#1
برین‌گونه بگذشت سالی تمام
✦
همی داشتی هرکسی می حرام
“A full year passed in this manner, with everyone holding wine to be forbidden.”
#2
همان شه چو مجلس بیاراستی
✦
همان نامهٔ باستان خواستی
“Whenever the King prepared his courtly feast, he would ask for the ancient chronicles.”
#3
چنین بود تا کودکی کفشگر
✦
زنی خواست با چیز و نام و گهر
“So it was that a shoemaker's son sought to marry a woman of wealth, name, and noble birth.”
#4
نبودش دران کار افزار سخت
✦
همی زار بگریست مامش ز بخت
“He lacked the necessary strength for the task, and his mother wept bitterly over his ill fortune.”
#5
همانا نهان داشت لختی نبید
✦
پسر را بدان خانه اندر کشید
“It so happened his mother had kept a little wine hidden; she led her son inside the house.”
#6
به پور جوان گفت کاین هفت جام
✦
بخور تا شوی ایمن و شادکام
“She said to her young son: 'Drink these seven cups, so you may become confident and joyful.”
#7
مگر بشکنی امشب آن مهر تنگ
✦
کلنگ از نمد کی کند کان سنگ
“Perhaps tonight you can break that tight seal—for how can a felt pickaxe cut into a quarry of stone?'”
#8
بزد کفشگر جام می هفت و هشت
✦
هم‌اندر زمان آتشش سخت گشت
“The shoemaker drank seven or eight cups of wine, and instantly his inner fire burned fiercely.”
#9
جوانمرد را جام گستاخ کرد
✦
بیامد در خانه سوراخ کرد
“The wine made the young man bold; he entered the bedchamber and accomplished the deed.”
#10
وزان جایگه شد به درگاه خویش
✦
شده شاددل یافته راه خویش
“From there he stepped out to his own doorstep, joyful at heart and having found his way.”
#11
چنان بد که از خانه شیران شاه
✦
یکی شیر بگسست و آمد به راه
“It chanced that one of the King's lions broke free from the lion-house and wandered onto the road.”
#12
ازان می همی کفشگر مست بود
✦
به دیده ندید آنچ بایست بود
“The shoemaker was heavily drunk from that wine, and his eyes saw no cause for fear.”
#13
بشد تیز و بر شیر غران نشست
✦
بیازید و بگرفت گوشش به دست
“He ran swiftly forward, mounted the roaring lion, reached out, and grabbed its ears in his hands!”
#14
بران شیر غران پسر شیر بود
✦
جوان از بر و شیر در زیر بود
“Upon that roaring lion, the boy was a lion himself—the youth riding high, and the lion beneath him.”
#15
همی شد دوان شیروان چون نوند
✦
به یک دست زنجیر و دیگر کمند
“The King's lion-keeper came running like a swift messenger, holding a chain in one hand and a lasso in the other.”
#16
چو آن شیربان جهاندار شاه
✦
بیامد ز خانه بدان جایگاه
“When the lion-keeper of the monarch arrived from the lion-house at that spot,”
#17
یکی کفشگر دید بر پشت شیر
✦
نشسته چو بر خر سواری دلیر
“He saw a shoemaker sitting upon the lion's back as boldly as if riding a donkey!”
#18
بیامد دوان تا در بارگاه
✦
دلیر اندر آمد به نزدیک شاه
“He came running to the royal court, and bravely entered into the presence of the King.”
#19
بگفت آن دلیری کزو دیده بود
✦
به دیده بدید آنچ نشنیده بود
“He reported the courage he had witnessed—having seen with his eyes what had never been heard of.”
#20
جهاندار زان در شگفتی بماند
✦
همه موبدان و ردان را بخواند
“The ruler of the world was left in absolute wonder; he summoned all the mobads and nobles.”
#21
به موبد چنین گفت کاین کفشگر
✦
نگه کن که تا از که دارد گهر
“He said to the mobad: 'Inquire into this shoemaker's roots, to see from whom he derives such nobility!'”
#22
همان مادرش چون سخن شد دراز
✦
دوان شد بر شاه و بگشاد راز
“As talk of this grew long, his mother ran before the King and disclosed the secret.”
#23
نخست آفرین کرد بر شهریار
✦
که شادان بزی تا بود روزگار
“First she praised the King: 'May you live in joy as long as time endures!”
#24
چنین گفت کاین نورسیده به جای
✦
یکی زن گزین کرد و شد کدخدای
“She said: 'This newly matured son of mine chose a wife and set up a home.”
#25
به کار اندرون نایژه سست بود
✦
دلش گفتی از سست خودرست بود
“Yet in the marital act he was limp and weak; his heart seemed trapped in helplessness.”
#26
بدادم سه جام نبیدش نهان
✦
که ماند کس از تخم او در جهان
“I secretly gave him three cups of wine, so that his lineage might not vanish from the earth.”
#27
هم‌اندر زمان لعل گشتش رخان
✦
نمد سر برآورد و گشت استخوان
“Instantly his cheeks turned crimson red; the soft felt raised its head and became hard as bone!”
#28
نژادش نبد جز سه جام نبید
✦
که دانست کاین شاه خواهد شنید
“His lineage had no other secret than those three cups of wine—who knew the King would hear of it?'”
#29
بخندید زان پیرزن شاه گفت
✦
که این داستان را نشاید نهفت
“The King laughed at the old woman's tale and said: 'This story must not be kept hidden!'”
#30
به موبد چنین گفت کاکنون نبید
✦
حلالست میخواره باید گزید
“He said to the mobad: 'Now wine is lawful, but the drinker must choose moderation!”
#31
که چندان خورد می که بر نره شیر
✦
نشیند نیارد ورا شیر زیر
“One should drink enough wine to sit upon a male lion without being thrown down by it,”
#32
نه چندان که چشمش کلاغ سیاه
✦
همی برکند رفته از نزد شاه
“Not so much that a black crow plucks out his eyes as he staggers away from the King's court!'”
#33
خروشی برآمد هم‌انگه ز در
✦
که ای پهلوانان زرین کمر
“Instantly a proclamation echoed from the court gate: 'O golden-belted champions!”
#34
به اندازه‌بر هرکسی می خورید
✦
به آغاز و فرجام خود بنگرید
“Drink wine according to proper measure! Consider well your beginning and your end!”
#35
چو می‌تان به شادی بود رهنمون
✦
بکوشید تا تن نگردد زبون
“When wine serves as your guide to joy, strive that your body does not become wretched and degraded!'”