She mentioned the name of a certain town and from that too she passed on (to speak of another, and meanwhile) there was no change in the colour of her face or in her pulse.
نام شهری گفت وز آن هم در گذشت ** رنگ روی و نبض او دیگر نگشت
Masters and towns, one by one, she told of, and about dwelling-place and bread and salt.165
خواجگان و شهرها را یک به یک ** باز گفت از جای و از نان و نمک
She told stories of many a town and many a house, (and still) no vein of her quivered nor did her cheek grow pale.
شهر شهر و خانه خانه قصه کرد ** نی رگش جنبید و نی رخ گشت زرد
Her pulse remained in its normal state, unimpaired, till he asked about Samarcand, the (city) sweet as candy.
نبض او بر حال خود بد بی‌‌گزند ** تا بپرسید از سمرقند چو قند
(Thereat) her pulse jumped and her face went red and pale (by turns), for she had been parted from a man of Samarcand, a goldsmith.
نبض جست و روی سرخ و زرد شد ** کز سمرقندی زرگر فرد شد
When the physician found out this secret from the sick (girl), he discerned the source of that grief and woe.
چون ز رنجور آن حکیم این راز یافت ** اصل آن درد و بلا را باز یافت
He said: “Which is his quarter in passing (through the town)?” “Sar-i Pul (Bridgehead),” she replied, “and Ghátafar street.”170
گفت کوی او کدام است در گذر ** او سر پل گفت و کوی غاتفر
Said he: “I know what your illness is and I will at once display the arts of magic in delivering you.
گفت دانستم که رنجت چیست زود ** در خلاصت سحرها خواهم نمود
Be glad and care-free and have no fear, for I will do to you that which rain does to the meadow.
شاد باش و فارغ و ایمن که من ** آن کنم با تو که باران با چمن
I will be anxious for you, be not you anxious: I am kinder to you than a hundred fathers.
من غم تو می‌‌خورم تو غم مخور ** بر تو من مشفق‌‌ترم از صد پدر
Beware! tell not this secret to any one, not though the king should make much inquiry from you.
هان و هان این راز را با کس مگو ** گر چه از تو شه کند بس جستجو
When your heart becomes the grave of your secret, that desire of yours will be gained more quickly.”175
چون که اسرارت نهان در دل شود ** آن مرادت زودتر حاصل شود
The Prophet said that any one who hides his inmost thought will soon attain to the object of his desire.
گفت پیغمبر که هر که سر نهفت ** زود گردد با مراد خویش جفت
When the seed is hidden in the earth, its inward secret becomes the verdure of the garden.
دانه چون اندر زمین پنهان شود ** سر آن سر سبزی بستان شود
If gold and silver were not hidden, how would they get nourishment (grow and ripen) in the mine?
زر و نقره گر نبودندی نهان ** پرورش کی یافتندی زیر کان
The promises and soothing words of the physician made the sick (girl) safe (free) from fear.
وعده‌‌ها و لطفهای آن حکیم ** کرد آن رنجور را ایمن ز بیم
There are true promises, grateful to the heart; there are false promises, fraught with disquietude.180
وعده‌‌ها باشد حقیقی دل پذیر ** وعده‌‌ها باشد مجازی تاسه‌‌گیر
The promise of the noble is a flowing (bountiful) treasure; the promise of the unworthy becomes anguish of soul.
وعده‌‌ی اهل کرم گنج روان ** وعده‌‌ی نااهل شد رنج روان
How the saint, having discovered the (cause of) the illness, laid it before the king.
دریافتن آن ولی رنج را و عرض کردن رنج او را پیش پادشاه
Then he arose and went to see the king and acquainted him with a portion of that matter.
بعد از آن برخاست و عزم شاه کرد ** شاه را ز ان شمه‌‌ای آگاه کرد
“The (best) plan,” said he, “is that we should bring the man here for the sake of (curing) this malady.
گفت تدبیر آن بود کان مرد را ** حاضر آریم از پی این درد را
Summon the goldsmith from that far country; beguile him with gold and robes of honour.”
مرد زرگر را بخوان ز ان شهر دور ** با زر و خلعت بده او را غرور
How the king sent messengers to Samarcand to fetch the goldsmith.
فرستادن پادشاه رسولان به سمرقند به آوردن زرگر
The king sent thither one or two messengers, clever men and competent and very just.185
شه فرستاد آن طرف یک دو رسول ** حاذقان و کافیان بس عدول
Those two Amírs came to Samarcand and went to the goldsmith, bearing the good news from the king.
تا سمرقند آمدند آن دو امیر ** پیش آن زرگر ز شاهنشه بشیر
Saying, “O fine master, perfect in knowledge, thou whose quality (of perfection in thy craft) is famous in (all) the lands,
کای لطیف استاد کامل معرفت ** فاش اندر شهرها از تو صفت
Lo, such-and-such a king hath chosen thee for (thy skill in) the goldsmith's craft, because thou art eminent.
نک فلان شه از برای زرگری ** اختیارت کرد زیرا مهتری
Look now, receive this robe of honour and gold and silver; when thou comest (to the king), thou wilt be a favourite and boon-companion.”
اینک این خلعت بگیر و زر و سیم ** چون بیایی خاص باشی و ندیم
The man saw the much wealth and the many robes: he was beguiled, he parted from his town and children.190
مرد مال و خلعت بسیار دید ** غره شد از شهر و فرزندان برید
Blithely the man came into the road, unaware that the king had formed a design against his life.
اندر آمد شادمان در راه مرد ** بی‌‌خبر کان شاه قصد جانش کرد
He mounted an Arab horse and sped on joyously: (what really was) the price of his blood he deemed a robe of honour.
اسب تازی بر نشست و شاد تاخت ** خونبهای خویش را خلعت شناخت
O (fool), who with a hundred consents thyself with thine own foot didst enter on the journey to the fated ill!
ای شده اندر سفر با صد رضا ** خود به پای خویش تا سوء القضا
In his fancy (were dreams of) riches, power, and lordship. Said ‘Azrá‘íl (the Angel of Death), “Go (thy way). Yes, thou wilt get (them)!”
در خیالش ملک و عز و مهتری ** گفت عزرائیل رو آری بری
When the stranger arrived (and turned) from the road, the physician brought him into the presence of the king.195
چون رسید از راه آن مرد غریب ** اندر آوردش به پیش شه طبیب
Proudly and delicately they conducted him to the king of kings, that he might burn (like a moth) on that candle of Tiráz.
سوی شاهنشاه بردندش به ناز ** تا بسوزد بر سر شمع طراز
The king beheld him, showed great regard (for him), and entrusted to him the treasure house (full) of gold.
شاه دید او را بسی تعظیم کرد ** مخزن زر را بدو تسلیم کرد
Then the physician said to him: “O mighty Sultan, give the handmaiden to this lord,
پس حکیمش گفت کای سلطان مه ** آن کنیزک را بدین خواجه بده
In order that the handmaiden may be happy in union with him, and that the water of union with him may put out the fire (of passion).”
تا کنیزک در وصالش خوش شود ** آب وصلش دفع آن آتش شود
The king bestowed on him that moon-faced one and wedded those twain (who were) craving (each other's) company.200
شه بدو بخشید آن مه روی را ** جفت کرد آن هر دو صحبت جوی را
During the space of six months they were satisfying their desire, till the girl was wholly restored to health.
مدت شش ماه می‌‌راندند کام ** تا به صحت آمد آن دختر تمام
Thereafter he prepared for him a potion, so that when he drank it he began to dwindle away before her.
بعد از آن از بهر او شربت بساخت ** تا بخورد و پیش دختر می‌‌گداخت
When because of sickness his beauty remained not, the soul of the girl remained not in his pestilence (deadly toils).
چون ز رنجوری جمال او نماند ** جان دختر در وبال او نماند
Since he became ugly and ill-favoured and sallow-cheeked, little by little he became cold (irksome and unpleasing) in her heart.
چون که زشت و ناخوش و رخ زرد شد ** اندک اندک در دل او سرد شد
Those loves which are for the sake of a colour (outward beauty) are not love: in the end they are a disgrace.205
عشقهایی کز پی رنگی بود ** عشق نبود عاقبت ننگی بود
Would that he too had been disgrace (deformity) altogether, so that that evil judgement might not have come to pass upon him!
کاش کان هم ننگ بودی یک سری ** تا نرفتی بر وی آن بد داوری
Blood ran from his eye (that flowed with tears) like a river; his (handsome) face became the enemy of his life.
خون دوید از چشم همچون جوی او ** دشمن جان وی آمد روی او
The peacock's plumage is its enemy: O many the king who hath been slain by his magnificence!
دشمن طاوس آمد پر او ** ای بسی شه را بکشته فر او
He said, “I am the muskdeer on account of whose gland this hunter shed my pure (innocent) blood.
گفت من آن آهوم کز ناف من ** ریخت این صیاد خون صاف من
Oh, I am the fox of the field whose head they (the hunters springing forth) from the covert cut off for the sake of the fur.210
ای من آن روباه صحرا کز کمین ** سر بریدندش برای پوستین
Oh, I am the elephant whose blood was shed by the blow of the mahout for the sake of the bone (ivory).
ای من آن پیلی که زخم پیل بان ** ریخت خونم از برای استخوان
He who hath slain me for that which is other than I, does not he know that my blood sleepeth not (will not rest unavenged)?
آن که کشتستم پی مادون من ** می‌‌نداند که نخسبد خون من
To-day it lies on me and to-morrow it lies on him: when does the blood of one such as I am go to waste like this?
بر من است امروز و فردا بر وی است ** خون چون من کس چنین ضایع کی است