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2
216-240

  • The Súfí said, “Take the comb and curry the ass's back.” “Good gracious! do have some shame, O father,” said he.
  • گفت بستان شانه پشت خر بخار ** گفت لاحول ای پدر شرمی بدار

  • The servant said this and briskly girded up his loins. “I go,” said he; “first I will fetch the straw and barley.”
  • خادم این گفت و میان را بست چست ** گفت رفتم کاه و جو آرم نخست‏

  • Off he went and never thought of the stable at all: he gave that Súfí (a pretence like) the sleep of the hare.
  • رفت و از آخر نکرد او هیچ یاد ** خواب خرگوشی بدان صوفی بداد

  • The servant went off to (join) some rascals and made a mockery of the Súfí's admonition.
  • رفت خادم جانب اوباش چند ** کرد بر اندرز صوفی ریش‏خند

  • The Súfí was fatigued by his journey and stretched his limbs (lay down to sleep): with his eyes closed he was dreaming 220
  • صوفی از ره مانده بود و شد دراز ** خوابها می‏دید با چشم فراز

  • That his ass was left (helpless) in the clutch of a wolf, (which) was tearing pieces (of flesh) from its back and thighs.
  • کان خرش در چنگ گرگی مانده بود ** پاره‏ها از پشت و رانش می‏ربود

  • “Good gracious!” he exclaimed, “what melancholy (madness) is this? Oh, where is that kindly servant?”
  • گفت لاحول این چه مالیخولیاست ** ای عجب آن خادم مشفق کجاست‏

  • Again he would see his ass going along the road and falling now into a well and now into a ditch.
  • باز می‏دید آن خرش در راه رو ** گه به چاهی می‏فتاد و گه به گو

  • He was dreaming various unpleasant dreams; he was reciting the Fátiha and the Qári‘a.
  • گونه‏گون می‏دید ناخوش واقعه ** فاتحه می‏خواند او و القارعه‏

  • He said (to himself), “What can be done to help? My friends have hurried out: they have departed and made all the doors fast.” 225
  • گفت چاره چیست یاران جسته‏اند ** رفته‏اند و جمله درها بسته‏اند

  • Again he would say, “Oh, I wonder—that wretched servant! Did not he partake of bread and salt with us?
  • باز می‏گفت ای عجب آن خادمک ** نه که با ما گشت هم نان و نمک‏

  • I showed him nothing but courtesy and mildness: why should he on the contrary show hatred towards me?
  • من نکردم با وی الا لطف و لین ** او چرا با من کند بر عکس کین‏

  • Every enmity must rest on some cause; otherwise, our common humanity would dictate faithfulness (in friendship).”
  • هر عداوت را سبب باید سند ** ور نه جنسیت وفا تلقین کند

  • Then he would say again, “When had Adam, the kind and generous, done an injury to Iblís?
  • باز می‏گفت آدم با لطف وجود ** کی بر آن ابلیس جوری کرده بود

  • What was done by man to snake and scorpion that they wish (to inflict) death and pain upon him? 230
  • آدمی مر مار و کژدم را چه کرد ** کاو همی‏خواهد مر او را مرگ و درد

  • To rend is the instinct of the wolf: after all, this envy is conspicuous in mankind.”
  • گرگ را خود خاصیت بدریدن است ** این حسد در خلق آخر روشن است‏

  • Again he would say, “It is wrong thus to think evil: why have I such thoughts against my brother?”
  • باز می‏گفت این گمان بد خطاست ** بر برادر این چنین ظنم چراست‏

  • Then he would say, “Prudence consists in your thinking evil: how shall he that thinks no evil remain unhurt?”
  • باز گفتی حزم سوء الظن تست ** هر که بد ظن نیست کی ماند درست‏

  • The Súfí was in (this) anxiety, and (meanwhile) the ass was in such a plight that—may it befall our enemies!
  • صوفی اندر وسوسه و آن خر چنان ** که چنین بادا جز ای دشمنان‏

  • That poor ass was amidst earth and stones, with his saddle crooked and his halter torn, 235
  • آن خر مسکین میان خاک و سنگ ** کژ شده پالان دریده پالهنگ‏

  • Killed (exhausted) by the journey, without fodder all the night long, now at the last gasp and now perishing.
  • خسته از ره جمله‏ی شب بی‏علف ** گاه در جان کندن و گه در تلف‏

  • All night the ass was repeating, “O God, I give up the barley; (but am I to have) less than one handful of straw?”
  • خر همه شب ذکر می‏کرد ای اله ** جو رها کردم کم از یک مشت کاه‏

  • With mute eloquence he was saying, “O Shaykhs, (have) some pity, for I am consumed (with anguish) because of this raw impudent rogue.”
  • با زبان حال می‏گفت ای شیوخ ** رحمتی که سوختم زین خام شوخ‏

  • What that ass suffered of pain and torment, the land-bird suffers (the same) in a flood of water.
  • آن چه آن خر دید از رنج و عذاب ** مرغ خاکی بیند اندر سیل آب‏

  • (All) that night till dawn the wretched ass, from exceeding hunger, rolled frequently on his side. 240
  • بس به پهلو گشت آن شب تا سحر ** آن خر بی‏چاره از جوع البقر