Story OF THE TWO PRISONERS حکایت دو زندانی
Story of the Two Prisoners (حکایت دو زندانی) is from Chapter VIII, On Thanks (در شکر بر عافیت) of Saadi’s Bustan (بوستان, “The Orchard”), written in 1257. The Persian verses are given with a rhymed English translation, couplet by couplet.
Bustan Saadi بوستان سعدی
| By the night-watch the hands of a person were bound; All the night he showed grief and affliction profound. It arrived at his ear, in that dark, dismal night, That a man was bemoaning his famishing plight. | یکی را عسس دست بر بسته بود همه شب پریشان و دلخسته بود به گوش آمدش در شب تیره رنگ که شخصی همی نالد از دست تنگ |
| The fettered thief heard the lamenting, and said: “How long will you blubber from grief? Go to bed Go thank the Almighty! oh destitute wight! “That the night-watch with thongs have not tied your hands tight” | شنید این سخن دزد مغلول و گفت ز بیچارگی چند نالی؟ بخفت برو شکر یزدان کن ای تنگدست که دستت عسس تنگ بر هم نبست |
| Do not weep much, although you have Poverty’s plea, When a person more poor than yourself you can see! | مکن ناله از بینوایی بسی چو بینی ز خود بینواتر کسی |
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by: Reza about (category: Bustan Saadi)
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