1Cademy - (۱۷) حکایت محمود و شمار کردن پیلان / (17) The Tale of Mahmud and Counting the Elephants

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Elahi Nameh

Poem

(۱۷) حکایت محمود و شمار کردن پیلان / (17) The Tale of Mahmud and Counting the Elephants

Original content

مگر یک روز محمود عدوبند
پسر را گفت کای داننده فرزند

ببین تا پیل چندست این زمانم
که من اکنون عددشان می ندانم

پسر بشمرد و گفتش ای خداوند
هزار و چار صد پیلست در بند

شهش گفتا که خود را یاد دارم
که یک بز می نیامد در شمارم

کنون گر تا بعرشم کار و بارست
ز من نیست آن ز فضل کردگارست

چو هستت نعمت حق بی کناره
ترا از شکر منعم نیست چاره

چو در حق تو نعمت بر دوامست
دمی بی شکر حق بودن حرامست

وگر نفس تودر شکرست کاهل
دلت باید که این مشکل کند حل

چو نفست کاهلی دارد همیشه
دلت را هست جد و جهد پیشه

چو نفست مرد کار خویش باشد
دلت در کار خود درویش باشد

نکو زان سود کرد و بد زیان کرد
که هر کس آنچه دارد خرج آن کرد

English translation

One day Mahmud, the binder of enemies, Said to his son, 'O knowledgeable child, See how many elephants I have at this time, For I do not know their number now.' The son counted and told him, 'O Lord, One thousand and four hundred elephants are tethered.' The king told him, 'I remember myself, When not even a single goat came into my count. Now, if my affairs and wealth reach up to the divine throne, It is not from me, it is from the grace of the Creator. Since you have the boundless blessing of Truth, You have no choice but to thank the Benefactor. Since the blessing upon you is continuous, Being without gratitude to Truth for a moment is forbidden. And if your lower self is lazy in gratitude, Your heart must solve this problem. Since your lower self always has laziness, Your heart has earnestness and effort as its trade. When your lower self becomes a man of its own work, Your heart will be a dervish in its own work. The good profited from that, and the bad made a loss, For everyone spent whatever they had.'

Updated 2026-07-03

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