Rumi's Masnavi - A certain man of Qazwín went to a barber and said, “Tattoo me (and) do it charmingly (artistically).”

A certain man of Qazwín went to a barber and said, “Tattoo me (and) do it charmingly (artistically).”

سوی دلاکی بشد قزوینیی ** که کبودم زن بکن شیرینیی‌‌

“O valiant sir,” said he, “what figure shall I tattoo?” He answered, “Prick in the figure of a furious lion.

گفت چه صورت زنم ای پهلوان ** گفت بر زن صورت شیر ژیان‌‌

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

“O Doctor,” said he, “let him have no ears: omit the ears and cut the frock short.” 2995

گفت تا گوشش نباشد ای حکیم ** گوش را بگذار و کوته کن گلیم‌‌

The barber began to insert (his needle) in another part: once more the man of Qazwín set out to wail,

جانب دیگر خلش آغاز کرد ** باز قزوینی فغان را ساز کرد

Saying, “What is the member (you are pricking in) now on this third spot?” He replied, “This is the lion's belly, my dear sir.”

کاین سوم جانب چه اندام است نیز ** گفت این است اشکم شیر ای عزیز

“Let the lion have no belly,” said he: “the pain has become too great: do not strike (further) blows.”

گفت تا اشکم نباشد شیر را ** چه شکم باید نگار سیر را

The barber became distraught and then remained in bewilderment: he stood for a long time with his fingers in his teeth;

خیره شد دلاک و بس حیران بماند ** تا به دیر انگشت در دندان بماند

The master angrily flung the needle to the ground and said, “Has this happened to any one in the world? 3000

بر زمین زد سوزن از خشم اوستاد ** گفت در عالم کسی را این فتاد

Who (ever) saw a lion without tail and head and belly? God himself did not create a lion like this.”

شیر بی‌‌دم و سر و اشکم که دید ** این چنین شیری خدا خود نافرید

O brother, endure the pain of the lancet, that you may escape from the poison of your miscreant self (nafs),

ای برادر صبر کن بر درد نیش ** تا رهی از نیش نفس گبر خویش‌‌

For sky and sun and moon bow in worship to the people who have escaped from self existence.

کان گروهی که رهیدند از وجود ** چرخ و مهر و ماهشان آرد سجود

Any one in whose body the miscreant self has died, sun and cloud obey his command.

هر که مرد اندر تن او نفس گبر ** مر و را فرمان برد خورشید و ابر

Since his heart has learned to light the candle (of spiritual knowledge and love), the sun cannot burn him. 3005

چون دلش آموخت شمع افروختن ** آفتاب او را نیارد سوختن‌‌

God hath made mention of the rising sun as turning aside— like that—from their cave.

گفت حق در آفتاب منتجم ** ذکر تزاور کذا عن کهفهم‌‌

The thorn becomes entirely beautiful, like the rose, in the sight of the particular that is going towards the Universal.

خار جمله لطف چون گل می‌‌شود ** پیش جزوی کاو سوی کل می‌‌رود