Albeit this saying is exceedingly disgraceful, there are boasts on this account amongst the stokers.
این سخن گرچه که رسوایی‌فزاست ** در میان تونیان زین فخرهاست
(One of them says), “Thou hast carried (only) six baskets ere nightfall; I have carried twenty baskets without trouble.”255
که تو شش سله کشیدی تا به شب ** من کشیدم بیست سله بی کرب
He that was born in the stove and never saw purity, the smell of musk produces a painful effect upon him.
آنک در تون زاد و پاکی را ندید ** بوی مشک آرد برو رنجی پدید
Story of the tanner who fainted and sickened on smelling otto and musk in the bazaar of the perfumers.
قصه‌ی آن دباغ کی در بازار عطاران از بوی عطر و مشک بیهوش و رنجور شد
A certain man fell senseless and curled up as soon as he came into the bazaar of the perfumers.
آن یکی افتاد بیهوش و خمید ** چونک در بازار عطاران رسید
The scent of the perfume (floating) from the goodly perfumers smote him, so that his head reeled and he fell on the spot.
بوی عطرش زد ز عطاران راد ** تا بگردیدش سر و بر جا فتاد
He fell unconscious, like a carcase, at noontide in the middle of the thoroughfare.
هم‌چو مردار اوفتاد او بی‌خبر ** نیم روز اندر میان ره‌گذر
Thereupon the people gathered over him, all crying Lá hawl and applying remedies.260
جمع آمد خلق بر وی آن زمان ** جملگان لاحول‌گو درمان کنان
One was putting his hand on his (the tanner's) heart, while another sprinkled rose-water upon him;
آن یکی کف بر دل او می براند ** وز گلاب آن دیگری بر وی فشاند
(For) he did not know that from (smelling) rose-water in the meadow (the bazaar) that calamity had overtaken him.
او نمی‌دانست کاندر مرتعه ** از گلاب آمد ورا آن واقعه
One was massaging his hands and head, and another was bringing moist clay mixed with straw (to serve as a cold plaster);
آن یکی دستش همی‌مالید و سر ** وآن دگر کهگل همی آورد تر
One compounded incense of aloes-wood and sugar, while another was divesting him of part of his clothes;
آن بخور عود و شکر زد به هم ** وآن دگر از پوششش می‌کرد کم
And another felt his pulse, to see how it was beating; and another was smelling his mouth,265
وآن دگر نبضش که تا چون می‌جهد ** وان دگر بوی از دهانش می‌ستد
To see whether he had drunk wine or eaten beng or hashish: the people (having exhausted every resource) remained in despair at his insensibility.
تا که می خوردست و یا بنگ و حشیش ** خلق درماندند اندر بیهشیش
So they speedily brought the news to his kinsfolk—“Such and such a person is lying there in a state of collapse;
پس خبر بردند خویشان را شتاب ** که فلان افتاده است آن‌جا خراب
No one knows how he was stricken with catalepsy, or what it was that led to this public exposure.”
کس نمی داند که چون مصروع گشت ** یا چه شد کو را فتاد از بام طشت
That stout tanner had a brother, (who was) cunning and sagacious: he came at once in hot haste.
یک برادر داشت آن دباغ زفت ** گربز و دانا بیامد زود تفت
(With) a small quantity of dog's dung in his sleeve, he cleft (his way through) the crowd and approached (the senseless man) with cries of grief.270
اندکی سرگین سگ در آستین ** خلق را بشکافت و آمد با حنین
“I know,” said he, “whence his illness arises: when you know the cause (of a disease), the (means of) curing (it) is manifest.
گفت من رنجش همی دانم ز چیست ** چون سبب دانی دوا کردن جلیست
When the cause is unknown, the remedy for the illness is difficult (to find), and in that (case) there are a hundred grounds to which it may be referred;
چون سبب معلوم نبود مشکلست ** داروی رنج و در آن صد محملست
(But) when you have ascertained the cause, it becomes easy: knowledge of causes is the means of expelling ignorance.”
چون بدانستی سبب را سهل شد ** دانش اسباب دفع جهل شد
He said to himself, “The smell of that dog's dung is multiplied in his brain and veins.
گفت با خود هستش اندر مغز و رگ ** توی بر تو بوی آن سرگین سگ
Up to the waist in filth, he is absorbed in the tanner's craft till nightfall, seeking his livelihood.275
تا میان اندر حدث او تا به شب ** غرق دباغیست او روزی‌طلب
Thus then has the great Jálínús (Galen) said: ‘Give the patient that to which he was habituated (before his illness);
پس چنین گفتست جالینوس مه ** آنچ عادت داشت بیمار آنش ده
For his illness arises from doing the contrary to (his usual) habit: therefore seek the remedy for his illness in that which is habitual (to him).’
کز خلاف عادتست آن رنج او ** پس دوای رنجش از معتاد جو
He (the tanner), from carrying dung, has become like the dung-beetle: the dung-beetle is made insensible by rose-water.
چون جعل گشتست از سرگین‌کشی ** از گلاب آید جعل را بیهشی
The remedy for him consists in that same dog's dung to which he is habituated and accustomed.”
هم از آن سرگین سگ داروی اوست ** که بدان او را همی معتاد و خوست
Recite (the text), the wicked women for the wicked men: recognise (both) the front and the back of this saying.280
الخبیثات الخبیثین را بخوان ** رو و پشت این سخن را باز دان
The sincere mentors prepare medicine for him (the wicked man) with ambergris or rose-water to open the door (of Divine Mercy);
ناصحان او را به عنبر یا گلاب ** می دوا سازند بهر فتح باب
(But) sweet words will not do for the wicked: ’tis not fitting and suitable, O ye trusty ones!
مر خبیثان را نسازد طیبات ** درخور و لایق نباشد ای ثقات
When from the perfume of the Revelation they (the wicked infidels) became crooked (disordered in mind) and lost (in error), their lament was, “We augur evil from you.
چون زعطر وحی کژ گشتند و گم ** بد فغانشان که تطیرنا بکم
This discourse (of yours) is illness and sickness to us: your exhortation is not of good omen to us.
رنج و بیماریست ما را این مقال ** نیست نیکو وعظتان ما را به فال
If ye once begin to admonish (us) overtly, at that instant we will stone you.285
گر بیاغازید نصحی آشکار ** ما کنیم آن دم شما را سنگسار
We have waxed fat on frivolity and diversion: we have not steeped ourselves in admonition.
ما بلغو و لهو فربه گشته‌ایم ** در نصیحت خویش را نسرشته‌ایم
Our food is falsehood and idle boasts and jests: our stomachs are turned by your delivering this message.
هست قوت ما دروغ و لاف و لاغ ** شورش معده‌ست ما را زین بلاغ
Ye are making the illness hundredfold and more: ye are drugging the intelligence with opium.”
رنج را صدتو و افزون می‌کنید ** عقل را دارو به افیون می‌کنید
How the tanner’s brother sought to cure him secretly with the smell of dung.
معالجه کردن برادر دباغ دباغ را به خفیه به بوی سرگین
The youth kept driving the people away from him (the tanner), in order that those persons might not see his treatment (of the sick man).
خلق را می‌راند از وی آن جوان ** تا علاجش را نبینند آن کسان
He brought his head (close) to his ear, like one telling a secret; then he put the thing (which he had in his hand) to his (the tanner’s) nose;290
سر به گوشش برد هم‌چون رازگو ** پس نهاد آن چیز بر بینی او
For he had rubbed the dog’s dung on his palm: he had deemed it (to be) the remedy for the polluted brain.
کو به کف سرگین سگ ساییده بود ** داروی مغز پلید آن دیده بود
A short while passed: the man began to move: the people said, “This was a wonderful charm;
ساعتی شد مرد جنبیدن گرفت ** خلق گفتند این فسونی بد شگفت
For this (youth) recited charms and breathed (them) into his ear: he was dead: the charms came to succour him.”
کین بخواند افسون به گوش او دمید ** مرده بود افسون به فریادش رسید
The movement of iniquitous folk is to the quarter in which there is fornication and ogling glances and eyebrows.
جنبش اهل فساد آن سو بود ** که زنا و غمزه و ابرو بود
Any one to whom the musk, admonition, is of no use must necessarily make himself familiar with the bad smell.295
هر کرا مشک نصیحت سود نیست ** لا جرم با بوی بد خو کردنیست
God has called the polytheists najas (uncleanness)’ for the reason that they were born in dung from of old.
مشرکان را زان نجس خواندست حق ** کاندرون پشک زادند از سبق
The worm that has been born in dung will nevermore change its evil nature by means of ambergris.
کرم کو زادست در سرگین ابد ** می‌نگرداند به عنبر خوی خود
Since the largesse of sprinkled light did not strike upon him (the wicked man), he is wholly body, without heart (spirit), like (empty) husks.
چون نزد بر وی نثار رش نور ** او همه جسمست بی‌دل چون قشور
And if God gave him a portion of the sprinkled light, the dung hatched a bird, as is the custom in Egypt— so
ور ز رش نور حق قسمیش داد ** هم‌چو رسم مصر سرگین مرغ‌زاد