To-morrow our city will be filled with sugar; sugar is cheap (to-day): (tomorrow) it will be cheaper.
شهر ما فردا پر از شکر شود ** شکر ارزانست ارزانتر شود
O confectioners, wallow in sugar, like the parrot, in despite of the bilious ones.
در شکر غلطید ای حلواییان ** همچو طوطی کوری صفراییان
Pound the sugar-cane: this is the only work (of importance); lavish your souls (on him): this is the only Beloved.2530
نیشکر کوبید کار اینست و بس ** جان بر افشانید یار اینست و بس
Now not a single sour one is left in our city, since Shírín has seated the Khusraws on the throne (of Love).
یک ترش در شهر ما اکنون نماند ** چونکه شیرین خسروان را بر نشاند
’Tis dessert on dessert and wine on wine! Ho, go up on the minaret and proclaim that all are welcome (to the feast).
نقل بر نقلست و می بر می هلا ** بر مناره رو بزن بانگ صلا
The nine years old vinegar is becoming sweet; the stone and marble are becoming ruby(-like) and golden.
سرکهی نه ساله شیرین میشود ** سنگ و مرمر لعل و زرین میشود
The sun in heaven is clapping his hands: the motes are dancing like lovers.
آفتاب اندر فلک دستکزنان ** ذرهها چون عاشقان بازیکنان
(All) eyes are intoxicated with the orchard abounding in greenery, (where) the blossoms are budding on the boughs.2535
چشمها مخمور شد از سبزهزار ** گل شکوفه میکند بر شاخسار
The eye of blessedness works absolute magic: the spirit is made victorious (mansúr), crying “I am God.”
چشم دولت سحر مطلق میکند ** روح شد منصور انا الحق میزند
If the fox is seducing an ass, let him seduce (him)! Do not thou be an ass, and be not troubled.
گر خری را میبرد روبه ز سر ** گو ببر تو خر مباش و غم مخور
Story of the person who rushed into a house in terror, with cheeks yellow (pale) as saffron, lips blue as indigo, and hands trembling like the leaves of a tree. The master of the house asked, “Is all well (with you)? What is the matter?” He replied, “Outside they are taking asses by force.” “Bless you!” cried the other; “they are taking asses, (but) you are not an ass: what are you afraid of?” He said, “They are taking (them) in a great hurry: (all) discrimination has ceased. To-day I am afraid they will take me for an ass.”
حکایت آن شخص کی از ترس خویشتن را در خانهای انداخت رخها زرد چون زعفران لبها کبود چون نیل دست لرزان چون برگ درخت خداوند خانه پرسید کی خیرست چه واقعه است گفت بیرون خر میگیرند به سخره گفت مبارک خر میگیرند تو خر نیستی چه میترسی گفت خر به جد میگیرند تمییز برخاسته است امروز ترسم کی مرا خر گیرند
A certain man took refuge in a house: his face was yellow, his lips blue, and his colour had ebbed away.
آن یکی در خانهای در میگریخت ** زرد رو و لب کبود و رنگ ریخت
The master of the house said to him, “Is it well (with you)? for your hand is trembling like (that of) an old man.
صاحب خانه بگفتش خیر هست ** که همی لرزد ترا چون پیر دست
What has happened? Why have you taken refuge (here)? How have you lost the colour of your face so (entirely)?”2540
واقعه چونست چون بگریختی ** رنگ رخساره چنین چون ریختی
“To-day,” said he, “they are seizing asses outside (in the streets) to do forced labour for the tyrannical king.”
گفت بهر سخرهی شاه حرون ** خر همیگیرند امروز از برون
He (the householder) replied, “O beloved of your uncle, they are taking it because it is an ass: since you are not an ass, go (your way): why are you troubled at this?”
گفت میگیرند کو خر جان عم ** چون نهای خر رو ترا زین چیست غم
He answered, “They are very urgent and furious in taking (them): ’twill be no wonder if they take me too for an ass.
گفت بس جدند و گرم اندر گرفت ** گر خرم گیرند هم نبود شگفت
They have put their hands with all their might to (the job of) taking asses: accordingly discrimination has ceased.”
بهر خرگیری بر آوردند دست ** جدجد تمییز هم برخاستست
Since undiscriminating persons are our rulers, they carry off the owner of the ass instead of the ass.2545
چونک بیتمییزیانمان سرورند ** صاحب خر را به جای خر برند
(But) the King of our city is not one who takes at random: He has discrimination, He is hearing and seeing.
نیست شاه شهر ما بیهوده گیر ** هست تمییزش سمیعست و بصیر
Be a man and do not be afraid of those who take the asses: thou art not an ass: be not afraid, O Jesus of the (world of) Time.
آدمی باش و ز خرگیران مترس ** خر نهای ای عیسی دوران مترس
The Fourth Heaven, moreover, is filled with thy light: God forbid (that I should say) that the Stable is thy abode.
چرخ چارم هم ز نور تو پرست ** حاش لله که مقامت آخرست
Thou art higher even than the sky and the stars, though for a good reason thou art (temporarily) in the Stable.
تو ز چرخ و اختران هم برتری ** گرچه بهر مصلحت در آخری
The Master of the Stable is one thing and the ass another: not every one who has entered the Stable is an ass.2550
میر آخر دیگر و خر دیگرست ** نه هر آنک اندر آخر شد خرست
Why have we fallen in behind the ass? Tell of the Rose-garden and the fresh roses,
چه در افتادیم در دنبال خر ** از گلستان گوی و از گلهای تر
And of the pomegranate and the citron and the apple-bough, and of the wine and the fair youths innumerable,
از انار و از ترنج و شاخ سیب ** وز شراب و شاهدان بیحساب