1Cademy - بخش ۲۳ - خردنامه سقراط / Section 23 - The Wisdom-Book of Socrates (Khiradnama-yi Suqrat)

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بخش ۲۳ - خردنامه سقراط / Section 23 - The Wisdom-Book of Socrates (Khiradnama-yi Suqrat)

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زهی گنج حکمت که سقراط بود
مبرا ز تفریط و افراط بود

شد از جودت فکر ظلمت زدای
همه نور حکمت ز سر تا به پای

سرانجام خلعت پرستان شناخت
ز بی خلعتی خلعت خویش ساخت

ز خمخانه چرخ پر اشتلم
به خانه درون داشت یک کهنه خم

به فصل زمستان در آن سرزمین
به شبها ز سرما شدی خم نشین

چو خورشید خیمه به گردون زدی
ز تدویر خم خیمه بیرون زدی

نشستی ز عریان تنی بی حجاب
شدی گرم در پرتو آفتاب

یکی روز تن عور خورشیدوار
رسیدش به سر شاه آن روزگار

بدو گفت کای پیر دانش پذیر
بدینسان چرایی ز ما گوشه گیر

قدم باز می داری از راه ما
نمی آوری رو به درگاه ما

بگفتا که تنگ است بر من مجال
ز شغلی که باشد مرا ماه و سال

بگفتش که چندین تورا شغل چیست
که بی آن نیاری یکی لحظه زیست

بگفتا پی دولت زندگی
همی سازم اسباب پایندگی

بگفتش که اسباب آن پیش ماست
رساندن به حاجتوران کیش ماست

بگفت ار بدانم که آن پیش توست
ببندم کمر در رضای تو چست

به دست تو برگ حیات تن است
که آن سد راه نجات من است

حیات دل و جان بود کام من
که آن بندد از راه تو گام من

بگفتش به هر چیز داری نیاز
بگو تا کنم از برای تو ساز

بگفتا نیاز من خاکسار
به تو غیر ازین نیست ای شهریار

که این خلعت گرم کز عکس مهر
به دوشم کشیده ست اکنون سپهر

به تاراج سایه نگیری ز من
به لطف این توقع پذیری ز من

گذاری که یکدم به بی پردگی
برد مهر چرخ از من افسردگی

چو بشنید شاه از وی این گفت و گوی
شد از خاصگان بهر او جامه جوی

یکی جامه دادند او را عطا
ز مویینه چین و خز خطا

بگرداند حالی ازان جامه پشت
به نرمی فرو خواند حرفی درشت

که کی زندگان را کشیدن نکوست
ز مرده کفن یار ز مردار پوست

ز سردی دی چون شوم رنج یاب
شبم خم پسند است و روز آفتاب

هزار آفرین بر حکیمی چنین
برون پایه اش زآسمان و زمین

نه بر جانش از دور افلاک درد
نه بر طبعش از عالم خاک گرد

درین کار شاگرد بودش هزار
فلاطون از آنها یکی در شمار

فلاطون فلاطونی از وی گرفت
فلاطونی افزونی از وی گرفت

به حکمت چو در ثمین سفته است
به دانا فلاطون چنین گفته است

که ای رسته از تنگنای خیال
زده در هوای خرد پر و بال

بر آن دار همت ز آغاز کار
که گردی شناسای پروردگار

بدانی حق دولت بندگیش
نهی پا به راه پرستندگیش

روی راه خوشنودیش صبح و شام
به کسب رضایش کنی اهتمام

ز حکمت به معراج عزت برآی
بنه بر سر چرخ گردنده پای

بسا دست کوته ز بی مایگی
که دارد ز حکمت فلک پایگی

اگر بودی از جهل هر سینه صاف
برافتادی از خلق رسم خلاف

ره مرد دانا یکی بیش نیست
به جز طبع نادان دو اندیش نیست

نبینی درین ششدر دیولاخ
ز شادی دل شش نفر را فراخ

یکی آن حسدور به هر کشوری
که رنجش بود راحت دیگری

چو حال کسی بیند از خویش به
فتد بر رگ جانش از غم گره

دوم کینه ورزی که از خلق زشت
بود کینه خلقش اندر سرشت

چو نتواند از کس شدن کینه کش
نباشد ز کینداریش سینه خوش

سیم نو توانگر که بهر درم
بود روز و شب بر دل او دو غم

یکی آنکه چون چیزی آرد به کف
دوم آنکه ناگه نگردد تلف

چهارم لئیمی که با گنج سیم
بود همچو نام زرش دل دو نیم

که ناگه نیابد بدو فقر راه
نگردد بدان روز عیشش تباه

بود پنجمین طالب پایه ای
که در خورد آن نبودش مایه ای

کند آرزوی مقام بلند
که نتواند آنجا فکندن کمند

ششم از ادب خالی اندیشه ای
که باشد حریف ادب پیشه ای

چو طبعش بود از ادب بی نصیب
کشد نو به نو مالشی از ادیب

بود سیم و زر رنج دین پروران
طبیبان آن رنج دانشوران

کشد رنج را چون سوی خود طبیب
کجا باشدش از مداوا نصیب

ازان کس بپرهیز و فعل و فنش
که دارد دلت بی سبب دشمنش

اگر ره نگرداند از گرگ و میش
بود یاور او در آزار خویش

زبان را چه داری به گفتن گرو
ز هر سو گشا گوش حکمت شنو

خدا یک زبانت بداد و دو گوش
که کم گوی یعنی و افزون نیوش

خموشی بود دولت ایزدی
دلیل هنرمندی و بخردی

ز بسیار دانان فراست گواست
که بسیار گوی از کیاست جداست

سخن را کزان بسته داری نفس
یکی مرغ دان پایبند قفس

چو گفتی قفس یافت بر وی شکست
طمع بگسل از وی که آید به دست

مکش زیر ران مرکب حرص و آز
ز گیتی به قدر کفایت بساز

به هر روز تا شب ز خوان سپهر
بسنده ست یک خشت نانت چو مهر

بیفکن ز کف کاسه زر ناب
کف خویش را کاسه کن بهر آب

ز زربفت هستی مشو خودفروش
کهن خرقه نیستی کش به دوش

مکش بهر معموری خانه رنج
به ویرانه خود را نهان کن چو گنج

به خود بند در خدمت خود کمر
به مخدومی از کس مکش درد سر

ز چوبت کف پای نعلین سای
به از نعل زر بر سم بادپای

چراغ شبت بس بود ماهتاب
ادیم زمین بهر تو نطع خواب

بدین حال با حکمت اندوزیت
سلوک عمل گر شود روزیت

بری گوی دولت ز همپیشگان
شوی سرور حکمت اندیشگان

رهانی ز سود و زیان خویش را
رسانی به پیشینیان خویش را

حذر کن ز آسیب جادو زنان
به دستان سران را ز پای افکنان

به روی زمین دام مردان مرد
بساط وفا و مروت نورد

ازیشان در درج حکمت به بند
وزیشان نگون قدر هر سربلند

ازیشان خردمند را پایه پست
وزیشان سپاه خرد را شکست

دهد طعم شهد و شکر زهرشان
مخور زهر را چون شکر بهرشان

مشو غره حلم مرد حلیم
که بر حلم عمری نشیند مقیم

درختیست صندل خنک در مزاج
پی علت گرم طبعان علاج

به هم در شده شاخه ها زان درخت
چو در اصطکاک افتد از باد سخت

زند آتشی شعله زان اصطکاک
که ریزد ازان شاخ و برگش به خاک

اگر پیر باشد عوان ور جوان
به هر حال نبود عوان جز عوان

تنش گرچه از ضعف پیریست سست
بود سیرت بد در او تندرست

درونش سیاه از دل تیره خوی
کیش سود دارد سفیدی موی

به سال و مه ار گرگ گردد بزرگ
نیاید برون هرگز از خوی گرگ

به پیمان مشو بند فرمان او
که دام فریب است پیمان او

مبادا به آن دامت اندر کشد
به تزویر جانت ز تن برکشد

English translation

What a treasure of wisdom Socrates was, free from both deficiency and excess. Through the excellence of his thought he dispelled darkness; from head to foot he was all the light of wisdom. In the end he recognized the worshippers of robes of honor, and from robelessness he fashioned his own robe of honor. From the tumultuous wine-house of the heavens, inside his house he kept one old vat. In the winter season in that land, at night, from the cold, he would sit inside the vat. When the sun pitched its tent in the sky, he pitched his tent outside the rounding of the vat. He would sit naked, without a veil, warming himself in the rays of the sun. One day, his bare body sun-like, the king of that age came upon him. He said to him: O wisdom-receiving elder, why do you thus withdraw into a corner from us? You hold your foot back from our path, you do not turn your face to our court. He said: my space is narrow for me, because of an occupation that keeps me month and year. He said to him: what is this occupation of yours, so great that without it you cannot live a single moment? He said: for the fortune of life I am arranging the means of permanence. He said: the means of that are with us; to provide for the needy is our creed. He said: if I knew that it were with you, I would nimbly gird my loins in your service. In your hand is the provision of the body's life, which is a barrier on the road of my salvation. The life of heart and soul is my desire, for that would block my step from your path. He said to him: whatever you need, tell me, so that I may arrange it for you. He said: my humble need from you is nothing but this, O king: that this warm robe of honor which, from the reflection of the sun, the heavens have now drawn over my shoulders, you do not plunder from me with your shadow; of your kindness, accept this expectation from me, that you let, for one moment, without a veil, the sun of the sphere take away my numbness. When the king heard this discourse from him, he sought a garment for him from his intimates. They gave him a garment as a gift, of the fur of China and the sable of Khata. At once he turned his back on that garment, and softly recited a harsh saying: that when is it good for the living to wear a shroud from the dead or a skin from carrion? When from the cold of winter I become afflicted, by night the vat suffices me, and by day the sun. A thousand praises on such a sage, whose rank is beyond heaven and earth. Neither pain upon his soul from the turning of the spheres, nor dust upon his nature from the world of earth. In this work he had a thousand disciples; Plato was counted one of them. Plato took his Platonism from him; Platonism took its excellence from him. When in wisdom he had pierced the precious pearl, to the wise Plato he thus spoke: O you freed from the narrow strait of fancy, who have spread wing and feather in the air of reason, set your aspiration, from the start of the work, on becoming a knower of the Lord; that you may know the due of the fortune of His servitude, and set foot on the path of His worship; that you go the path of His pleasure, morning and evening, and strive to gain His satisfaction. Through wisdom, ascend to the ascension of glory; set foot upon the head of the revolving sphere. Many a hand short from lack of means has, through wisdom, the rank of the firmament. If every breast were clear of ignorance, the custom of discord would vanish from mankind. The way of the wise man is but one; none but the nature of the ignorant is double-minded. You will not see, in this six-doored demon-den, the heart of six persons broad with joy: First, the envious one, in every land, whose pain is another's ease; when he sees anyone's state better than his own, a knot of grief falls on the vein of his soul. Second, the spiteful one, whose ugly nature has malice ingrained in his temperament: when he cannot wreak vengeance on anyone, his breast is not glad from his rancor. Third, the newly rich man, who for the sake of dirhams has, day and night, two griefs upon his heart: one, that he may gain something into his grasp, the other, that it may not suddenly be lost. Fourth, the miser who, with a treasure of silver, has his heart split in two like the name of gold: lest poverty suddenly find its way to him, and his day of pleasure be ruined by it. The fifth is one who seeks a rank for which he has no fitting substance: he desires a lofty station where he cannot cast his lasso. The sixth, one empty of refinement in thought, who is the companion of one practiced in refinement: since his nature has no share of refinement, he suffers ever-new chastening from the cultured one. Silver and gold are the ailment of the religion-nurturers; the physicians of that ailment are the learned. When the physician draws the ailment toward himself, how shall he have a share of the cure? Beware of that person, and his deeds and craft, whom your heart holds an enemy without cause; if he does not turn the path aside from wolf and sheep, he is his own helper in his own injury. Why do you keep your tongue pledged to speaking? Open your ear on every side, hearing wisdom. God gave you one tongue and two ears, meaning: speak little and listen more. Silence is a divine fortune, a proof of skill and of wisdom. The sagacity of the very learned bears witness that the garrulous is far from shrewdness. The word by which you keep your breath bound, consider it a bird fettered in a cage. Once you have spoken, the cage has broken over it; sever hope of its coming back to hand. Do not spur the steed of greed and avarice beneath you; be content with the world to the measure of sufficiency. Each day till night, from the table of the sphere, one brick of bread, round like the sun, suffices you. Cast from your hand the bowl of pure gold; make your own palm a bowl for water. Do not be vain with the gold-brocade of existence; bear the old patched cloak of non-being on your shoulder. Do not toil to make a house prosperous; hide yourself in a ruin, like a treasure. Gird your own loins in your own service; take no headache from anyone by being served. A wooden sandal chafing the sole of your foot is better than a golden shoe on the hoof of a swift steed. Moonlight is enough as your night-lamp; the surface of the earth is your sleeping-mat. In this state, together with your gathering of wisdom, if the practice of action becomes your portion, you will carry off the ball of fortune from your peers, and become the chief of those who think on wisdom. You will free yourself from profit and loss, and attain to your predecessors. Beware of the harm of the sorceresses, who by wiles cast down chiefs from their feet. On the face of the earth they are a snare for manly men, rolling up the carpet of fidelity and chivalry. Because of them, keep the casket of wisdom shut; because of them, the worth of every exalted one is overturned. Because of them the wise man's rank is lowered, and because of them the army of reason is defeated. Their poison gives the taste of honey and sugar; do not eat poison as sugar for their sake. Do not be deceived by the forbearance of the forbearing man who has dwelt a lifetime, settled in forbearance. The sandalwood is a tree, cool in temperament, a remedy for the ailment of the hot-natured. When the branches of that tree, entangled together, fall into friction from a strong wind, a fire kindles a flame from that friction that scatters its branch and leaf to the dust. Whether the tyrant's henchman be old or young, in any case a henchman is nothing but a henchman. Though his body be weak from the frailty of age, the evil character in him is hale and hearty. His inside black from a dark-natured heart, the whiteness of his hair keeps up a self-serving creed. Though a wolf grow big with years and months, it never comes out of the nature of a wolf. Do not become bound to his command by a covenant, for his covenant is a snare of deceit. Lest by that snare he draw you in, and by trickery pull your soul out of your body.

Updated 2026-07-19

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