Rumi's Masnavi - And in that town who is related to thee? With what hast thou kinship and affinity?”

And in that town who is related to thee? With what hast thou kinship and affinity?”

و اندر آن شهر از قرابت کیستت ** خویشی و پیوستگی با چیستت‌‌

He laid his hand on her pulse and put questions, one by one, about the injustice of Heaven.

دست بر نبضش نهاد و یک به یک ** باز می‌‌پرسید از جور فلک‌‌

When a thorn darts into any one's foot, he sets his foot upon his knee, 150

چون کسی را خار در پایش جهد ** پای خود را بر سر زانو نهد

And keeps searching for its head with the point of a needle, and if he does not find it, he keeps moistening it (the place) with his lip.

وز سر سوزن همی‌‌جوید سرش ** ور نیابد می‌‌کند با لب ترش‌‌

A thorn in the foot is so hard to find: how (then) is it with a thorn in the heart? Answer (that)!

خار در پا شد چنین دشوار یاب ** خار در دل چون بود واده جواب‌‌

If every base fellow had seen the thorn in the heart, when would sorrows gain the upper hand over any one?

خار در دل گر بدیدی هر خسی ** دست کی بودی غمان را بر کسی‌‌

Somebody sticks a thorn under a donkey's tail: the donkey does not know how to get rid of it: he starts jumping.

کس به زیر دم خر خاری نهد ** خر نداند دفع آن بر می‌‌جهد

He jumps, and the thorn strikes more firmly (pierces deeper): it needs an intelligent person to extract a thorn. 155

بر جهد و ان خار محکمتر زند ** عاقلی باید که خاری بر کند

In order to get rid of the thorn, the donkey from irritation and pain went on kicking and dealing blows in a hundred places,

خر ز بهر دفع خار از سوز و درد ** جفته می‌‌انداخت صد جا زخم کرد

(But) that thorn-removing physician was an expert: putting his hand on one spot after another, he tested (it).

آن حکیم خارچین استاد بود ** دست می‌‌زد جا به جا می‌‌آزمود