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

Leo is my ascendant: tattoo the form of a lion. Exert yourself, prick in plenty of the blue dye.” 2985

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I have begun at the tail,” said he. “O my dear friend,” he cried, “leave out the tail! 2990

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

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

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

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).”

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

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

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

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

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