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).
چون که زشت و ناخوش و رخ زرد شد ** اندک اندک در دل او سرد شد
Since he became ugly and ill-favoured and sallow-cheeked, little by little he became cold (irksome and unpleasing) in her heart.
عشقهایی کز پی رنگی بود ** عشق نبود عاقبت ننگی بود205
Those loves which are for the sake of a colour (outward beauty) are not love: in the end they are a disgrace.
کاش کان هم ننگ بودی یک سری ** تا نرفتی بر وی آن بد داوری
Would that he too had been disgrace (deformity) altogether, so that that evil judgement might not have come to pass upon him!
خون دوید از چشم همچون جوی او ** دشمن جان وی آمد روی او
Blood ran from his eye (that flowed with tears) like a river; his (handsome) face became the enemy of his life.
دشمن طاوس آمد پر او ** ای بسی شه را بکشته فر او
The peacock's plumage is its enemy: O many the king who hath been slain by his magnificence!
گفت من آن آهوم کز ناف من ** ریخت این صیاد خون صاف من
He said, “I am the muskdeer on account of whose gland this hunter shed my pure (innocent) blood.
ای من آن روباه صحرا کز کمین ** سر بریدندش برای پوستین210
Oh, I am the fox of the field whose head they (the hunters springing forth) from the covert cut off for the sake of the fur.
ای من آن پیلی که زخم پیل بان ** ریخت خونم از برای استخوان
Oh, I am the elephant whose blood was shed by the blow of the mahout for the sake of the bone (ivory).
آن که کشتستم پی مادون من ** مینداند که نخسبد خون من
He who hath slain me for that which is other than I, does not he know that my blood sleepeth not (will not rest unavenged)?
بر من است امروز و فردا بر وی است ** خون چون من کس چنین ضایع کی است
To-day it lies on me and to-morrow it lies on him: when does the blood of one such as I am go to waste like this?