(Their) apprehension was increased by his gravity: all were perplexed and dumbfounded by him.
وهم می‌افزود زین فرهنگ او ** جمله در تشویش گشته دنگ او
Dalqak made a gesture, as though to say, “O gracious king, let me have a moment to take breath,
کرد اشارت دلق که ای شاه کرم ** یک‌دمی بگذار تا من دم زنم
That my wits may once come back to me, for I am fallen into a marvellous state (of exhaustion).”
تا که باز آید به من عقلم دمی ** که فتادم در عجایب عالمی
After a little while, during which both the throat and the mouth of the king were made bitter by (anxious) foreboding and surmise—2530
بعد یک ساعت که شه از وهم و ظن ** تلخ گشتش هم گلو و هم دهن
Because he had never seen Dalqak like this; for there was no companion more agreeable to him than he;
که ندیده بود دلقک را چنین ** که ازو خوشتر نبودش هم‌نشین
He was always bringing up stories and jests and keeping the king in merriment and laughter.
دایما دستان و لاغ افراشتی ** شاه را او شاد و خندان داشتی
When sitting (with him) he used to make him laugh so (heartily) that the king would grip his belly with both hands;
آن چنان خندانش کردی در نشست ** که گرفتی شه شکم را با دو دست
And (many a time) his body sweated from the violence of his laughter and he would fall on his face with laughing.
که ز زور خنده خوی کردی تنش ** رو در افتادی ز خنده کردنش
(How strange, then, that) to-day, on the contrary, he (Dalqak), pale and grim like this, is laying his hand on his lips as though to say, “Hush, O King!”2535
باز امروز این چنین زرد و ترش ** دست بر لب می‌زند کای شه خمش
Foreboding on foreboding and fancy on fancy (occurred) to the king (as he wondered) what chastisement would come (upon him),
وهم در وهم و خیال اندر خیال ** شاه را تا خود چه آید از نکال