گفت حق فرمود ما را بنده‌‌ای است ** صافی و شایسته و فرخنده‌‌ای است
He said, “God said, ‘We have a servant: he is a pure and worthy and blessed one.’
پیر چنگی کی بود خاص خدا ** حبذا ای سر پنهان حبذا
How should an old harper be the chosen of God? O Hidden Mystery, how excellent, how excellent art Thou!”
بار دیگر گرد گورستان بگشت ** همچو آن شیر شکاری گرد دشت
Once again he wandered about the graveyard, like the hunting lion about the desert.
چون یقین گشتش که غیر پیر نیست ** گفت در ظلمت دل روشن بسی است
When it became certain to him that none was there except the old man, he said, “Many an illumined heart is (to be found) in darkness.”
آمد او با صد ادب آن جا نشست ** بر عمر عطسه فتاد و پیر جست2175
He came and sat down there (beside him) with a hundred marks of respect. ‘Umar happened to sneeze, and the old man sprang to his feet.
مر عمر را دید و ماند اندر شگفت ** عزم رفتن کرد و لرزیدن گرفت
He saw ‘Umar and stood fixed in amazement: he resolved to go and began to tremble (with fear).
گفت در باطن خدایا از تو داد ** محتسب بر پیرکی چنگی فتاد
He said within himself, “O God, help, I beseech thee! The Inspector has fallen upon a poor old harper.”
چون نظر اندر رخ آن پیر کرد ** دید او را شرمسار و روی زرد
When ‘Umar looked on the old man's countenance, he saw him ashamed and pale.
پس عمر گفتش مترس از من مرم ** کت بشارتها ز حق آورده‌‌ام
Then ‘Umar said to him, “Fear not, do not flee from me, for I have brought thee glad tidings from God.
چند یزدان مدحت خوی تو کرد ** تا عمر را عاشق روی تو کرد2180
How often has God praised thy disposition, so that He has made ‘Umar in love with thy face!
پیش من بنشین و مهجوری مساز ** تا به گوشت گویم از اقبال راز
Sit down beside me and do not make separation (between us), that I may say into thine ear the secret (message) from (the Divine) favour.
حق سلامت می‌‌کند می‌‌پرسدت ** چونی از رنج و غمان بی‌‌حدت
God sends thee greeting and asks thee how thou farest in thy distress and boundless sorrows.
نک قراضه‌‌ی چند ابریشم بها ** خرج کن این را و باز اینجا بیا
Lo, here are some pieces of gold to pay for silk. Spend them and come back to this place.”
پیر لرزان گشت چون این را شنید ** دست می‌‌خایید و بر خود می‌‌تپید
The old man trembled when he heard this, biting his hand and quivering all over,
بانگ می‌‌زد کای خدای بی‌‌نظیر ** بس که از شرم آب شد بی‌‌چاره پیر2185
Crying, “O God who hast no like!” inasmuch as the poor old man was melted with shame.
چون بسی بگریست و از حد رفت درد ** چنگ را زد بر زمین و خرد کرد
After he had wept long and his grief had gone beyond (all) bounds, he dashed his harp on the earth and broke it to bits.
گفت ای بوده حجابم از اله ** ای مرا تو راه زن از شاه راه
He said, “O thou (harp) that hast been to me a curtain (debarring me) from God, O thou (that hast been) to me a brigand (cutting me off) from the King's highway,
ای بخورده خون من هفتاد سال ** ای ز تو رویم سیه پیش کمال
O thou that hast drunk my blood for seventy years, O thou because of whom my face is black (disgraced) before (the Divine) perfection!
ای خدای با عطای با وفا ** رحم کن بر عمر رفته در جفا
Have mercy, O bounteous God who keepest faith, on a life passed in iniquity!
داد حق عمری که هر روزی از آن ** کس نداند قیمت آن در جهان2190
God gave (me) a life, the value of every single day whereof none in the world can know.
خرج کردم عمر خود را دم‌‌به‌‌دم ** در دمیدم جمله را در زیر و بم
I have spent my life, breath by breath: I have breathed it all away in treble and bass.
آه کز یاد ره و پرده‌‌ی عراق ** رفت از یادم دم تلخ فراق
Ah me, that in minding the (musical) mode and rhythm of ‘Iráq the bitter moment of parting (from this world) went out of my mind (was forgotten).
وای کز تری زیر افکند خرد ** خشک شد کشت دل من دل بمرد
Alas that from the liquid freshness of the minor zírafgand the seed sown in my heart dried up, and my heart died.
وای کز آواز این بیست و چهار ** کاروان بگذشت و بی‌‌گه شد نهار
Alas that from (my preoccupation with) the sound of these four-and-twenty (melodies) the caravan passed and the day grew late.”
ای خدا فریاد زین فریادخواه ** داد خواهم نه ز کس زین داد خواه2195
O God, help (me) against this (self of mine) that is seeking help (from Thee): I seek justice (redress) from no one (else, but only) from this justice-seeking (self).