Poem

دفتر ششم - بخش ۸۲ - مثل / Book Six - Section 82 - A Parable

Original content

سوی جامع می شد آن یک شهریار
خلق را می زد نقیب و چوبدار

آن یکی را سر شکستی چوب زن
و آن دگر را بر دریدی پیرهن

در میانه بی دلی ده چوب خورد
بی گناهی که برو از راه برد

خون چکان رو کرد با شاه و بگفت
ظلم ظاهر بین چه پرسی از نهفت

خیر تو این است جامع می روی
تا چه باشد شر و وزرت ای غوی

یک سلامی نشنود پیر از خسی
تا نپیچد عاقبت از وی بسی

گرگ دریابد ولی را به بود
زانک دریابد ولی را نفس بد

زانک گرگ ارچه که بس استمگریست
لیکش آن فرهنگ و کید و مکر نیست

ورنه کی اندر فتادی او به دام
مکر اندر آدمی باشد تمام

گفت قج با گاو و اشتر ای رفاق
چون چنین افتاد ما را اتفاق

هر یکی تاریخ عمر ابدا کنید
پیرتر اولیست باقی تن زنید

گفت قج مرج من اندر آن عهود
با قج قربان اسمعیل بود

گاو گفتا بوده ام من سال خورد
جفت آن گاوی کش آدم جفت کرد

جفت آن گاوم که آدم جد خلق
در زراعت بر زمین می کرد فلق

چون شنید از گاو و قج اشتر شگفت
سر فرود آورد و آن را برگرفت

در هوا بر داشت آن بند قصیل
اشتر بختی سبک بی قال و قیل

که مرا خود حاجت تاریخ نیست
کین چنین جسمی و عالی گردنیست

خود همه کس داند ای جان پدر
که نباشم از شما من خردتر

داند این را هرکه ز اصحاب نهاست
که نهاد من فزون تر از شماست

جملگان دانند کین چرخ بلند
هست صد چندان که این خاک نژند

کو گشاد رقعه های آسمان
کو نهاد بقعه های خاکدان

English translation

A certain king was going to the Friday mosque; The guards and mace-bearers were beating the people. The cudgel-wielder broke the head of one person, And tore the shirt of another. In the midst of this, a broken-hearted man received ten blows; An innocent man whom he forced out of the path. Dripping with blood, he turned to the king and said, 'Behold this manifest oppression! Why do you ask about the hidden? This is your good deed, that you go to the Friday mosque; What then must be your evil and sin, O transgressor!' An elder does not hear a greeting from a mean fellow, Without eventually suffering much vexation from him. It is better that a wolf should meet the saint, Than that the wicked soul should meet the saint. Because the wolf, although he is very oppressive, Lacks that artfulness, deceit, and cunning. Otherwise, how would he fall into the trap? Deceit in man is complete. The ram said to the ox and the camel, 'O companions, Since this agreement has befallen us, Let each of you declare the date of his life; The oldest is the most worthy; the rest remain silent.' The ram said, 'My pasture in those times Was with the ram sacrificed for Ishmael.' The ox said, 'I am aged; I was the yoke-mate of that ox which Adam yoked. I am the mate of the ox which Adam, the ancestor of mankind, Used to cleave the earth with in agriculture.' When the camel heard the wonder from the ox and the ram, He lowered his head and snatched up the bundle; He lifted that bundle of green fodder into the air, The Bactrian camel, lightly and without argument, (Saying), 'I myself have no need of dates (history), For such a body and lofty neck is (evidence enough). Everyone himself knows, O life of your father, That I am not younger than you. Anyone who is endowed with intelligence knows this, That my constitution is greater than yours. All know that this lofty sky Is a hundred times as large as this lowly earth. Where is the expanse of the tracts of the sky? Where is the foundation of the tracts of the dust-heap?'

0

1

Updated 2026-06-23

Contributors are:

Who are from:

References


Tags

Humanities

Literature

Islam

Religion

Science

Philosophy

Social Science

Persian Literature Prerequisite Course

Related