1Cademy - (۵) حکایت سلطان محمود و گازر / (5) The Tale of Sultan Mahmud and the Washerman

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Elahi Nameh

Poem

(۵) حکایت سلطان محمود و گازر / (5) The Tale of Sultan Mahmud and the Washerman

Original content

مگر می رفت محمود جهاندار
بره درگازری را دید در کار

کشیده پشتهٔ کرباس دربند
بدو گفت این همه کرباس را چند

جوابش دادگازر کای شهنشاه
ترا کرباس ده گز بس درین راه

چو زین جمله ترا ده گز پسندست
چرا پرسی ز جمله تا بچندست

چو این بشنید گریان گشت ازو شاه
غریبی خشت زن را دید ناگاه

رخ از خورشید چون انگشت کرده
ره صحرا همه پر خشت کرده

شهش گفتا همه خشتت بچندست
چنین گفت او که ده خشتت پسندست

چو ده خشتت ازین جمله تمامست
چه می خواهی دگر جمله حرامست

وبال تست اگر خوبی وگر زشت
فزون از ده گزی کرباس وده خشت

ز دنیا این دو چیزت هم وثاقست
دگر چون زین گذشتی طم طراقست

ترا زین کار اگر سودی رسیدست
جهان انگار تا رودی رسیدست

ز نف شوم بگذر با خردساز
بترک ملک گوی و کارخود ساز

چو تو از ملک جز یک دم نداری
بکن کاری که این دم هم نداری

چو شه بشنود گفت آن دو تن را
بخاک افکند حالی خویشتن را

بسی بگریست تا بی خویشتن شد
بآخر کارساز آن دو تن شد

بسی زر داد آن دو مهربان را
بشهر آمد بگفت این داستان را

چو قسمت این دو چیزست از زمانه
چه خواهی کرد این مردارخانه

اگر تو بر فلک بهرام زوری
بروز واپسین بهرام گوری

وگر از پرده رخشانی چو یاقوت
شوی بهرام چوبین زیر تابوت

بترس ای گورخان از گورخانه
که باید خفت، چند آری بهانه

بنه رگ راست تا این کوژ رفتار
نگرداند ترا در تو گرفتار

English translation

It happened that Mahmud, the possessor of the world, was passing by. On the way, he saw a washerman at work. He had carried a load of canvas in a bundle. He (Mahmud) said to him, "How much for all this canvas?" The washerman answered him, "O King of Kings, Ten yards of canvas is enough for you on this path. Since from all of this, ten yards is sufficient for you, Why do you ask how much all of it is?" When the king heard this, he began to weep because of him. Suddenly he saw a poor brick-maker, His face turned black as charcoal by the sun, He had filled the path of the desert with bricks. The king said to him, "How much are all your bricks?" He said thus, "Ten bricks are sufficient for you. Since ten bricks from all of these are enough for you, What else do you want? The rest is forbidden to you. It will be your burden, whether good or bad, Anything more than ten yards of canvas and ten bricks. From the world, these two things are your only companions, Other than this, once you pass from these, it is all pomp and show. If any profit has come to you from this work, Consider the world as a river that has passed. Pass beyond the inauspicious self, align with wisdom, Abandon the kingdom and set your own affairs in order. Since you have nothing of the kingdom but a single breath, Do something, for you don't even have this breath (guaranteed)." When the king heard the words of those two men, He immediately threw himself upon the dust. He wept profusely until he lost his senses, In the end, he attended to the needs of those two men. He gave much gold to those two kind men, He came to the city and recounted this tale. Since the portion from time is (only) these two things, What will you do with this carrion-house? Even if you are as powerful as Bahram in the sky, On the last day, you are Bahram of the grave. And if you shine from behind the veil like a ruby, You will become Bahram Chobin beneath the coffin. Fear, O Gur Khan, of the grave-house, For you must sleep (there), how many excuses will you make? Keep your ways straight so that this crooked-pacing (world) Does not entangle you within yourself.

Updated 2026-07-03

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