** از مقام و خاجگان و شهر تاش
And she disclosed to the physician (many) circumstances touching her home and (former) masters and town and dwelling.
سوی قصه گفتنش میداشت گوش ** سوی نبض و جستنش میداشت هوش160
He listened to her story (while) he continued to observe her pulse and its beating,
تا که نبض از نام کی گردد جهان ** او بود مقصود جانش در جهانا ن
So that at whosoever's name her pulse should begin to throb, (he might know that) that person is the object of her soul's desire in the world.
دوستان شهر او را بر شمرد ** بعد از آن شهری دگر را نام برد
He reckoned up the friends and town; then he mentioned another town by name.
گفت چون بیرون شدی از شهر خویش ** در کدامین شهر بوده ستی تو بیش
He said: “When you went forth from your own town, in which town did you live mostly?”
نام شهری گفت وز آن هم در گذشت ** رنگ روی و نبض او دیگر نگشت
She mentioned the name of a certain town and from that too she passed on (to speak of another, and meanwhile) there was no change in the colour of her face or in her pulse.
خواجگان و شهرها را یک به یک ** باز گفت از جای و از نان و نمک165
Masters and towns, one by one, she told of, and about dwelling-place and bread and salt.
شهر شهر و خانه خانه قصه کرد ** نی رگش جنبید و نی رخ گشت زرد
She told stories of many a town and many a house, (and still) no vein of her quivered nor did her cheek grow pale.
نبض او بر حال خود بد بیگزند ** تا بپرسید از سمرقند چو قند
Her pulse remained in its normal state, unimpaired, till he asked about Samarcand, the (city) sweet as candy.
نبض جست و روی سرخ و زرد شد ** کز سمرقندی زرگر فرد شد
(Thereat) her pulse jumped and her face went red and pale (by turns), for she had been parted from a man of Samarcand, a goldsmith.
چون ز رنجور آن حکیم این راز یافت ** اصل آن درد و بلا را باز یافت
When the physician found out this secret from the sick (girl), he discerned the source of that grief and woe.
گفت کوی او کدام است در گذر ** او سر پل گفت و کوی غاتفر170
He said: “Which is his quarter in passing (through the town)?” “Sar-i Pul (Bridgehead),” she replied, “and Ghátafar street.”
گفت دانستم که رنجت چیست زود ** در خلاصت سحرها خواهم نمود
Said he: “I know what your illness is and I will at once display the arts of magic in delivering you.
شاد باش و فارغ و ایمن که من ** آن کنم با تو که باران با چمن
Be glad and care-free and have no fear, for I will do to you that which rain does to the meadow.
من غم تو میخورم تو غم مخور ** بر تو من مشفقترم از صد پدر
I will be anxious for you, be not you anxious: I am kinder to you than a hundred fathers.
هان و هان این راز را با کس مگو ** گر چه از تو شه کند بس جستجو
Beware! tell not this secret to any one, not though the king should make much inquiry from you.
چون که اسرارت نهان در دل شود ** آن مرادت زودتر حاصل شود175
When your heart becomes the grave of your secret, that desire of yours will be gained more quickly.”
گفت پیغمبر که هر که سر نهفت ** زود گردد با مراد خویش جفت
The Prophet said that any one who hides his inmost thought will soon attain to the object of his desire.