1Cademy - دفتر دوم - بخش ۱۵ - فروختن صوفیان بهیمهٔ مسافر را جهت سماع / Book Two - Section 15 - The Sufis Selling the Travelers Beast for the Sama

Learn Before

مثنوی معنوی: دفتر دوم / Masnavi: Book Two
دفتر دوم - بخش ۸ - التزام کردن خادم تعهد بهیمه را و تخلف نمودن / Book Two - Section 8 - The Servant Undertaking the Care of the Animal and Failing to Fulfill It
دفتر دوم - بخش ۹ - گمان بردن کاروانیان که بهیمهٔ صوفی رنجورست / Book Two - Section 9 - The Caravan Travelers Suspecting That the Sufi's Beast is Sick
دفتر دوم - بخش ۵ - اندرز کردن صوفی خادم را در تیمار داشت بهیمه و لا حول خادم / Book Two - Section 5 - The Sufi Advising the Servant on the Care of the Animal, and the Servant's Saying 'La Hawla'

Poem

دفتر دوم - بخش ۱۵ - فروختن صوفیان بهیمهٔ مسافر را جهت سماع / Book Two - Section 15 - The Sufis Selling the Traveler's Beast for the Sama'

Original content

صوفیی در خانقاه از ره رسید
مرکب خود برد و در آخر کشید

آبکش داد و علف از دست خویش
نه چنان صوفی که ما گفتیم پیش

احتیاطش کرد از سهو و خباط
چون قضا آید چه سودست احتیاط

صوفیان تقصیر بودند و فقیر
کاد فقراً ان یکن کفراً یبیر

ای توانگر که تو سیری هین مخند
بر کژی آن فقیر دردمند

از سر تقصیر آن صوفی رمه
خرفروشی در گرفتند آن همه

کز ضرورت هست مرداری مباح
بس فسادی کز ضرورت شد صلاح

هم در آن دم آن خرک بفروختند
لوت آوردند و شمع افروختند

ولوله افتاد اندر خانقه
کامشبان لوت و سماعست و وله

چند ازین صبر و ازین سه روزه چند
چند ازین زنبیل و این دریوزه چند

ما هم از خلقیم و جان داریم ما
دولت امشب میهمان داریم ما

تخم باطل را از آن می‌کاشتند
کانک آن جان نیست جان پنداشتند

وان مسافر نیز از راه دراز
خسته بود و دید آن اقبال و ناز

صوفیانش یک بیک بنواختند
نرد خدمتهای خوش می‌باختند

گفت چون می‌دید میلانش بوی
گر طرب امشب نخواهم کرد کی

لوت خوردند و سماع آغاز کرد
خانقه تا سقف شد پر دود و گرد

دود مطبخ گرد آن پا کوفتن
ز اشتیاق و وجد جان آشوفتن

گاه دست‌افشان قدم می‌کوفتند
گه به سجده صفه را می‌روفتند

دیر یابد صوفی آز از روزگار
زان سبب صوفی بود بسیارخوار

جز مگر آن صوفیی کز نور حق
سیر خورد او فارغست از ننگ دق

از هزاران اندکی زین صوفیند
باقیان در دولت او می‌زیند

چون سماع آمد ز اول تا کران
مطرب آغازید یک ضرب گران

خر برفت و خر برفت آغاز کرد
زین حرارت جمله را انباز کرد

زین حرارت پای‌کوبان تا سحر
کف‌زنان خر رفت و خر رفت ای پسر

از ره تقلید آن صوفی همین
خر برفت آغاز کرد اندر حنین

چون گذشت آن نوش و جوش و آن سماع
روز گشت و جمله گفتند الوداع

خانقه خالی شد و صوفی بماند
گرد از رخت آن مسافر می‌فشاند

رخت از حجره برون آورد او
تا بخر بر بندد آن همراه‌جو

تا رسد در همرهان او می‌شتافت
رفت در آخر خر خود را نیافت

گفت آن خادم به آبش برده است
زانک خر دوش آب کمتر خورده است

خادم آمد گفت صوفی خر کجاست
گفت خادم ریش بین جنگی بخاست

گفت من خر را به تو بسپرده‌ام
من ترا بر خر موکل کرده‌ام

از تو خواهم آنچ من دادم به تو
باز ده آنچ فرستادم به تو

بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار
آنچ من بسپردمت وا پس سپار

گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد
بایدش در عاقبت وا پس سپرد

ور نه‌ای از سرکشی راضی بدین
نک من و تو خانهٔ قاضی دین

گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان
حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان

تو جگربندی میان گربگان
اندر اندازی و جویی زان نشان

در میان صد گرسنه گرده‌ای
پیش صد سگ گربهٔ پژمرده‌ای

گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند
قاصد خون من مسکین شدند

تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا
که خرت را می‌برند ای بی‌نوا

تا خر از هر که بود من وا خرم
ورنه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم

صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند
این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند

من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم
این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم

چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب
پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب

گفت والله آمدم من بارها
تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها

تو همی‌گفتی که خر رفت ای پسر
از همه گویندگان با ذوق‌تر

باز می‌گشتم که او خود واقفست
زین قضا راضیست مردی عارفست

گفت آن را جمله می‌گفتند خوش
مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش

مر مرا تقلیدشان بر باد داد
که دو صد لعنت بر آن تقلید باد

خاصه تقلید چنین بی‌حاصلان
خشم ابراهیم با بر آفلان

عکس ذوق آن جماعت می‌زدی
وین دلم زان عکس ذوقی می‌شدی

عکس چندان باید از یاران خوش
که شوی از بحر بی‌عکس آب‌کش

عکس کاول زد تو آن تقلید دان
چون پیاپی شد شود تحقیق آن

تا نشد تحقیق از یاران مبر
از صدف مگسل نگشت آن قطره در

صاف خواهی چشم و عقل و سمع را
بر دران تو پرده‌های طمع را

زانک آن تقلید صوفی از طمع
عقل او بر بست از نور و لمع

طمع لوت و طمع آن ذوق و سماع
مانع آمد عقل او را ز اطلاع

گر طمع در آینه بر خاستی
در نفاق آن آینه چون ماستی

گر ترازو را طمع بودی به مال
راست کی گفتی ترازو وصف حال

هر نبیی گفت با قوم از صفا
من نخواهم مزد پیغام از شما

من دلیلم حق شما را مشتری
داد حق دلالیم هر دو سری

چیست مزد کار من دیدار یار
گرچه خود بوبکر بخشد چل هزار

چل هزار او نباشد مزد من
کی بود شبه شبه در عدن

یک حکایت گویمت بشنو بهوش
تا بدانی که طمع شد بند گوش

هر که را باشد طمع الکن شود
با طمع کی چشم و دل روشن شود

پیش چشم او خیال جاه و زر
همچنان باشد که موی اندر بصر

جز مگر مستی که از حق پر بود
گرچه بدهی گنجها او حر بود

هر که از دیدار برخوردار شد
این جهان در چشم او مردار شد

لیک آن صوفی ز مستی دور بود
لاجرم در حرص او شبکور بود

صد حکایت بشنود مدهوش حرص
در نیاید نکته‌ای در گوش حرص

English translation

A Sufi arrived at the khanqah from the road; he took his mount and led it into the stable. He gave it water and fodder with his own hand, not like the Sufi of whom we spoke before. He took precautions against oversight and muddle, but when fate comes, what use is precaution? The Sufis were deficient and poor; poverty may come near to being ruinous unbelief. O rich man, since you are full, do not laugh at the crookedness of the suffering poor. From the deficiency of those Sufis, that whole flock took up donkey-selling. For out of necessity carrion becomes lawful; many a corruption has become right through necessity. At that very moment they sold the little donkey, brought food, and lit candles. A tumult arose in the khanqah: tonight there is food, sama', and rapture. How long this patience, how long this three-day fasting? How long this basket and this begging? We too are creatures and have souls; tonight fortune is our guest. They were sowing the seed of falsehood because they imagined that what was not soul was soul. The traveler too was weary from the long road and saw that favor and pampering. The Sufis honored him one by one and played many pleasant games of service. Seeing their inclination toward him, he said: if I do not make merry tonight, when shall I? They ate the food and began the sama'; the khanqah filled to the roof with smoke and dust. Smoke from the kitchen, dust from foot-stamping, souls disordered by longing and ecstasy. Sometimes they waved their hands and stamped their feet; sometimes they swept the platform with prostrations. A greedy Sufi rarely gets his fill from time; for that reason the Sufi is a great eater, except the Sufi who, by the light of God, has eaten his fill and is free from the shame of want. Few out of thousands are such Sufis; the rest live in his good fortune. When the sama' had gone from beginning to end, the musician began a weighty beat. He began, 'The donkey is gone, the donkey is gone,' and by this heat made them all partners. In this heat they stamped until dawn, clapping hands: 'The donkey is gone, the donkey is gone, O son.' By imitation, that Sufi too began the same cry, 'The donkey is gone.' When the sweetness, ferment, and sama' had passed, day came and all said farewell. The khanqah emptied, and the Sufi remained, shaking dust from that traveler's belongings. He brought the baggage out of the cell to fasten it on the donkey, eager for his companions. He hurried to reach his companions; he went to the stable and did not find his donkey. He said, 'The servant has taken it to water, because last night the donkey drank too little.' The servant came; the Sufi said, 'Where is the donkey?' The servant said, 'Look at my beard! A quarrel has arisen.' He said, 'I entrusted the donkey to you; I made you responsible for the donkey. I demand from you what I gave you; give back what I sent to you. Argue with explanation if you must, but bring no sophistry: return what I entrusted to you. The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be handed back. If from stubbornness you are not satisfied with this, here are you and I before the religious judge.' He said, 'I was overpowered by the Sufis; they attacked, and I feared for my life. You throw a liver-piece among cats and then seek a trace of it; you are a loaf among a hundred hungry men, a sickly cat before a hundred dogs.' He said, 'Suppose they took it from you unjustly and became seekers of my poor blood. Why did you not come and tell me, O helpless one, that they were taking my donkey, so that I might buy back the donkey from whoever had it, or else they might divide my gold among themselves? There were a hundred remedies while they were present; now each has gone to some province. Whom shall I seize, whom bring before the judge? This fate came upon me through you. Why did you not come and say, O stranger, such a dreadful injustice has occurred?' He said, 'By God, I came many times to inform you of these things, but you kept saying, "The donkey is gone, O son," with more relish than all the other singers. I turned back, thinking: he himself knows; he is content with this fate; he is a man of gnosis.' He said, 'They were all saying it sweetly, and I too took delight in saying it. My imitation of them scattered me to the wind; two hundred curses on that imitation, especially imitation of such fruitless men. Abraham's wrath is against those that set. The reflected relish of that group struck me, and my heart took relish from that reflection. One needs reflection from good companions only until one draws water from the reflectionless sea. Know that the first reflection that strikes you is imitation; when it comes again and again, it becomes realization. Until it has become realization, do not leave the companions; the drop does not become a pearl until it stays in the shell. If you want eye, intellect, and hearing to be clear, tear away the veils of greed, for that Sufi's imitation came from greed; it closed his intellect against light and gleam. Greed for food and greed for that delight and sama' prevented his intellect from awareness. If greed arose in a mirror, the mirror, in its hypocrisy, would become like curdled milk. If scales had greed for wealth, when would the scales speak truly of the state? Every prophet said to his people in purity: I ask no wage from you for the message. I am the guide; God is the buyer of you; God gave me brokerage from both sides. What is the wage of my work? The vision of the Beloved, even if Abu Bakr himself should give forty thousand. His forty thousand is not my wage; how could a black bead be like the pearl of Aden? I will tell you a tale; listen with attention, so that you may know greed has become the lock on the ear. Whoever has greed becomes tongue-tied; with greed, how can eye and heart be bright? Before his eye, the fantasy of rank and gold is like a hair in the eye, except for the intoxicated one who is full of God: though you give him treasures, he is free. Whoever has enjoyed the vision of the Friend, this world has become carrion in his eyes. But that Sufi was far from intoxication; therefore, in greed, he was night-blind. He may hear a hundred tales, stupefied by greed; not one subtle point enters the ear of greed.

Updated 2026-06-13

Contributors are:

Who are from:

References