1Cademy - (۱) حکایت کیخسرو و جام جم / (1) The Tale of Kay Khosrow and the Cup of Jamshid

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Elahi Nameh

Poem

(۱) حکایت کیخسرو و جام جم / (1) The Tale of Kay Khosrow and the Cup of Jamshid

Original content

نشسته بود کیخسرو چو جمشید
نهاده جام جم در پیش خورشید

نگه می کرد سر هفت کشور
وز آنجا شد به سیر هفت اختر

نماند از نیک و بد چیزی نهانش
که نه در جام جم می شد عیانش

طلب بودش که جام جم ببیند
همه عالم دمی درهم ببیند

اگرچه جملهٔ عالم همی دید
ولی در جام جام جم نمی دید

بسی زیر و زبر آمد در آن راز
حجابی می نشد از پیش او باز

به آخر گشت نقشی آشکارا
که در ما کی توانی دید ما را ؟

چو ما فانی شدیم از خویشتن پاک
که بیند نقش ما در عالم خاک ؟

چو فانی گشت از ما جسم و جان هم
ز ما نه نام ماند و نه نشان هم

تو باشی هرچه بینی ما نباشیم
که ما هرگز دگر پیدا نباشیم

چو نقش ما به بی نقشی بدل شد
چه جویی نقش ما ؟ چون با ازل شد

همه چیزی به ما زان می توان دید
که ممکن نیست ما را در میان دید

وجود ما اگر یک ذره بودی
هنوز آن ذره در خود غره بودی

نبیند کس ز ما یک ذره جاوید
که از ذره نگردد ذره خورشید

اگر از خویش می جویی خبر تو
بمیر از خود مکن در خود نظر تو

اگرچه لعبتان دیده خردند
ولی از خویشتن پیش از تو مردند

ازان یک ذره روی خود ندیدند
که تا بودند مرگ خود گزیدند

ازان پیوسته خویش از عز نبینند
که خود را مردگان هرگز نبینند

اگر در مرگ خواهی زندگانی
گمان زندگانی مرگ دانی

اگر خواهی تو نقش جاودان یافت
چنان نقشی به بی نقشی توان یافت

کنون گر همچو ما خواهی چو ما شو
به ترک خود بگو از خود فنا شو

حصاری از فنا باید درین کوی
وگرنه بر تو زخم آید ز هر سوی

چو کیخسرو ازان راز آگهی یافت
ز ملک خویش دست خود تهی یافت

یقینش شد که ملکش جز فنا نیست
که در دنیا بقا را هم بقا نیست

چو صحرای خودی را سد خود دید
قبای بی خودی بر قد خود دید

چو مردان ترک ملک کم بقا گفت
شهادت گفت و بر دست فنا خفت

مگر لهراسپ آنجا بود خواندش
بجای خویش در ملکت نشاندش

به غاری رفت و برد آن جام با خویش
به زیر برف شد دیگر میندیش

کسی کاو غرق شد از وی اثر نیست
وزو ساحل نشینان را خبر نیست

تو هم در عین گردابی بمانده
نمی دانی که در خوابی بمانده

که تو با ما یخی بر آفتابی
و یا کف گلی بر روی آبی

چو بی کشتی تو در دریا نشستی
بگوید با تو دریا آنچه هستی

English translation

Kay Khosrow was seated like Jamshid, Having placed the Cup of Jamshid before the sun. He gazed upon the ends of the seven climes, And from there he went to traverse the seven stars. Nothing of good and bad remained hidden from him, That did not become evident to him in the Cup of Jamshid. He had a desire to see the Cup of Jamshid, To see the entire world at once in a breath. Although he was seeing the entire world, But in the cup he did not see the Cup of Jamshid. He went up and down much in that secret, But no veil was opened before him. At last a reflection became manifest: 'How can you see Us within us? When we are purely annihilated from ourselves, Who will see our reflection in the world of dust? When both body and soul have become annihilated from us, Neither name nor trace of us will remain. As long as you exist and see whatever you see, we shall not be, For we shall never again be visible. When our form was changed into formlessness, Why do you seek our form? Since it joined with eternity. Everything can be seen through us for the reason That it is impossible to see us in the midst. If our existence were a single atom, Still that atom would be arrogant in itself. No one will ever see a single atom of us, For the sun does not emerge from an atom. If you seek news of yourself, Die to yourself, do not look at yourself. Although they were small seen playthings, Yet they died to themselves before you. They did not see a single atom of their own face for this reason, That while they existed, they chose their own death. Therefore they continuously do not see themselves out of dignity, Because the dead never see themselves. If you want life in death, Consider the assumption of life to be death. If you wish to find an eternal form, Such a form can be found in formlessness. Now if you want to be like us, become like us, Say farewell to yourself and become annihilated from yourself. A fortress of annihilation is needed in this alley, Otherwise wounds will come upon you from every side.' When Kay Khosrow became aware of that secret, He found his hand empty of his own kingdom. He became certain that his kingdom is nothing but annihilation, For in the world, even permanence has no permanence. When he saw the desert of his selfhood as a barrier to himself, He saw the robe of selflessness upon his own stature. Like men, he bid farewell to the kingdom of little permanence, He uttered the testimony of faith and slept upon the hand of annihilation. Perhaps Lohrasp was there, he called him, And seated him in his own place in the kingdom. He went to a cave and took that cup with him, He went under the snow; think of him no more. Someone who drowned, there is no trace of him, And the coast-dwellers have no news of him. You too are left in the very essence of a whirlpool, You do not know that you are left in a sleep. For with us, you are ice in the sun, Or foam of mud upon the face of the water. Since you have sat in the sea without a ship, The sea will tell you what you are.

Updated 2026-07-03

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