بر تن و دست و کتفها بی‌‌گزند ** از سر سوزن کبودیها زنند

They tattoo themselves in blue with the point of a needle on body and hand and shoulders, so as to suffer no injury.

سوی دلاکی بشد قزوینیی ** که کبودم زن بکن شیرینیی‌‌

A certain man of Qazwín went to a barber and said, “Tattoo me (and) do it charmingly (artistically).”

گفت چه صورت زنم ای پهلوان ** گفت بر زن صورت شیر ژیان‌‌

“O valiant sir,” said he, “what figure shall I tattoo?” He answered, “Prick in the figure of a furious lion.

طالعم شیر است نقش شیر زن ** جهد کن رنگ کبودی سیر زن‌‌ 2985

Leo is my ascendant: tattoo the form of a lion. Exert yourself, prick in plenty of the blue dye.”

گفت بر چه موضعت صورت زنم ** گفت بر شانه‌‌گهم زن آن رقم‌‌

“On what place,” he asked, “shall I tattoo you?” Said he, “Prick the design on my shoulder-blade.”

چون که او سوزن فرو بردن گرفت ** درد آن در شانگه مسکن گرفت‌‌

As soon as he began to stick in the needle, the pain of it settled in the shoulder,

پهلوان در ناله آمد کای سنی ** مر مرا کشتی چه صورت می‌‌زنی‌‌

And the hero fell a-moaning—“O illustrious one, you have killed me: what figure are you tattooing?”

گفت آخر شیر فرمودی مرا ** گفت از چه عضو کردی ابتدا

“Why,” said he, “you bade me do a lion.” “What limb (of the lion),” asked the other, “did you begin with?”

گفت از دمگاه آغازیده‌‌ام ** گفت دم بگذار ای دو دیده‌‌ام‌‌ 2990

“I have begun at the tail,” said he. “O my dear friend,” he cried, “leave out the tail!

از دم و دمگاه شیرم دم گرفت ** دمگه او دمگهم محکم گرفت‌‌

My breath is stopped by the lion's tail and rump: his rump has tightly closed (choked) my windpipe.

شیر بی‌‌دم باش گو ای شیر ساز ** که دلم سستی گرفت از زخم گاز

Let the lion be without a tail, O lion-maker, for my heart is faint from the blows of the prong (the tattooer's needle).”

جانب دیگر گرفت آن شخص زخم ** بی‌‌محابا بی‌‌مواسا بی‌‌ز رحم‌‌

That person commenced to prick in (the blue) on another part (of the man's shoulder) without fear, without favour, without mercy.

بانگ کرد او کاین چه اندام است از او ** گفت این گوش است ای مرد نکو

He yelled—“Which of his members is this?” “This is his ear, my good man,” the barber replied.

گفت تا گوشش نباشد ای حکیم ** گوش را بگذار و کوته کن گلیم‌‌ 2995

“O Doctor,” said he, “let him have no ears: omit the ears and cut the frock short.”

جانب دیگر خلش آغاز کرد ** باز قزوینی فغان را ساز کرد

The barber began to insert (his needle) in another part: once more the man of Qazwín set out to wail,

کاین سوم جانب چه اندام است نیز ** گفت این است اشکم شیر ای عزیز

Saying, “What is the member (you are pricking in) now on this third spot?” He replied, “This is the lion's belly, my dear sir.”

گفت تا اشکم نباشد شیر را ** چه شکم باید نگار سیر را

“Let the lion have no belly,” said he: “the pain has become too great: do not strike (further) blows.”

خیره شد دلاک و بس حیران بماند ** تا به دیر انگشت در دندان بماند

The barber became distraught and then remained in bewilderment: he stood for a long time with his fingers in his teeth;

بر زمین زد سوزن از خشم اوستاد ** گفت در عالم کسی را این فتاد 3000

The master angrily flung the needle to the ground and said, “Has this happened to any one in the world?

شیر بی‌‌دم و سر و اشکم که دید ** این چنین شیری خدا خود نافرید

Who (ever) saw a lion without tail and head and belly? God himself did not create a lion like this.”

ای برادر صبر کن بر درد نیش ** تا رهی از نیش نفس گبر خویش‌‌

O brother, endure the pain of the lancet, that you may escape from the poison of your miscreant self (nafs),

کان گروهی که رهیدند از وجود ** چرخ و مهر و ماهشان آرد سجود

For sky and sun and moon bow in worship to the people who have escaped from self existence.

هر که مرد اندر تن او نفس گبر ** مر و را فرمان برد خورشید و ابر

Any one in whose body the miscreant self has died, sun and cloud obey his command.

چون دلش آموخت شمع افروختن ** آفتاب او را نیارد سوختن‌‌ 3005

Since his heart has learned to light the candle (of spiritual knowledge and love), the sun cannot burn him.

گفت حق در آفتاب منتجم ** ذکر تزاور کذا عن کهفهم‌‌

God hath made mention of the rising sun as turning aside— like that—from their cave.