1Cademy - بخش ۴۸ - داستان رسیدن اسکندر به شهری که همه مردم پاکیزه روزگار بودند و سؤال و جواب ایشان / Section 48 - The Tale of Alexanders Arrival at a City Where All the People Were of Pure Life, and Their Questions and Answers

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بخش ۴۸ - داستان رسیدن اسکندر به شهری که همه مردم پاکیزه روزگار بودند و سؤال و جواب ایشان / Section 48 - The Tale of Alexander's Arrival at a City Where All the People Were of Pure Life, and Their Questions and Answers

Original content

سکندر چو می گشت گرد جهان
خبر پرس هر آشکار و نهان

در اثنای رفتن به شهری رسید
در آن شهر قومی پسندیده دید

ز گفتار بیهوده لبها خموش
فروبسته از ناسزا چشم و گوش

نجسته به بد هرگز آزار هم
به هر کار نیکو مددگار هم

نه زیشان توانگر کسی نی فقیر
بر ایشان نه سلطان کسی نی امیر

برابر به هم قسمت مالشان
موافق به هم صورت حالشان

نه از محنت قحطشان سال تنگ
نه بر صفحه صلحشان حرف جنگ

ز یک خانه هر یک شده بهره مند
نه در بر در خانه هاشان نه بند

به هر در فرو برده گوری مغاک
که بیننده را زان شدی سینه چاک

سکندر چو شد واقف طورشان
شد از گفت و گو طالب غورشان

بگفتا ز اول که در وقت زیست
فرو بردن گور از بهر چیست

بگفتند از بهر آن کنده ایم
که تا در فضای جهان زنده ایم

نبندد لب خود ز ارشاد ما
دهد هر دم از مردگی یاد ما

گشاده بدین نکته دایم دهان
که ما و توییم آن دهان را زبان

ز هر کام برکنده دندان در او
زبان وار افتیم عریان در او

زبان وارمان چون به زندان کنند
ز دندانه خشت دندان کنند

دگر گفت چون خانه ها بی در است
در باز مر دزد را رهبر است

بگفتند در شهر ما نیست دزد
که از کسب دزدی خورد دستمزد

همه مردم صادقند و امین
چو خاکند امینان روی زمین

به خاک ار سپاری یکی دانه جو
دهد هفتصدت باز وقت درو

دگر گفت چون بهر مال و متاع
میان شما نیست جنگ و نزاع

بگفتند ما بنده صانعیم
به قوت و لباسی ز وی قانعیم

رسد بی نزاع آنچه باشد کفاف
ازان در غلاف است تیغ خلاف

دگر گفت چون شاه فرمانروای
درین شهر بی شور نگرفته جای

پی دفع ظلم است گفتند شاه
ز ظلم این ولایت بود در پناه

زر عدل از ظلم گیرد عیار
چو ظالم نباشد به عادل چه کار

دگر گفت چون در دیار شما
غنی نیست کس در شمار شما

بگفتند ناید در طبع کریم
حریصی نمودن پی زر و سیم

نسازد درین تنگنای مجاز
زر و سیم را جمع جز حرص و آز

دگر گفت چون از صروف زمان
ز محرومی قحط دارید امان

بگفتند بیگاه و گاهی که هست
در آمرزشیم از گناهی که هست

شود آدمی را درین دیولاخ
ز آمرزش اسباب روزی فراخ

دگر گفت کین شیوه خاص شماست
که سرمایه بخش خلاص شماست

و یا از پدر بر پدر آمده ست
گهروار از کان بدر آمده ست

بگفتند کین خاصه از ما نخاست
ابا عن جد این کشته میراث ماست

نداریم از نخل کاری خبر
ز نخل پدر چیده ایم این ثمر

سکندر چو پرداخت از گفت و گوی
به آهنگ برگشتن آورد روی

به دکانچه درزیی برگذشت
که چشم از فروغ ویش خیره گشت

به مقراض تجرید ببریده دل
ز پیوند این عالم آب و گل

فرو برده سر همچو سوزن به کار
گذشته ز دراعه عیب و عار

چو رشته سر از جاهلان تافته
سر رشته معرفت یافته

سکندر بدو گفت کای خیره سر
چو آمد به گوش تو از ما خبر

چو رشته سر از ما چرا تافتی
چو سوزن به سر تیز نشتافتی

بگفتا که من مرد آزاده ام
به راه هوس پای ننهاده ام

نیاید خوشم فر و اقبال تو
چه سازم سر خویش پامال تو

ندارم طمع گنج سیم و زرت
چو مار از چه حلقه زنم بر درت

ازین پیش در شهر ما یک دو کس
بپریدشان مرغ جان از قفس

برید آن امید خود از تاج و تخت
کشید این ز بیغوله فقر رخت

کفن بر تن آن ز خز و حریر
بر این از کهن دلق دل ناپذیر

ازین بی وفا کاخ ناپایدار
نهادندشان در یکی کنج غار

بر ایشان چو بگذشت یکچند روز
گذشتم بر آن غار با درد و سوز

ز هم دیدم آن هر دو را ریخته
به هم استخوان ها در آمیخته

نشد روشنم بعد صد اهتمام
که آن یک کدام است و این یک کدام

هوای جهان بر دلم سرد شد
ز پیوند آن خاطرم فرد شد

بدو گفت شه کای به دانشوری
تو را از همه پایه برتری

ز هر کار می بینم آگه تو را
بیا تا بر اینان کنم شه تو را

بگفتا که شاها من آن درزیم
که باشد پی خود عمل ورزیم

پی خویش دلق بقا دوختن
به از اطلس فانی اندوختن

نمی خواهم این خلعت مستعار
به عور دگر کن عطا این شعار

English translation

As Alexander roamed about the world, asking for news of every open and hidden thing, in the course of his going he reached a city; in that city he saw a praiseworthy people. Their lips were silent from idle speech, their eyes and ears shut against indecency. They never sought to harm anyone with evil, and were helpers to one another in every good deed. Among them no one was rich and none was poor, over them was no sultan and no prince. Their wealth was divided equally among them, their conditions were in accord with one another. No year of hardship pressed them with famine, on the page of their peace was no word of war. Each one had his share of a single house, yet on their doors was neither latch nor bolt. At each door they had dug down a grave-pit, so that the beholder's breast was torn at the sight.

When Alexander became aware of their ways, he sought, through conversation, to plumb their depths. He said first: In the very time of living, for what purpose do you dig a grave? They said: We have dug it for this reason, that while we are alive in the expanse of the world it does not close its lips from guiding us, but gives us at every moment a reminder of death. Its mouth is always open to this saying: "We and you are one" — that mouth's tongue. Every tooth in it is plucked from the palate; we shall fall naked into it like a tongue. When they set our tongue-like body in that prison, from the brick's serration they fashion teeth.

He said again: Since the houses are doorless, an open door is a guide for the thief. They said: In our city there is no thief who eats his wage from the trade of thieving. All the people are truthful and trustworthy; the trustworthy of the earth's face are like the soil. If you entrust a single grain of barley to the soil, it gives you back seven hundred at harvest time.

He said again: Since over wealth and goods among you there is no war and no dispute, they said: We are servants of the Maker, content with a portion of food and clothing from Him. Whatever is sufficient comes without strife; therefore the sword of conflict rests in its sheath.

He said again: Since a ruling king has taken no place, without turmoil, in this city, they said: A king is for the repelling of injustice; from injustice this land is under protection. The gold of justice takes its assay from injustice; when there is no oppressor, what task has the just one?

He said again: Since in your land no one among your number is rich, they said: It does not enter the generous nature to show greed in the pursuit of gold and silver. In this narrow illusory space, none but greed and avarice gathers gold and silver.

He said again: Since from the turns of time you are safe from the famine of deprivation, they said: Untimely and timely, whatever there is, we are in the seeking of pardon for whatever sin there is. For a person, in this wretched wilderness, through forgiveness the means of livelihood grow ample.

He said again: Is this manner special to you, the capital that bestows your deliverance, or has it come down from father to father, emerging like a jewel from the mine? They said: This special quality did not arise from us; from forefathers this sowing is our inheritance. We know nothing of the planting of the palm; from our fathers' palm we have plucked this fruit.

When Alexander had finished with the talk, he turned his face toward returning. He passed by the little shop of a tailor whose radiance dazzled his eye. With the scissors of detachment he had cut his heart from the bond of this world of water and clay. He had bowed his head to his work like a needle, having passed beyond the cloak of blame and shame. Like thread he had turned his head from the ignorant, and had found the thread-end of gnosis. Alexander said to him: O dazed-head, since news of us reached your ear, why, like thread, did you turn your head from us, and not hasten, sharp-pointed, like a needle? He said: I am a free-born man; I have not set my foot on the road of caprice. Your splendor and good fortune do not please me; why should I let my head be trampled by you? I have no desire for your treasure of silver and gold; why, like a snake, should I coil at your door? Before this, in our city, one or two persons had the bird of their soul fly from the cage. One cut off his hope from crown and throne, the other lifted his baggage from the corner of poverty. The shroud on that one's body was of silk and brocade, on this one, an old worn cloak the heart rejects. From this faithless, impermanent palace they laid them in a single corner of a cave. When some days had passed over them, I passed by that cave with pain and burning. I saw the two of them scattered together, their bones mingled with one another. After a hundred efforts it did not become clear to me which was the one and which was the other. The longing for the world grew cold in my heart; from its bond my mind became detached. The king said to him: O you who in learning are above every rank, I see you aware of every affair; come, that I may make you king over these people. He said: O king, I am that tailor who plies his craft for his own sake. To sew for oneself the cloak of subsistence is better than to hoard the perishing satin. I do not want this borrowed robe of honor; bestow this garment as alms on some other naked one.

Updated 2026-07-19

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