1Cademy - دفتر دوم - بخش ۹۲ - قصهٔ اعرابی و ریگ در جوال کردن و ملامت کردن آن فیلسوف او را / Book Two - Section 92 - The Tale of the Bedouin and Putting Sand in the Sack, and That Philosopher Blaming Him

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مثنوی معنوی: دفتر دوم / Masnavi: Book Two

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دفتر دوم - بخش ۹۲ - قصهٔ اعرابی و ریگ در جوال کردن و ملامت کردن آن فیلسوف او را / Book Two - Section 92 - The Tale of the Bedouin and Putting Sand in the Sack, and That Philosopher Blaming Him

Original content

یک عرابی بار کرده اشتری
دو جوال زفت از دانه پری

او نشسته بر سر هر دو جوال
یک حدیث انداز کرد او را سؤال

از وطن پرسید و آوردش بگفت
واندر آن پرسش بسی درها بسفت

بعد از آن گفتش که این هر دو جوال
چیست آکنده بگو مصدوق حال

گفت اندر یک جوالم گندمست
در دگر ریگی نه قوت مردمست

گفت تو چون بار کردی این رمال
گفت تا تنها نماند آن جوال

گفت نیم گندم آن تنگ را
در دگر ریز از پی فرهنگ را

تا سبک گردد جوال و هم شتر
گفت شاباش ای حکیم اهل و حر

این چنین فکر دقیق و رای خوب
تو چنین عریان پیاده در لغوب

رحمش آمد بر حکیم و عزم کرد
کش بر اشتر بر نشاند نیک مرد

باز گفتش ای حکیم خوش سخن
شمه ای از حال خود هم شرح کن

این چنین عقل و کفایت که توراست
تو وزیری یا شهی بر گوی راست

گفت این هر دو نیم از عامه ام
بنگر اندر حال و اندر جامه ام

گفت اشتر چند داری چند گاو
گفت نه این و نه آن ما را مکاو

گفت رختت چیست باری در دکان
گفت ما را کو دکان و کو مکان

گفت پس از نقد پرسم نقد چند
که توی تنهارو و محبوب پند

کیمیای مس عالم با تو است
عقل و دانش را گهر توبرتو است

گفت والله نیست یا وجه العرب
در همه ملکم وجوه قوت شب

پا برهنه تن برهنه می دوم
هر که نانی می دهد آنجا روم

مر مرا زین حکمت و فضل و هنر
نیست حاصل جز خیال و درد سر

پس عرب گفتش که رو دور از برم
تا نبارد شومی تو بر سرم

دور بر آن حکمت شومت ز من
نطق تو شومست بر اهل زمن

یا تو آن سو رو من این سو می دوم
ور تو را ره پیش من وا پس روم

یک جوالم گندم و دیگر ز ریگ
به بود زین حیله های مرده ریگ

احمقی ام بس مبارک احمقیست
که دلم با برگ و جانم متقیست

گر تو خواهی کت شقاوت کم شود
جهد کن تا از تو حکمت کم شود

حکمتی کز طبع زاید وز خیال
حکمتی بی فیض نور ذوالجلال

حکمت دنیا فزاید ظن و شک
حکمت دینی پرد فوق فلک

زوبعان زیرک آخر زمان
بر فزوده خویش بر پیشینیان

حیله آموزان جگرها سوخته
فعلها و مکرها آموخته

صبر و ایثار و سخای نفس و جود
باد داده کان بود اکسیر سود

فکر آن باشد که بگشاید رهی
راه آن باشد که پیش آید شهی

شاه آن باشد که از خود شه بود
نه به مخزنها و لشکر شه شود

تا بماند شاهی او سرمدی
همچو عز ملک دین احمدی

English translation

A Bedouin had loaded a camel with two heavy sacks full of grain. He sat upon the two sacks, and a tale-telling questioner asked him a question. He asked about his homeland, and the Bedouin told him; in that questioning he strung many pearls of speech. After that he said to him, “Tell me truthfully what these two sacks are filled with.” He said, “In one sack I have wheat; in the other, sand, which is not food for people.” He said, “Why did you load this sand?” He said, “So that the one sack would not be left alone.” He said, “Pour half the wheat from that full sack into the other, for the sake of good sense, so that the sacks and the camel may become lighter.” The Bedouin said, “Bravo, O wise, capable, free man. With such subtle thought and good judgment, why are you so naked, on foot, and exhausted?” He took pity on the wise man and, being a good man, resolved to seat him on the camel. Then he said, “O sweet-spoken wise man, explain a little of your own condition too. With such intellect and competence as you have, are you a minister or a king? Tell the truth.” He said, “I am neither; I am one of the common people. Look at my condition and my clothes.” He said, “How many camels do you have, how many cows?” He said, “Neither this nor that; do not investigate me.” He said, “At least what goods do you have in a shop?” He said, “What children have we, and where is a dwelling?” He said, “Then I ask about cash: how much money do you have, you solitary traveler and beloved counselor? The alchemy for the world’s copper is with you; the substance of intellect and knowledge is yours.” He said, “By God, O face/chief of the Arabs, in all my dominion I do not have the means for one night’s food. I run barefoot and bare-bodied; wherever someone gives bread, there I go. From this wisdom, excellence, and skill I have gained nothing but fantasy and headache.” Then the Arab said to him, “Go far away from me, so that your ill omen may not rain down on my head. Keep your ill-omened wisdom far from me; your speech is ill-omened for the people of my time. Either you go that way and I will run this way, or if your road lies ahead of me, I will go back. One sack of mine is wheat and the other sand: that is better than the tricks of a worthless sand-man. My foolishness, then, is blessed foolishness, for my heart has provision and my soul is pious. If you want your wretchedness to lessen, strive until the wisdom in you lessens: wisdom that is born from nature and imagination, not wisdom that is the outpouring of the light of the Lord of Majesty. Worldly wisdom increases conjecture and doubt; religious wisdom carries one above the sphere of heaven. The clever whirlwinds of the latter age have increased themselves beyond the ancients: teachers of cunning with burnt livers, who have learned actions and deceptions, and have cast patience, self-sacrifice, generosity of soul, and giving to the wind, though those are the elixir of profit. Thought is that which opens a road; the road is that on which a king comes forward. A king is one who goes before the King; he does not become king by treasuries and armies, so that his kingship may remain eternal, like the glory of the kingdom of Ahmad’s religion.”

Updated 2026-06-30

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