1Cademy - (۱) حکایت بلُقیا و عفّان / (1) The Tale of Buluqiya and Affan

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Elahi Nameh

Poem

(۱) حکایت بلُقیا و عفّان / (1) The Tale of Buluqiya and 'Affan

Original content

برای خاتم ملک سلیمان
بلقیا رفت و با او بود عفان

میان هفت دریا بود غاری
بدانجا راه جستن سخت کاری

چو ماری یک پری آمد پدیدار
زبان بگشاد با عفان بگفتار

که آب برگ شاخی در فلان جای
اگر جمع آری و مالی تو بر پای

چنان گردی روان بر روی دریا
که مرد تیز تگ بر روی صحرا

بدان موضع شدند آن هر دو همراه
به پای آن آب مالیدند آنگاه

چنان رفتند هر دو بر سر آب
که از شستی بقوة تیر پرتاب

بآخر چون میان هفت دریا
بکام دل رسیدند آن دو شیدا

یکی غاری پدید آمد سرافراز
بهیبت تیغ کوه او سرانداز

اگرچه آن دو همره یار بودند
ولی آنجا نه یار غار بودند

نهاده بود پیش غار تختی
جوانی خفته بر وی نیک بختی

در انگشتش یکی انگشتری بود
که نقدش بیشتر از مشتری بود

به پای تخت خفته اژدهائی
شده حلقه، نه سر پیدا نه پائی

چو دید آن مرد را بیدار گشت او
دمی بدمید و آتش بارگشت او

چنان عفان بترسید از نهیبش
که پیدا گشت دردی ناشکیبش

به یار خویشتن گفتا مرو پیش
مخور زنهار بر جانت، بیندیش

مده جان د رغم مهر سلیمان
چو مردی چه کنی ملک ای مسلمان

نبردش هیچ فرمان و روان شد
به پیش تخت سلطان جهان شد

بدان انگشتری چون کرد آهنگ
شد آن ثعبان چو انگشتی سیه رنگ

بجست از بیم عفان و هم آنگاه
تفکر کرد تا زان سر شد آگاه

خطابش آمد از درگاه ایمان
که گر می بایدت ملک سلیمان

قناعت کن که آن ملکیست جاوید
که زیر سایه دارد قرص خورشید

سلیمان با چنان ملکی که اوداشت
به نیروی قناعت می فرو داشت

English translation

For the signet ring of Solomon's kingdom Buluqiya went, and 'Affan was with him Amidst the seven seas there was a cave Finding the way there was a difficult task A fairy appeared like a snake And opened its tongue to speak with 'Affan Saying, the juice of the leaves of a branch in such and such place If you gather and rub on your feet You will walk on the surface of the sea Like a swift-running man on the desert Those two companions went to that place And then rubbed that juice on their feet They both went on the surface of the water Like an arrow powerfully shot from a thumb-ring Finally, since amidst the seven seas Those two impassioned ones reached their heart's desire A lofty cave appeared Whose awe was like a towering mountain peak Although those two companions were friends But there they were not 'companions of the cave' (intimate friends) A throne had been placed before the cave A fortunate youth sleeping upon it On his finger was a signet ring Whose worth was greater than Jupiter At the foot of the sleeper's throne was a dragon Coiled into a ring, neither head nor foot visible When it saw the man, it awoke It blew a breath and rained down fire 'Affan was so terrified by its dread That an unbearable pain appeared in him He said to his friend, 'Do not go forward Beware, have pity on your life, reflect!' 'Do not give your life for the sorrow of Solomon's seal Since you must die, what will you do with a kingdom, O Muslim?' He did not obey his command at all and went on He went before the throne of the Sultan of the world When he reached for that signet ring That serpent became black like a piece of charcoal 'Affan leaped away in fear, and at that very moment He reflected so he might become aware of that secret An address came to him from the court of faith 'If you need the kingdom of Solomon Practice contentment, for it is an eternal kingdom Which keeps the orb of the sun under its shadow Solomon, with such a kingdom that he possessed, By the power of contentment held it in low esteem.'

Updated 2026-07-03

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