#1
چو بیگاه گازر بیامد ز رود
✦
بدو جفت او گفت هست این درود
“When the washerman arrived late at night from the river, his wife greeted him with words of inquiry,”
#2
که باز آمدی جامه‌ها نیم‌نم
✦
بدین کارکرد از که یابی درم
“'Why have you returned with the clothes half-damp? From whom will you earn coins for such work?'”
#3
دل گازر از درد پژمرده بود
✦
یکی کودک زیرکش مرده بود
“The washerman's heart was withered with sorrow, for a clever young child of his had recently died.”
#4
زن گازر از درد کودک نوان
✦
خلیده رخان تیره گشته روان
“His wife was weeping in agony over the child, her cheeks scratched and her spirit darkened.”
#5
بدو گفت گازر که بازآر هوش
✦
ترا زشت باشد ازین پس خروش
“The washerman said to her, 'Gather your senses; it ill becomes you to wail henceforth.'”
#6
کنون گر بماند سخن در نهفت
✦
بگویم به پیش سزاوار جفت
“'Now, if what happened remains a secret, I shall reveal it to my worthy partner.'”
#7
به سنگی که من جامه را برزنم
✦
چو پاکیزه گردد به آب افگنم
“'As I beat a garment against a stone to clean it before casting it into the water,'”
#8
دران جوی صندوق دیدم یکی
✦
نهفته بدو اندرون کودکی
“'I saw a chest upon that stream, and concealed within it was a child.'”
#9
چو من برگشادم در بسته باز
✦
به دیدار آن خردم آمد نیاز
“'When I unlocked the closed lid, my heart was filled with yearning at the sight of him.'”
#10
اگر بود ما را یکی پور خرد
✦
نبودش بسی زندگانی بمرد
“'If we had a tiny son who lived but a short time and passed away,'”
#11
کنون یافتی پور با خواسته
✦
به دینار و دیبا بیاراسته
“'Now you have found a son with immense wealth, adorned with dinars and royal silk!'”
#12
چو آن جامه‌ها بر زمین بر نهاد
✦
سر تنگ صندوق را برگشاد
“As he laid those garments upon the ground, he opened the narrow lid of the chest.”
#13
زن گازر آن دید خیره بماند
✦
بروبر جهان‌آفرین را بخواند
“The washerman's wife stood astonished at the sight, invoking the Creator of the World in awe.”
#14
رخی دید تابان میان حریر
✦
به دیدار مانندهٔ اردشیر
“She beheld a face radiant amidst silk, resembling Ardashir in beauty.”
#15
پر از در خوشاب بالین او
✦
عقیق و زبرجد به پایین او
“His pillow was filled with fine lustrous pearls, with agate and chrysolite at his feet.”
#16
به دست چپش سرخ دینار بود
✦
سوی راست یاقوت شهوار بود
“At his left hand lay red dinars, and to his right were royal rubies.”
#17
بدو داد زن زود پستان شیر
✦
ببد شاد زان کودک دلپذیر
“The woman quickly offered him her breast, filled with joy over that delightful child.”
#18
ز خوبی آن کودک و خواسته
✦
دل او ز غم گشت پیراسته
“Through the beauty of the boy and the richness of the treasures, her heart was cleansed of sorrow.”
#19
بدو گفت گازر که این را به جان
✦
خریدار باشیم تا جاودان
“The washerman said to her, 'Let us cherish him with our very lives forever,'”
#20
که این کودک نامداری بود
✦
گر او در جهان شهریاری بود
“'For this child will surely become a renowned figure if he lives to rule in the world.'”
#21
زن گازر او را چو پیوند خویش
✦
بپرورد چونانک فرزند خویش
“The washerman's wife raised him as her own kin, nourishing him as her very child.”
#22
سیم روز داراب کردند نام
✦
کز آب روان یافتندش کنام
“On the third day they named him Darab, for he was found upon the running water.”
#23
چنان بد که روزی زن پاک‌رای
✦
سخن گفت هرگونه با کدخدای
“It came to pass one day that the prudent woman spoke to her master,”
#24
که این گوهران را چه سازی کنون
✦
که باشد بدین دانشت رهنمون
“'What will you do now with these jewels? What path does your wisdom dictate?'”
#25
به زن گفت گازر که ای نیک جفت
✦
چه خاک و چه گوهرمرا در نهفت
“The washerman replied, 'O virtuous wife! What matter to me hidden gems or worthless soil?'”
#26
همان به کزین شهر بیرون شویم
✦
ز تنگی و سختی به هامون شویم
“'It is best that we leave this city and depart from hardship and narrow means into the open plain,'”
#27
به شهری که ما را ندانند کس
✦
که خواریم و ناشادگر دست رس
“'To a city where no one knows us, so we are neither humbled nor troubled if we spend our wealth.'”
#28
به شبگیر گازر بنه برنهاد
✦
برفت و نکرد از بر و بوم یاد
“At dawn the washerman packed their belongings, set out, and left his native land behind.”
#29
ببردند داراب را در کنار
✦
نکردند جز گوهر و زر به بار
“They carried Darab in their arms, loading nothing except the gold and precious jewels.”
#30
بپیمود زان مرز فرسنگ شست
✦
به شهری دگر ساخت جای نشست
“He traversed sixty parasangs from that border and settled in another city.”
#31
به بیگانه شهر اندرون ساخت جای
✦
بران سان که پرمایه‌تر کدخدای
“In that foreign city he established a home like the most prosperous householder.”
#32
به شهری که بد نامور مهتری
✦
فرستاد نزدیک او گوهری
“In that town there was a famous nobleman; to him he sent a jewel for sale.”
#33
ازو بستدی جامه و سیم و زر
✦
چنین تا فراوان نماند از گهر
“From him he received fine garments, silver, and gold, continuing thus until many gems were spent.”
#34
به خانه جز از سرخ گوگرد نیز
✦
نماند از بد و نیک صندوق چیز
“In the end, nothing remained of good or bad in the chest save for red sulfur.”
#35
زن گازر از چیز شد رهنمای
✦
چنین گفت یک روز با کدخدای
“The washerman's wife, enriched by wealth, spoke one day to her master:”
#36
که ما بی‌نیازیم زین کارکرد
✦
توانگر شدی گرد پیشه مگرد
“'We are now free from need of hard labor; you are rich, so do not pursue the washing trade.'”
#37
چنین داد پاسخ بدو کدخدای
✦
که ای جفت پاکیزه و رهنمای
“Her husband replied, 'O pure and guiding spouse!'”
#38
همی پیشه خوانی ز پیشه چه بیش
✦
همیشه ز هر کار پیشه است پیش
“'What is greater than honest work? Work and craft must always come first in every endeavor.'”
#39
تو داراب را پاک و نیکو بدار
✦
بدان تا چه بار آورد روزگار
“'Keep Darab pure and well-tended, to see what fruit Destiny shall bring forth.'”
#40
همی داشتندش چنان ارجمند
✦
که از تند بادی ندیدی گزند
“They held him so dear that he never felt the bite of a fierce wind.”
#41
چو برگشت چرخ از برش چند سال
✦
یکی کودکی گشت با فر و یال
“As the heavens turned over him for several years, he became a youth of grandeur and royal stature.”
#42
به کشتی شدی با بزرگان به کوی
✦
کسی را نبودی تن و زور اوی
“He would go into the streets to wrestle with adults, and none possessed his body or strength.”
#43
همه کودکان همگروه آمدند
✦
به یکبارگی زو ستوه آمدند
“All the children gathered together, yet all at once grew overwhelmed and weary of his might.”
#44
به فریاد شد گازر از کار او
✦
همی تیره شد تیز بازار او
“The washerman grew distressed by his conduct, as his prosperous trade began to suffer.”
#45
بدو گفت کاین جامه برزن به سنگ
✦
که از پیشه جستن ترا نیست ننگ
“He said to Darab, 'Beat this cloth against the stone! Seeking a craft is no shame upon you.'”
#46
چو داراب زان پیشه بگریختی
✦
همی گازر از دیده خون ریختی
“Whenever Darab fled from that washerman's trade, the washerman would weep tears of blood from his eyes.”
#47
شدی روزگارش به جستن دو بهر
✦
نشان خواستی زو به دشت و به شهر
“Two-thirds of his days were spent in searching, seeking news of the boy across plain and city.”
#48
به جاییش دیدی کمانی به دست
✦
به آیین گشاده بر و بسته شست
“In some spot he would find him bow in hand, standing with broad chest and thumb-ring set in proper archer's stance.”
#49
کمان بستدی سرد گفتی بدوی
✦
که ای پرزیان گرگ پرخاشجوی
“He would snatch away the bow and speak to him harshly: 'O harmful, quarrelsome wolf!'”
#50
چه گردی همی گرد تیر و کمان
✦
به خردی چرا گشته‌ای بدگمان
“'Why do you constantly handle bow and arrow? Why have you become so rebellious in your youth?'”
#51
به گازر چنین گفت کای باب من
✦
چرا تیره گردانی این آب من
“Darab said to the washerman, 'O my father, why do you muddy this clear stream of my life?'”
#52
به فرهنگیان ده مرا از نخست
✦
چو آموختم زند و استا درست
“'First, place me with the scholars, so that I may properly master the Zand and Avesta.'”
#53
ازان پس مرا پیشه فرمان و جوی
✦
کنون از من این کدخدایی مجوی
“'After that, command me to a trade; but for now, do not demand this house-mastery from me.'”
#54
بدو مرد گازر بسی برشمرد
✦
ازان پس به فرهنگیانش سپرد
“The washerman lectured him at length, yet thereafter entrusted him to the scholars.”
#55
بیاموخت فرهنگ و شد برمنش
✦
برآمد ز پیغاره و سرزنش
“He acquired knowledge and grew lofty of mind, rising far above reproach and blame.”
#56
بدان پروراننده گفت ای پدر
✦
نیاید ز من گازری کارگر
“He said to his guardian, 'O father, the trade of a washerman suits me not.'”
#57
ز من جای مهرت بی‌اندیشه کن
✦
ز گیتی سواری مرا پیشه کن
“'Set your loving heart at ease concerning me, and make horsemanship my calling in this world.'”
#58
نگه کرد گازر سواری تمام
✦
عنان پیچ و اسپ افگن و نیک‌نام
“The washerman sought out a perfect knight—an expert handler of reins, a warrior, and a man of good repute.”
#59
سپردش بدو روزگاری دراز
✦
بیاموخت هرچش بدان بد نیاز
“He entrusted Darab to him for a long period, and the boy learned all that he needed to know.”
#60
عنان و سنان و سپر داشتن
✦
به آوردگه باره برگاشتن
“Controlling the reins, handling the spear and shield, and wheeling the warhorse upon the battlefield,”
#61
همان زخم چوگان و تیر و کمان
✦
هنرجوی دور از بد بدگمان
“As well as striking with the polo mallet, shooting arrows, and wielding the bow—a seeker of skill, free from evil thoughts.”
#62
بران گونه شد زین هنرها که چنگ
✦
نسودی به آورد با او پلنگ
“So consummate did he become in these martial arts that no leopard in battle would dare raise a claw against him.”