They instantly sold the little ass; they fetched dainty viands and lit candles.
هم در آن دم آن خرک بفروختند ** لوت آوردند و شمع افروختند
Jubilation arose in the monastery: (they cried), “To-night there are dainties and music and dancing and voracity.
ولوله افتاد اندر خانقه ** کامشبان لوت و سماع است و شره
How much (more) of this (carrying the) wallet and this beggary? How much (more) of this patience and of this three-day fasting?
چند از این صبر و از این سه روزه چند ** چند از این زنبیل و این دریوزه چند
We also are of (God's) creatures, we have soul. Good luck (is ours) to-night: we have the guest (to entertain).”
ما هم از خلقیم و جان داریم ما ** دولت امشب میهمان داریم ما
Thereby they were sowing the seed of falsehood, for they deemed soul that which is not soul.525
تخم باطل را از آن میکاشتند ** کان که آن جان نیست جان پنداشتند
And the traveller, too, was tired by the long journey and (gladly) saw that favour and fondness (with which they regarded him).
و آن مسافر نیز از راه دراز ** خسته بود و دید آن اقبال و ناز
The Súfís, one by one, caressed him: they were playing the game of (bestowing) pleasant attentions (on him).
صوفیانش یک به یک بنواختند ** نرد خدمتهای خوش میباختند
When he saw their affection towards him, he said, “If I don't make merry to-night, when (shall I do so)?”
گفت چون میدید میلانشان به وی ** گر طرب امشب نخواهم کرد کی
They ate the viands and began the samá‘ (musical dance); the monastery was filled with smoke and dust up to the roof—
لوت خوردند و سماع آغاز کرد ** خانقه تا سقف شد پر دود و گرد
The smoke of the kitchen, the dust of (raised by) beating the feet (dancing), the tumult (caused) by longing and ecstasy of spirit.530
دود مطبخ گرد آن پا کوفتن ** ز اشتیاق و وجد جان آشوفتن
Now, waving their hands, they would beat (the ground with) their feet; now, in (religious) prostration, they would sweep the dais (with their foreheads).
گاه دست افشان قدم میکوفتند ** گه به سجده صفه را میروفتند
(Only) after long (waiting) does the Súfí gain his desire (the satisfaction of his appetite) from Fortune: for that reason the Súfí is a great eater;
دیر یابد صوفی آز از روزگار ** ز آن سبب صوفی بود بسیار خوار
Except, to be sure, the Súfí who has eaten his fill of the Light of God: he is free from the shame of beggary;
جز مگر آن صوفیی کز نور حق ** سیر خورد او فارغ است از ننگ دق
(But) of these Súfís there are (only) a few among thousands; the rest are living in (under the protection of) his (the perfect Súfí's spiritual) empire.
از هزاران اندکی زین صوفیند ** باقیان در دولت او میزیند
When the samá‘ had come (run its course) from beginning to end, the minstrel struck up a heavy (deep-sounding) strain.535
چون سماع آمد از اول تا کران ** مطرب آغازید یک ضرب گران
He commenced (to sing), "The ass is gone, and the ass is gone": he made the whole (company) sharers in this ditty.
خر برفت و خر برفت آغاز کرد ** زین حراره جمله را انباز کرد
From this enthusiasm (they continued) beating their feet (dancing) to this ditty till dawn, clapping their hands (and singing), "The ass is gone, the ass is gone!"
زین حراره پای کوبان تا سحر ** کفزنان خر رفت و خر رفت ای پسر
By way of imitation that Súfí began (to sing) in (tones of) impassioned feeling this same (phrase), “The ass is gone.”
از ره تقلید آن صوفی همین ** خر برفت آغاز کرد اندر حنین
When the pleasure and excitement and music and dancing were over, day dawned and they all said, “Farewell!”
چون گذشت آن نوش و جوش و آن سماع ** روز گشت و جمله گفتند الوداع
The monastery was deserted, and the Súfí remained (alone): that traveller set about shaking the dust from his baggage.540
خانقه خالی شد و صوفی بماند ** گرد از رخت آن مسافر میفشاند
He brought out the baggage from his cell, in order that he might tie it on the ass, (for he was) desirous of (finding) people to travel with.
رخت از حجره برون آورد او ** تا به خر بر بندد آن همراه جو
He was hurrying that he might overtake his fellow-travellers; he went into the stable but did not find the ass.
تا رسد در همرهان او میشتافت ** رفت در آخر خر خود را نیافت
He said, “The servant has taken it (the ass) to water, because it drank little water last night.”
گفت آن خادم به آبش برده است ** ز انکه خر دوش آب کمتر خورده است
The servant came, and the Súfí said to him, “Where is the ass?” “Look at your beard,” replied the servant, and a quarrel arose.
He (the Súfí) said, “I have entrusted the ass to you, I have put you in charge of the ass.545
گفت من خر را به تو بسپردهام ** من ترا بر خر موکل کردهام
Discuss (the matter) with propriety, don't argue: deliver back to me what I delivered to you.
از تو خواهم آن چه من دادم به تو ** باز ده آن چه فرستادم به تو
I demand from you what I gave to you: return that which I sent to you.
بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار ** آن چه بسپردم ترا واپس سپار
The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be restored (to its owner).
گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد ** بایدش در عاقبت واپس سپرد
And if you, from insolence, are not content with this, look here, let us (go) to the house of the Cadi of (our) religion.”
ور نهای از سرکشی راضی بدین ** نک من و تو خانهی قاضی دین
The servant said, “I was overpowered: the Súfís rushed (on me), and I was in fear for my life.550
گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان ** حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان
Do you throw a liver with the parts next it amongst cats, and (then) seek the trace of it?
تو جگر بندی میان گربگان ** اندر اندازی و جویی ز آن نشان
One cake of bread amongst a hundred hungry people, one wasted (starved) cat before a hundred dogs?”
در میان صد گرسنه گردهای ** پیش صد سگ گربهی پژمردهای
“I suppose,” said the Súfí, “that they took it (the ass) from you by violence, (and thereby) aimed at the life of wretched me;
گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند ** قاصد خون من مسکین شدند
(And seeing this) you would not come and say to me, ‘They are taking away your ass, O poor man!’
تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا ** که خرت را میبرند ای بینوا
So that I might buy back the ass from (the purchaser) whoever he is, or else they might divide my money (amongst themselves and return the ass to me).555
تا خر از هر که بود من واخرم ** ور نه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم
There were a hundred ways of mending (the injury) when they (the Súfís) were present, (but) now each one is gone to a (different) clime.
صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند ** این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند
Whom should I seize? Whom should I take to the Cadi? ’Tis from you in sooth that this judgement has come upon me.
من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم ** این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم
How wouldn't you come and say (to me), ‘O stranger, such a terrible outrage has occurred’?”
چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب ** پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب
“By God,” said he, “I came several times to inform you of these doings,
گفت و الله آمدم من بارها ** تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها
(But) you were always saying, ‘The ass is gone, O son,’ with more gusto than all (the others) who said it.560
تو همیگفتی که خر رفت ای پسر ** از همه گویندگان با ذوقتر
(So) I was (always) going back, (thinking), ‘He himself is aware; he is satisfied with this (Divine) judgement: he is a man that knows (God)’.”
باز میگشتم که او خود واقف است ** زین قضا راضی است مردی عارف است
The Súfí said, “They all were saying (it) merrily, (so) I also took delight in saying it.
گفت آن را جمله میگفتند خوش ** مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش