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.
دانه چون اندر زمین پنهان شود ** سر آن سر سبزی بستان شود
When the seed is hidden in the earth, its inward secret becomes the verdure of the garden.
زر و نقره گر نبودندی نهان ** پرورش کی یافتندی زیر کان
If gold and silver were not hidden, how would they get nourishment (grow and ripen) in the mine?
وعدهها و لطفهای آن حکیم ** کرد آن رنجور را ایمن ز بیم
The promises and soothing words of the physician made the sick (girl) safe (free) from fear.
وعدهها باشد حقیقی دل پذیر ** وعدهها باشد مجازی تاسهگیر180
There are true promises, grateful to the heart; there are false promises, fraught with disquietude.
وعدهی اهل کرم گنج روان ** وعدهی نااهل شد رنج روان
The promise of the noble is a flowing (bountiful) treasure; the promise of the unworthy becomes anguish of soul.
دریافتن آن ولی رنج را و عرض کردن رنج او را پیش پادشاه
How the saint, having discovered the (cause of) the illness, laid it before the king.
بعد از آن برخاست و عزم شاه کرد ** شاه را ز ان شمهای آگاه کرد
Then he arose and went to see the king and acquainted him with a portion of that matter.
گفت تدبیر آن بود کان مرد را ** حاضر آریم از پی این درد را
“The (best) plan,” said he, “is that we should bring the man here for the sake of (curing) this malady.
مرد زرگر را بخوان ز ان شهر دور ** با زر و خلعت بده او را غرور
Summon the goldsmith from that far country; beguile him with gold and robes of honour.”
فرستادن پادشاه رسولان به سمرقند به آوردن زرگر
How the king sent messengers to Samarcand to fetch the goldsmith.
شه فرستاد آن طرف یک دو رسول ** حاذقان و کافیان بس عدول185
The king sent thither one or two messengers, clever men and competent and very just.
تا سمرقند آمدند آن دو امیر ** پیش آن زرگر ز شاهنشه بشیر
Those two Amírs came to Samarcand and went to the goldsmith, bearing the good news from the king.
کای لطیف استاد کامل معرفت ** فاش اندر شهرها از تو صفت
Saying, “O fine master, perfect in knowledge, thou whose quality (of perfection in thy craft) is famous in (all) the lands,
نک فلان شه از برای زرگری ** اختیارت کرد زیرا مهتری
Lo, such-and-such a king hath chosen thee for (thy skill in) the goldsmith's craft, because thou art eminent.
اینک این خلعت بگیر و زر و سیم ** چون بیایی خاص باشی و ندیم
Look now, receive this robe of honour and gold and silver; when thou comest (to the king), thou wilt be a favourite and boon-companion.”
مرد مال و خلعت بسیار دید ** غره شد از شهر و فرزندان برید190
The man saw the much wealth and the many robes: he was beguiled, he parted from his town and children.
اندر آمد شادمان در راه مرد ** بیخبر کان شاه قصد جانش کرد
Blithely the man came into the road, unaware that the king had formed a design against his life.
اسب تازی بر نشست و شاد تاخت ** خونبهای خویش را خلعت شناخت
He mounted an Arab horse and sped on joyously: (what really was) the price of his blood he deemed a robe of honour.
ای شده اندر سفر با صد رضا ** خود به پای خویش تا سوء القضا
O (fool), who with a hundred consents thyself with thine own foot didst enter on the journey to the fated ill!
در خیالش ملک و عز و مهتری ** گفت عزرائیل رو آری بری
In his fancy (were dreams of) riches, power, and lordship. Said ‘Azrá‘íl (the Angel of Death), “Go (thy way). Yes, thou wilt get (them)!”
چون رسید از راه آن مرد غریب ** اندر آوردش به پیش شه طبیب195
When the stranger arrived (and turned) from the road, the physician brought him into the presence of the king.
سوی شاهنشاه بردندش به ناز ** تا بسوزد بر سر شمع طراز
Proudly and delicately they conducted him to the king of kings, that he might burn (like a moth) on that candle of Tiráz.
شاه دید او را بسی تعظیم کرد ** مخزن زر را بدو تسلیم کرد
The king beheld him, showed great regard (for him), and entrusted to him the treasure house (full) of gold.
پس حکیمش گفت کای سلطان مه ** آن کنیزک را بدین خواجه بده
Then the physician said to him: “O mighty Sultan, give the handmaiden to this lord,
تا کنیزک در وصالش خوش شود ** آب وصلش دفع آن آتش شود
In order that the handmaiden may be happy in union with him, and that the water of union with him may put out the fire (of passion).”
شه بدو بخشید آن مه روی را ** جفت کرد آن هر دو صحبت جوی را200
The king bestowed on him that moon-faced one and wedded those twain (who were) craving (each other's) company.
مدت شش ماه میراندند کام ** تا به صحت آمد آن دختر تمام
During the space of six months they were satisfying their desire, till the girl was wholly restored to health.
بعد از آن از بهر او شربت بساخت ** تا بخورد و پیش دختر میگداخت
Thereafter he prepared for him a potion, so that when he drank it he began to dwindle away before her.
چون ز رنجوری جمال او نماند ** جان دختر در وبال او نماند
When because of sickness his beauty remained not, the soul of the girl remained not in his pestilence (deadly toils).