1Cademy - دفتر ششم - بخش ۱۱۵ - حکایت امرء القیس کی پادشاه عرب بود و به صورت عظیم به جمال بود یوسف وقت خود بود و زنان عرب چون زلیخا مردهٔ او و او شاعر طبع قفا نبک من ذکری حبیب و منزل چون همه زنان او را به جان می‌جستند ای عجب غزل او و نالهٔ او بهر چه بود مگر دانست کی این‌ها همه تمثال صورتی‌اند کی بر تخته‌های خاک نقش کرده‌اند عاقبت این امرء القیس را حالی پیدا شد کی نیم‌شب از ملک و فرزند گریخت و خود را در دلقی پنهان کرد و از آن اقلیم به اقلیم دیگر رفت در طلب آن کس کی از اقلیم منزه است یختص برحمته من یشاء الی آخره / Book Six - Section 115 - The Story of Imra al-Qais, who was the king of the Arabs, of immense beauty, the Joseph of his time, and the women of the Arabs were dying for him like Zulaikha, and he was a poet by nature [who wrote] Halt, let us weep over the memory of a beloved and an abode (Qifa nabki min dhikra habibin wa manzil). Since all women sought him with their souls, how strange it was what his odes and laments were for! Perhaps he knew that these are all just mere forms painted on the boards of earth. Ultimately, a state came upon this Imra al-Qais that at midnight he fled from his kingdom and children, hid himself in a dervish cloak, and went from one clime to another in search of Him who is free from any clime, He singles out for His mercy whom He wills, and so on to the end.

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مثنوی معنوی: دفتر ششم / Masnavi: Book Six

Poem

دفتر ششم - بخش ۱۱۵ - حکایت امرء القیس کی پادشاه عرب بود و به صورت عظیم به جمال بود یوسف وقت خود بود و زنان عرب چون زلیخا مردهٔ او و او شاعر طبع قفا نبک من ذکری حبیب و منزل چون همه زنان او را به جان می‌جستند ای عجب غزل او و نالهٔ او بهر چه بود مگر دانست کی این‌ها همه تمثال صورتی‌اند کی بر تخته‌های خاک نقش کرده‌اند عاقبت این امرء القیس را حالی پیدا شد کی نیم‌شب از ملک و فرزند گریخت و خود را در دلقی پنهان کرد و از آن اقلیم به اقلیم دیگر رفت در طلب آن کس کی از اقلیم منزه است یختص برحمته من یشاء الی آخره / Book Six - Section 115 - The Story of Imra' al-Qais, who was the king of the Arabs, of immense beauty, the Joseph of his time, and the women of the Arabs were dying for him like Zulaikha, and he was a poet by nature [who wrote] 'Halt, let us weep over the memory of a beloved and an abode' (Qifa nabki min dhikra habibin wa manzil). Since all women sought him with their souls, how strange it was what his odes and laments were for! Perhaps he knew that these are all just mere forms painted on the boards of earth. Ultimately, a state came upon this Imra' al-Qais that at midnight he fled from his kingdom and children, hid himself in a dervish cloak, and went from one clime to another in search of Him who is free from any clime, 'He singles out for His mercy whom He wills', and so on to the end.

Original content

امرء القیس از ممالک خشک لب
هم کشیدش عشق از خطهٔ عرب

تا بیامد خشت می زد در تبوک
با ملک گفتند شاهی از ملوک

امرء القیس آمدست این جا به کد
در شکار عشق و خشتی می زند

آن ملک برخاست شب شد پیش او
گفته او را ای ملیک خوب رو

یوسف وقتی دو ملکت شد کمال
مر ترا رام از بلاد و از جمال

گشته مردان بندگان از تیغ تو
وان زنان ملک مه بی میغ تو

پیش ما باشی تو بخت ما بود
جان ما از وصل تو صد جان شود

هم من و هم ملک من مملوک تو
ای به همت ملک ها متروک تو

فلسفه گفتش بسی و او خموش
ناگهان وا کرد از سر روی پوش

تا چه گفتش او به گوش از عشق و درد
هم چو خود در حال سرگردانش کرد

دست او بگرفت و با او یار شد
او هم از تخت و کمر بیزار شد

تا بلاد دور رفتند این دو شه
عشق یک کرت نکردست این گنه

بر بزرگان شهد و بر طفلانست شیر
او بهر کشتی بود من الاخیر

غیر این دو بس ملوک بی شمار
عشقشان از ملک بربود و تبار

جان این سه شه بچه هم گرد چین
هم چو مرغان گشته هر سو دانه چین

زهره نی تا لب گشایند از ضمیر
زانک رازی با خطر بود و خطیر

صد هزاران سر بپولی آن زمان
عشق خشم آلوده زه کرده کمان

عشق خود بی خشم در وقت خوشی
خوی دارد دم به دم خیره کشی

این بود آن لحظه کو خشنود شد
من چه گویم چونک خشم آلود شد

لیک مرج جان فدای شیر او
کش کشد این عشق و این شمشیر او

کشتنی به از هزاران زندگی
سلطنت ها مردهٔ این بندگی

با کنایت رازها با هم دگر
پست گفتندی به صد خوف و حذر

راز را غیر خدا محرم نبود
آه را جز آسمان هم دم نبود

اصطلاحاتی میان هم دگر
داشتندی بهر ایراد خبر

زین لسان الطیر عام آموختند
طمطراق و سروری اندوختند

صورت آواز مرغست آن کلام
غافلست از حال مرغان مرد خام

کو سلیمانی که داند لحن طیر
دیو گرچه ملک گیرد هست غیر

دیو بر شبه سلیمان کرد ایست
علم مکرش هست و علمناش نیست

چون سلیمان از خدا بشاش بود
منطق الطیری ز علمناش بود

تو از آن مرغ هوایی فهم کن
که ندیدستی طیور من لدن

جای سیمرغان بود آن سوی قاف
هر خیالی را نباشد دست باف

جز خیالی را که دید آن اتفاق
آنگهش بعدالعیان افتد فراق

نه فراق قطع بهر مصلحت
که آمنست از هر فراق آن منقبت

بهر استبقاء آن روحی جسد
آفتاب از برف یک دم درکشد

بهر جان خویش جو زیشان صلاح
هین مدزد از حرف ایشان اصطلاح

آن زلیخا از سپندان تا به عود
نام جمله چیز یوسف کرده بود

نام او در نامها مکتوم کرد
محرمان را سر آن معلوم کرد

چون بگفتی موم ز آتش نرم شد
این بدی کان یار با ما گرم شد

ور بگفتی مه برآمد بنگرید
ور بگفتی سبز شد آن شاخ بید

ور بگفتی برگها خوش می طپند
ور بگفتی خوش همی سوزد سپند

ور بگفتی گل به بلبل راز گفت
ور بگفتی شه سر شهناز گفت

ور بگفتی چه همایونست بخت
ور بگفتی که بر افشانید رخت

ور بگفتی که سقا آورد آب
ور بگفتی که بر آمد آفتاب

ور بگفتی دوش دیگی پخته اند
یا حوایج از پزش یک لخته اند

ور بگفتی هست نانها بی نمک
ور بگفتی عکس می گردد فلک

ور بگفتی که به درد آمد سرم
ور بگفتی درد سر شد خوشترم

گر ستودی اعتناق او بدی
ور نکوهیدی فراق او بدی

صد هزاران نام گر بر هم زدی
قصد او و خواه او یوسف بدی

گرسنه بودی چو گفتی نام او
می شدی او سیر و مست جام او

تشنگیش از نام او ساکن شدی
نام یوسف شربت باطن شدی

ور بدی دردیش زان نام بلند
درد او در حال گشتی سودمند

وقت سرما بودی او را پوستین
این کند در عشق نام دوست این

عام می خوانند هر دم نام پاک
این عمل نکند چو نبود عشقناک

آنچ عیسی کرده بود از نام هو
می شدی پیدا ورا از نام او

چونک با حق متصل گردید جان
ذکر آن اینست و ذکر اینست آن

خالی از خود بود و پر از عشق دوست
پس ز کوزه آن تلابد که دروست

خنده بوی زعفران وصل داد
گریه بوهای پیاز آن بعاد

هر یکی را هست در دل صد مراد
این نباشد مذهب عشق و وداد

یار آمد عشق را روز آفتاب
آفتاب آن روی را هم چون نقاب

آنک نشناسد نقاب از روی یار
عابد الشمس است دست از وی بدار

روز او و روزی عاشق هم او
دل همو دلسوزی عاشق هم او

ماهیان را نقد شد از عین آب
نان و آب و جامه و دارو و خواب

هم چو طفلست او ز پستان شیرگیر
او نداند در دو عالم غیر شیر

طفل داند هم نداند شیر را
راه نبود این طرف تدبیر را

گیج کرد این گردنامه روح را
تا بیابد فاتح و مفتوح را

گیج نبود در روش بلک اندرو
حاملش دریا بود نه سیل و جو

چون بیابد او که یابد گم شود
هم چو سیلی غرقهٔ قلزم شود

دانه گم شد آنگهی او تین بود
تا نمردی زر ندادم این بود

English translation

Imra' al-Qais from the dry-lipped lands, love also drew him from the territory of the Arabs. Until he came and was making bricks in Tabuk; they said to the king, 'A king of kings, Imra' al-Qais has come here to work hard, in the hunt for love, and he is making bricks.' That king arose and went to him at night, saying to him, 'O beautiful king, You are the Joseph of the time, two kingdoms became perfectly subdued to you: of lands and of beauty. Men have become slaves through your sword, and those women of the kingdom [slaves of] your cloudless moon. If you stay with us, it will be our good fortune; our soul will become a hundred souls from union with you. Both I and my kingdom are your property, O you by whose high resolve kingdoms are abandoned.' He spoke much philosophy to him, while he remained silent; suddenly he opened the face-covering from his head. What did he say in his ear of love and pain? He instantly made him wandering [perplexed] like himself. He took his hand and became his companion; he too became disgusted with throne and belt. These two kings went to distant lands; Love has not committed this sin just once. To the great ones it is honey, and to infants it is milk; it is in every ship the ultimate anchor. Besides these two, there are countless kings whose love carried them away from kingdom and lineage. The souls of these three princes also around China, had become like birds, picking up grains in every direction. They had no courage to open their lips about their inner thought, because it was a dangerous and momentous secret. A hundred thousand heads were worth a penny at that time, when an angry Love had strung its bow. Love itself, without anger, in times of joy, has the habit of killing wantonly at every moment. This is that moment when it is pleased; what can I say when it becomes angry? But a meadow of souls is sacrificed for its lion; whomsoever this Love and this sword of His kills. A killing better than a thousand lives; empires are dead for this servitude. With allusions they told secrets to one another, speaking softly with a hundred fears and cautions. There was no confidant for the secret but God; the sigh had no companion but the sky. They had terminologies among themselves for the purpose of communicating news. The common people learned from this language of birds; they amassed pomp and leadership. That speech is the mere form of the bird's song; the raw man is unaware of the state of the birds. Where is a Solomon who knows the melody of the birds? A demon, even if he seizes the kingdom, is a stranger. The demon stood in the likeness of Solomon; he has the knowledge of deceit, but not 'We have been taught'. Since Solomon was joyful from God, the logic of the birds was from His 'We have been taught'. You understand from that bird of the air; you have not seen the birds of 'from Our presence'. The place of the Simurghs is beyond Mount Qaf; it is not a hand-woven fabric for every imagination. Except for an imagination that saw that harmony; then after the clear vision, separation befalls it. Not a separation of severance, but for expediency; for that glorious rank is secure from any separation. For the preservation of that spiritual body, the sun withdraws for a moment from the snow. Seek from them what is right for your own soul; beware, do not steal terminology from their words. That Zulaikha, from the wild rue to the aloe-wood, had made the name of everything Joseph. She concealed his name in names; she made that secret known to her confidants. When she said, 'The wax became soft from the fire,' this meant, 'That beloved became warm with us.' And if she said, 'Look, the moon has come up,' and if she said, 'That willow branch has grown green,' And if she said, 'The leaves are fluttering happily,' and if she said, 'The wild rue is burning nicely,' And if she said, 'The rose told a secret to the nightingale,' and if she said, 'The king uttered the secret of the royal melody,' And if she said, 'How auspicious is fortune!' and if she said, 'Shake out the furnishings,' And if she said, 'The water-carrier brought water,' and if she said, 'The sun has risen,' And if she said, 'Last night they cooked a pot,' or 'The vegetables are perfectly cooked,' And if she said, 'The breads are without salt,' and if she said, 'The celestial sphere is turning backwards,' And if she said, 'My head has started to ache,' and if she said, 'My headache has gotten better,' If she praised, it meant embracing him; and if she blamed, it meant separation from him. If she uttered a hundred thousand names, her intent and her desire was Joseph. If she was hungry, when she said his name, she would become satiated and intoxicated by his cup. Her thirst would be quenched by his name; the name of Joseph became an inward sweet drink. And if she had a pain, from that lofty name her pain instantly became beneficial. At the time of cold, it was a fur coat for her; this is what the name of the friend does in love. The common people constantly call upon the pure name, it does not have this effect since it is not full of love. What Jesus had done through the name of Hu (God), would manifest for her from his name. Since the soul became connected with God, the mention of that is this, and the mention of this is that. She was empty of herself and full of the love of the friend; therefore from the jug exudes what is inside it. Her laughter gave the saffron-scent of union; her weeping the onion-scents of that distance. Everyone has a hundred desires in their heart; this is not the religion of love and friendship. The Friend is the sun of the day of love; the sun is like a veil for that face. Whoever does not recognize the veil from the face of the Friend, is a worshiper of the sun; let go of him. The lover's day and the lover's daily bread are both Him; the heart is Him, and the one who burns the lover's heart is also Him. For the fishes, it became cash right from the essence of water: bread and water and garment and medicine and sleep. He is like an infant taking milk from the breast; he knows nothing in the two worlds except milk. The infant knows, and yet does not know, the milk; there is no way for calculation to this side. This whirlwind made the spirit dizzy, so that it might find the conqueror and the conquered. He is not dizzy in his way, but rather in him the carrier was the sea, not a flood and a stream. When he finds, the one who finds gets lost; like a flood, he is drowned in the ocean. The seed was lost, then it became a fig; 'Until you died, I did not give gold,' this was it.

Updated 2026-07-04

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