Lo, here are some pieces of gold to pay for silk. Spend them and come back to this place.”
نک قراضه‌‌ی چند ابریشم بها ** خرج کن این را و باز اینجا بیا
The old man trembled when he heard this, biting his hand and quivering all over,
پیر لرزان گشت چون این را شنید ** دست می‌‌خایید و بر خود می‌‌تپید
Crying, “O God who hast no like!” inasmuch as the poor old man was melted with shame.2185
بانگ می‌‌زد کای خدای بی‌‌نظیر ** بس که از شرم آب شد بی‌‌چاره پیر
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.
چون بسی بگریست و از حد رفت درد ** چنگ را زد بر زمین و خرد کرد
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,
گفت ای بوده حجابم از اله ** ای مرا تو راه زن از شاه راه
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 بخورده خون من هفتاد سال ** ای ز تو رویم سیه پیش کمال
Have mercy, O bounteous God who keepest faith, on a life passed in iniquity!
ای خدای با عطای با وفا ** رحم کن بر عمر رفته در جفا
God gave (me) a life, the value of every single day whereof none in the world can know.2190
داد حق عمری که هر روزی از آن ** کس نداند قیمت آن در جهان
I have spent my life, breath by breath: I have breathed it all away in treble and bass.
خرج کردم عمر خود را دم‌‌به‌‌دم ** در دمیدم جمله را در زیر و بم
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).
آه کز یاد ره و پرده‌‌ی عراق ** رفت از یادم دم تلخ فراق