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بخش ۱۲ - الحكایة و التمثیل / Section 12 - The Tale and the Parable

Original content

خسروی میرفت در صحرا و شخ
با سپاهی در عدد مور و ملخ

جملهٔ صحرا غبار و گرد بود
بانگ پیل و کوس و بردا برد بود

بود بر ره شاه را ویرانهٔ
خفته بر دیوار آن دیوانهٔ

شاه چون پیش آمدش او برنخاست
همچنان میبود کرده پای راست

شاه گفتش ای گدای خاک راه
تو چرا حرمت نمیداری نگاه

شاه میبینی و لشکر پیش و پس
برنخیزد چون منی را چون تو کس

پیش شه دیوانهٔ آزادوش
همچنان خفته زبان بگشاد خوش

گفت آخر از چه دارم حرمتت
یا کجا در چشمم آید نعمتت

گر به قارونی برون خواهی شدن
همچو قارون سرنگون خواهی شدن

ور چو نمرودی تو از ملک و سپاه
همچو او گردی بیک پشه تباه

ور نکو روئیست در غایت ترا
کافری باشی ز ترکان ختا

ور ترا علمست و با آن کار نیست
از تو تا ابلیس ره بسیار نیست

ور تو همچون صاحب عادی به زور
سردهد چون عوج یک سنگت بگور

ور بهشت آمد سرایت خشت خشت
همچو شدادت کشند اندر بهشت

ور نداری این همه عیب و بدی
پس چو هم باشیم هر دو در خودی

هر دو از یک آب در خون آمدیم
هر دو از یک راه بیرون آمدیم

هر دو از یک زاد بر پائیم ما
هر دو از یک باد برجائیم ما

هر دو در یک گز زمین افتاده ایم
هر دو اندر یک کمین افتاده ایم

هر دو از یک مرگ خیره میشویم
هر دو با یک خاک تیره میشویم

در همه نوعی چو با تو همدمم
من چرا برخیزم از تو چه کمم

English translation

A king was traveling in the desert and rugged terrain With an army numbering like ants and locusts The whole desert was dust and dirt There was the roar of elephants, drums, and cries of 'make way' On the king's path was a ruin Sleeping on its wall was a madman When the king approached him, he did not rise He remained as he was, with his leg stretched out The king said to him, "O beggar of the dusty path, Why do you not observe respect? You see a king and an army before and behind, Does no one like you rise for one like me?" Before the king, the free-spirited madman, Still lying down, opened his mouth pleasantly: He said, "After all, why should I revere you? Or where does your wealth appear in my eyes? If you wish to display wealth like Korah, Like Korah, you will be overturned. And if you are like Nimrod in realm and army, Like him, you will be destroyed by a single gnat. And if you possess the utmost beauty of face, You are but an infidel from the Turks of Cathay. And if you have knowledge but no action with it, The distance from you to Iblis is not far. And if you have strength like the master of 'Ad, Like Og, a single stone will send you to the grave. And if your palace is made of paradise brick by brick, Like Shaddad, they will drag you within that paradise. And if you do not have all these faults and evils, Then since we are both alike in our selfhood: We both came into blood from the same water, We both came out through the same path. We both stand from the same birth, We both remain from the same breath. We both have fallen into one yard of earth, We both have fallen into the same ambush. We both will be bewildered by the same death, We both will merge with the same dark dust. Since in every way I am your equal, Why should I rise for you? In what am I less?"

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Updated 2026-07-03

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Humanities

Literature

Persian Literature Prerequisite Course

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