1Cademy - بخش ۲۲ - حکایت آن راستگوی که از ناراستی کج اندیشان به مسافرت بسیار سخن خود را راست کرد / Section 22 - The Tale of That Truthful Man Who, Because of the Falsehood of the Crooked-Minded, Made His Own Words True Through Much Travel

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Haft Awrang

Poem

بخش ۲۲ - حکایت آن راستگوی که از ناراستی کج اندیشان به مسافرت بسیار سخن خود را راست کرد / Section 22 - The Tale of That Truthful Man Who, Because of the Falsehood of the Crooked-Minded, Made His Own Words True Through Much Travel

Original content

شنیدم که شاهی به هندوستان
برافروخت بزم از رخ دوستان

چو طوطی به هر نکته گویا شدند
به نادر خبرها شکرخا شدند

یکی گفت کاندر دیار عرب
یکی جانور دیده ام بس عجب

شتر پیکری رسته زو بال و پر
ولیکن نه پرنده نی باربر

پی طعمه سوزنده اخگر خورد
چو عنقای مغرب که اختر خورد

بود در دهان وی آتش چو آب
نسوزد گلویش ازان تف و تاب

ز وی هر کس آن قصه را کرد گوش
بر او بانگ زد کای برادر خموش

شتر را به روی زمین پر که دید
و یا طعمه مرغ از اخگر که دید

به دل کی کند خانه مرغ مقال
چو آید فرو ز آشیان محال

چو گوینده انکار ایشان بدید
به سوگند بسیار افغان کشید

ولیکن چو برهان دیگر نداشت
کس آن را به سوگند باور نداشت

ازان جمع فرخنده شرمنده ماند
چو شمع از خجالت سرافکنده ماند

شد آتش ز اندوه و برخاست زود
برون رفت بر خویش پیچان چو دود

ز پا راحله وز جگر زاد کرد
نهان از همه رو به بغداد کرد

شتر مرغی آورد آنجا به دست
به عزم دیار خود احرام بست

پس از سالی آورد سوی شهش
بدان ساخت از صدق خویش آگهش

شه آن را چو دید آفرین کرد و گفت
که ای قول تو بوده با صدق جفت

بود صبح کاذب سخن بی فروغ
نیاید ز صادق زبانان دروغ

ولی کی سزد حرفی از نکته سنج
که باید در اثبات آن برد رنج

لب از دعویی به که داری نگاه
که آری دلیلش ز یکساله راه

بیا ساقیا در ده آن جام صاف
که شوید ز دل رنگ و بوی گزاف

به هر جا که افتد ز عکسش فروغ
به فرسنگ ها رخت بندد دروغ

بیا مطربا زانکه وقت نواست
بزن این نوا را در آهنگ راست

که کج جز گرفتار خواری مباد
به جز راست را رستگاری مباد

English translation

I heard that a king in India kindled a feast from the faces of his friends. Like parrots they became eloquent on every fine point, chewing sugar over rare and wondrous tidings. One said, 'In the land of the Arabs I have seen a most astonishing creature: a camel-bodied thing from which wings and feathers have grown, yet it is neither a bird nor a beast of burden. For its food it eats burning embers, like the Anqa of the West that devours the stars. In its mouth fire is as water; its throat is not scorched by that heat and glow.' Everyone who heard that tale from him shouted at him, 'O brother, be silent! Who has seen feathers on a camel upon the earth, or who has seen a bird feed upon embers? When does the bird of such speech nest in the heart, when it comes down from the nest of the impossible?' When the speaker saw their denial, he raised a great outcry with many oaths; but since he had no other proof, no one would believe it merely on his oath. From that blessed assembly he was left ashamed, like a candle, head bowed low from embarrassment. He became fire out of grief and rose up at once, and went out, writhing upon himself like smoke. He made his feet a mount and his liver his provisions, and hidden from all, he turned his face toward Baghdad. There he obtained an ostrich by hand, and resolved to set out for his own homeland. After a year he brought it back toward his city, and by it made the king aware of his truthfulness. When the king saw it, he gave praise and said, 'O you whose word has been wedded to truth! The false dawn is a speech devoid of radiance; falsehood does not issue from truthful tongues. But how does it befit the discerning one to utter a word whose proof he must labor so hard to establish? Better to keep your lips from a claim whose evidence you must fetch from a year-long road.' Come, O cupbearer, hand me that pure cup that washes from the heart the hue and scent of exaggeration; wherever its reflection casts its light, falsehood packs its bags and departs for leagues. Come, O minstrel, for now is the time for melody; play this tune in the mode of 'rast' (the true and straight), for may the crooked be nothing but captive to disgrace, and may salvation belong to none but the straight and true.

Updated 2026-07-20

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