1Cademy - بخش ۵۳ - رسیدن خسرو و جهان افروز و یاران بكوه رخام و دیدن پیر نصیحت گو / Section 53 - The Arrival of Khosrow, Jahan-Afruz, and Companions at the Alabaster Mountain and Seeing the Wise Elder

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Khosrow Nameh

Poem

بخش ۵۳ - رسیدن خسرو و جهان افروز و یاران بكوه رخام و دیدن پیر نصیحت گو / Section 53 - The Arrival of Khosrow, Jahan-Afruz, and Companions at the Alabaster Mountain and Seeing the Wise Elder

Original content

چو بگذشتند ازان دریای خونخوار
یکی کوه بلند آمد پدیدار

یکی حصن رخامین بر سر کوه
درختان گشته گرد حصن انبوه

بران حصن قوی بر رفت خسرو
جوانمردانش در پی گشته پس رو

بپیش آن صفهیی میدید از دور
که چون شمعی فروزان بود از نور

بساط صفه دوخ و بوریا بود
دران محرابگه پیری دو تا بود

چو مرغی برسر کوهی نشسته
ز هر شادی و اندوهی برسته

بپیش کردگار استاده بر پای
نهاده دست بر هم چشم بر جای

بخفته گربهیی بر جام. پیر
ز سر تا پای او مانندهٔ شیر

چو کس همدم نبودش زادمیزاد
بر خود گربهیی را همدمی داد

اگر هستی تو شیر پردهٔ راز
ببر از آدمی با گربهیی ساز

که از مردم اگرچه خویش باشد
وفای گربه و سگ بیش باشد

توقف کرد شه تا پیر دمساز
بپرداخت و سلامش کرد آغاز

زبان بگشاد پیر کار دیده
بدو گفت ای بسی تیمار دیده

برو بنشین چه میگردی جهانی
که جمعیت بسی گردد زمانی

چوهمدم نیست تو همدم نیابی
که چون محرم نیی محرم نیابی

بتنهایی بسر بر روزگاری
که تنهایی ترا بهتر ز یاری

بسی من گرد عالم بر دویدم
بجستم عاقبت همدم ندیدم

ز نااهلان فرو خوردم همه عمر
ز حق اهلی طلب کردم همه عمر

اگرچه در جهان دیدم بسی را
ندیدم هیچ اهلیت کسی را

چرا در حلقهٔ مردم نشینم
که جز در دیده، مردم مینبینم

اگرچه یک جوم بیرون شوی نیست
همه آفاق در چشمم جوی نیست

مگر دیوار من کوتاه تر بود
که در ملکم نه دیوار ونه در بود

کنون عمریست تادر گوشه تنها
بدل با خویش میگویم سخنها

چه گویم، با که گویم، چند گویم
چو چیزی گم نکردم، چند جویم

درین زندان کافر کیش غدار
ز حیرت کافری میآردم بار

نمیدانم کیم یا از کجایم
چه میسازم، ز جان و ز تن جدایم

درین گرداب اگر افتی دمی تو
ز من سرگشته تر گردی همی تو

چوخسرو پیر را میدید هشیار
ز هر نوعی سؤالش کرد بسیار

ولیک آن پیر را در هیچ بابی
نشد پوشیده بر خاطر، جوابی

به خسرو گفت کم دیدم جوانی
ز تو شیرین زبان تر در جهانی

نه دردانش ترا ماننده دیدم
نه مثلت درجهان داننده دیدم

بحمدالله نمردم ناگهان من
بدیدم زندهیی را در جهان من

English translation

When they passed from that bloodthirsty sea, A high mountain became visible. A marble fortress on top of the mountain, Trees grew dense around the fortress. Khosrow ascended that strong fortress, His brave young men followed behind him. In front of it, he saw a platform from afar, Which was shining with light like a burning candle. The furnishings of the platform were sackcloth and a straw mat, In that prayer niche was a bent elder. Seated like a bird on a mountain peak, Liberated from all joy and grief. Standing on his feet before the Creator, Hands folded together, eyes fixed in place. A cat was sleeping on the elder's cloak, From head to toe, it was like a lion. Since he had no companion among human beings, He gave himself a cat as a companion. If you are the lion of the veil of secrets, Cut yourself off from humanity and get along with a cat. For though a human may be kin to you, The loyalty of a cat and a dog is greater. The king paused until the companionable elder Finished his prayer and began to greet him. The experienced elder opened his tongue, Saying to him: 'O you who have seen much sorrow! Go and sit, why do you wander the world? For peace of mind is found in a single moment. Since there is no companion, you will find no companion; For when you are not an initiate, you will find no confidant. Spend your days in solitude, For solitude is better for you than companionship. I ran much around the world, I searched and in the end found no companion. I suffered from the unworthy all my life, I sought a worthy one from God all my life. Although I saw many in the world, I saw no worthiness in anyone. Why should I sit in the circle of people, When I see no humanity except in the pupil of the eye? Although there is not a barleycorn's worth of escape for me, The entire horizon is not worth a barleycorn in my eyes. Perhaps my wall was too low, For in my kingdom there was neither wall nor door. Now it has been a lifetime that in my lonely corner, I speak words to myself in my heart. What shall I say, to whom shall I say, how long shall I say? Since I have lost nothing, how long shall I seek? In this prison of treacherous, infidel nature, Out of bewilderment, infidelity grows within me. I do not know who I am or where I am from, What I am doing, separated from soul and body. If you fall into this whirlpool for a moment, You will become even more bewildered than I.' When Khosrow saw the elder was wise, He asked him many questions of every kind. Yet for that elder, in no matter Was the answer hidden from his mind. He said to Khosrow: 'I have seen few youths Sweeter of tongue than you in the world. Neither in knowledge have I seen your equal, Nor in the world have I seen a knower like you. Praise be to God, I did not die suddenly, I saw a living one in the world.'

Updated 2026-07-03

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