1Cademy - (۸) مناظرۀ شیخ ابوسعید با صوفی و سگ / (8) The Debate of Sheikh Abu Said with the Sufi and the Dog

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Elahi Nameh

Poem

(۸) مناظرۀ شیخ ابوسعید با صوفی و سگ / (8) The Debate of Sheikh Abu Sa'id with the Sufi and the Dog

Original content

یکی صوفی گذر می کرد ناگاه
عصا را بر سگی زد در سر راه

چو زخمی سخت بر دست سگ افتاد
سگ آمد در خروش و در تگ افتاد

به پیش بوسعید آمد خروشان
بخاک افتاد دل از کینه جوشان

چو دست خود بدو بنمود برخاست
ازان صوفی غافل داد می خواست

بصوفی گفت شیخ ای بی وفا مرد
کسی با بی زبانی این جفا کرد

شکستی دست او تا پست افتاد
چنین عاجز شد وأز دست افتاد

زبان بگشاد صوفی گفت ای پیر
نبود از من که از سگ بود تقصیر

چو کرد او جامهٔ من نانمازی
عصائی خورد از من نه ببازی

کجا سگ می گرفت آرام آنجا
فغان می کرد و می زد گام آنجا

بسگ گفت آنگه آن شیخ یگانه
که تو از هر چه کردی شادمانه

بجان من می کشم آنرا غرامت
بکن حکم و میفگن با قیامت

وگر خواهی که من بدهم جوابش
کنم از بهر تو اینجا عقابش

نخواهم من که خشم آلود گردی
چنان خواهم که تو خشنود گردی

سگ آنگه گفت ای شیخ یگانه
چو دیدم جامهٔ او صوفیانه

شدم ایمن کزو نبود گزندم
چه دانستم که سوزد بند بندم

اگر بودی قباپوشی درین راه
مرا زو احترازی بودی آنگاه

چو دیدم جامهٔ اهل سلامت
شدم ایمن ندانستم تمامت

عقوبت گر کنی او را کنون کن
وزو این جامهٔ مردان برون کن

که تا از شر او ایمن توان بود
که از رندان ندیدم این زیان بود

بکش زو خرقهٔ اهل سلامت
تمامست این عقوبت تا قیامت

چو سگ را در ره او این مقامست
فزونی جستنت بر سگ حرامست

اگر تو خویش از سگ بیش دانی
یقین دان کز سگی خویش دانی

چو افگندند در خاکت چنین زار
بباید اوفتادن سر نگون سار

که تا تو سرکشی در پیش داری
بلاشک سرنگونی بیش داری

ز مشتی خاک چندین چیست لافت
که بهر خاک می برند نافت

همی هر کس که اینجا خاک تر بود
یقین می دان که آنجا پاکتر بود

چو مردان خویشتن را خاک کردند
بمردی جان و تن را پاک کردند

سرافرازان این ره زان بلندند
که کلی سرکشی از سرفگندند

English translation

Suddenly a Sufi was passing by, He struck a dog on the road with his staff. When a severe blow fell upon the dog's paw, The dog cried out and started to run. It came before Abu Sa'id crying out, Fell to the dust, its heart boiling with resentment. When it showed him its paw, it rose up, Seeking justice from that heedless Sufi. The Sheikh said to the Sufi, 'O faithless man, Who does such cruelty to a mute creature? You broke its paw so that it fell low, It became so helpless and lost its strength.' The Sufi opened his mouth and said, 'O elder, It was not my fault, the fault was the dog's. When it made my garment ritually impure, It received a blow from my staff, not in jest. Where would the dog find peace there? It was crying out and pacing there.' Then that unique Sheikh said to the dog, 'For whatever you have happily done, Upon my soul, I will bear the compensation for it; Pass your judgment and do not postpone it to the Resurrection. And if you want me to answer him, I will punish him right here for your sake. I do not want you to remain angry, I want you to become satisfied.' The dog then said, 'O unique Sheikh, When I saw his Sufi garments, I felt safe that no harm would come to me from him. How was I to know he would burn my joints? If there had been a man wearing a common tunic on this road, I would have kept my distance from him then. When I saw the garment of the people of peace, I felt safe, not knowing the whole truth. If you are to punish him, do it now, And strip him of this garment of true men. So that one may be safe from his evil, For I never saw such harm from scoundrels. Strip him of the cloak of the people of peace, This punishment is complete until the Resurrection.' Since a dog holds such a station in His path, Seeking superiority over a dog is forbidden to you. If you consider yourself greater than a dog, Know for certain that you know yourself through baseness. Since they have cast you into the dust so miserably, You must fall headlong. For as long as you harbor rebelliousness, Undoubtedly you will have more headlong falls. What is all this boasting from a handful of dust? For your navel string is cut upon the dust. Whoever was more like dust (humble) here, Know for certain that they will be purer there. When true men turned themselves into dust, Through true manhood they purified their soul and body. The exalted ones of this path are lofty because They completely cast away rebelliousness from their heads.

Updated 2026-07-03

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