Hekayat No. 10: In the Prime of Youth

حکایت شماره ۱۰: در عنفوان جوانی چنان که افتد و دانی، با شاهدی ...

In the prime of my youth, as it happens and you know, I had a secret and intimate relationship with a beautiful person, because he had a pleasant voice and a face like the full moon when it appears.

در عُنْفُوانِ جوانی چنان که افتد و دانی، با شاهدی سَری و سِرّی داشتم، به حکمِ آن که حَلقی داشت طَیِّبُ الْاَدا وَ خَلقی کَالْبَدْرِ إذٰا بَدٰا.

The one whose facial down drinks the water of life

Whoever eats candy looks at his sugar content with gratitude.

آن که نَباتِ عارِضش آبِ حیات می‌خورَد

در شکرش نگه کند هر که نَبات می‌خورَد

By chance, I saw an action from him that was against my nature and I did not like it; I withdrew my affection from him, ended our relationship, and said:

اتّفاقاً به خلافِ طبعْ از وی حرکتی بدیدم که نپسندیدم؛ دامن از او در کشیدم و مُهره برچیدم و گفتم:

Go and pursue whatever you desire

You do not have our head (care about us), take care of your own head (yourself).

برو هر چه می‌بایدت پیش گیر

سرِ ما نداری، سرِ خویش گیر

I heard him as he was leaving, saying:

شنیدمش که همی‌رفت و می‌گفت:

If a bat does not desire union with the sun

It does not diminish the prosperity of the sun's market.

شپّره گر وصلِ آفتاب نخواهد

رونقِ بازارِ آفتاب نکاهد

He said this and traveled, and his departure had an effect on my distress.

این بگفت و سفر کرد و پریشانی او در من اثر.

I lost the time of union, and man is ignorant

Of the value of the pleasure of life before misfortunes.

فَقَدْتُ زَمانَ الْوَصْلِ وَ الْمَرْءُ جاهِلٌ

بِقَدْرِ لَذیذِ الْعَیْشِ قَبْلَ المَصٰائِبِ

But with thanks and gratitude to God, after a while he returned, that Davidic voice had changed and the Joseph-like beauty had diminished, and on his chin, like quince, dust had settled and the prosperity of his beauty market was broken, expecting that I would embrace him, I distanced myself and said:

امّا به شُکر و مِنّتِ باری، پس از مدّتی باز آمد، آن حلقِ داوودی متغیّر شده و جمالِ یوسفی به زیان آمده و بر سیبِ زَنَخْدانش چون بِهْ گردی نشسته و رونقِ بازار حُسنش شکسته، متوقّع که در کنارش گیرم، کناره گرفتم و گفتم:

The day when you had youthful beauty

You drove away connoisseurs with your gaze.

آن روز که خطِّ شاهدت بود

صاحب‌نظر از نظر براندی

Today you have come for reconciliation

Having placed kasra and damma on it (changed it).

امروز بیامدی به صلحش

کش فتحه و ضمّه بر نشاندی

Fresh spring, your leaf has turned yellow

Do not set the pot, for our fire has become cold.

تازه بهارا، وَرَقت زرد شد

دیگ منه، کآتشِ ما سرد شد

How long will you strut and be arrogant?

You imagine the past fortune.

چند خرامیّ و تکبّر کنی؟

دولتِ پارینه تصوّر کنی

Go to the one who seeks you

Show your affection to the one who is your buyer (lover).

پیشِ کسی رو که طلبکارِ توست

ناز بر آن کن که خریدارِ توست

Greenery in the garden, they say, is pleasant

Only the one who says this knows its meaning.

سبزه در باغ، گفته‌اند: خوش است

داند آن کس که این سخن گوید

Meaning, the green down on the faces of beautiful people

Seeks the hearts of lovers even more.

یعنی از رویِ نیکوان خط سبز

دلِ عشّاق بیشتر جوید

Your orchard is full of weeds

Because you keep pulling them out and they grow back.

بوستانِ تو گَنْدِنازاری‌ست

بس که بر می‌کنیّ و می‌روید

Whether you endure or do not pluck the hair of your sideburns

This fortune of good times will come to an end.

گر صبر کُنی ور نَکَنی مویِ بناگوش

این دولتِ ایّامِ نکویی به سر آید

If I had control over my life like you over your beard

I would not let it grow until the Day of Judgment.

گر دست به جان داشتمی همچو تو بر ریش

نگذاشتمی تا به قیامت که بر آید

I asked and said: Your facial beauty

What has happened that ants swarm around the moon?

سؤال کردم و گفتم: جمالِ روی تو را

چه شد که مورچه بر گردِ ماه جوشیده‌ست؟

He replied: I do not know what happened to my face?

Perhaps it has dressed in black for the mourning of my beauty.

جواب داد: ندانم چه بود رویم را؟

مگر به ماتمِ حُسنم سیاه پوشیده‌ست