- The Súfí is the son of the (present) time, O comrade: it is not the rule of the Way to say ‘To-morrow.’
- صوفی ابن الوقت باشد ای رفیق ** نیست فردا گفتن از شرط طریق
- Art not thou indeed a Súfí, then? That which is (in hand) is reduced to naught by postponing the payment.”
- تو مگر خود مرد صوفی نیستی ** هست را از نسیه خیزد نیستی
- I said to him: “It is better that the secret of the Friend should be disguised: do thou hearken (to it as implied) in the contents of the tale. 135
- گفتمش پوشیده خوشتر سر یار ** خود تو در ضمن حکایت گوش دار
- It is better that the lovers' secret should be told in the talk of others.”
- خوشتر آن باشد که سر دلبران ** گفته آید در حدیث دیگران
- He said: “Tell this openly and nakedly: talk of religion is better overt than covert.
- گفت مکشوف و برهنه گوی این ** آشکارا به که پنهان ذکر دین
- Lift the veil and speak nakedly, for I do not wear a shirt when I sleep with the Adored One.”
- پرده بردار و برهنه گو که من ** مینخسبم با صنم با پیرهن
- I said: “If He should become naked in (thy) vision, neither wilt thou remain nor thy bosom nor thy waist.
- گفتم ار عریان شود او در عیان ** نی تو مانی نی کنارت نی میان
- Ask thy wish, but ask with measure: a blade of straw will not support the mountain. 140
- آرزو میخواه لیک اندازه خواه ** بر نتابد کوه را یک برگ کاه
- If the Sun, by whom this world is illumined, should approach a little (nearer), all will be burned.
- آفتابی کز وی این عالم فروخت ** اندکی گر پیش آید جمله سوخت
- Do not seek trouble and turmoil and bloodshed: say no more concerning the Sun of Tabriz!”
- فتنه و آشوب و خونریزی مجوی ** بیش از این از شمس تبریزی مگوی
- This (mystery) hath no end: tell of the beginning. Go, relate the conclusion of this tale.
- این ندارد آخر از آغاز گوی ** رو تمام این حکایت باز گوی
- How that saint demanded of the king to be alone for the purpose of discovering her malady.
- خلوت طلبیدن آن ولی از پادشاه جهت دریافتن رنج کنیزک
- He said: “O king, make the house empty; send away both kinsfolk and strangers.
- گفت ای شه خلوتی کن خانه را ** دور کن هم خویش و هم بیگانه را
- Let no one listen in the entrance-halls, that I may ask certain things of this handmaiden.” 145
- کس ندارد گوش در دهلیزها ** تا بپرسم زین کنیزک چیزها
- The house was left empty, and not one inhabitant (remained): nobody save the physician and that sick girl.
- خانه خالی ماند و یک دیار نی ** جز طبیب و جز همان بیمار نی
- Very gently he said (to her), “Where is thy native town? for the treatment suitable to the people of each town is separate.
- نرم نرمک گفت شهر تو کجاست ** که علاج اهل هر شهری جداست
- 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