Story on an enemy oppressing a friend حکایت در معنی احتمال از دشمن از بهر دوست
Story on an Enemy Oppressing a Friend (حکایت در معنی احتمال از دشمن از بهر دوست) is from Chapter IV, On Humility (در تواضع) 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
| A person like Sadi who owned a pure heart, A captive became to a smooth-faced one’s art Oppression he bore from the harsh spoken foe; From Tyranny’s club like a ball he would go. | یکی را چو سعدی دلی ساده بود که با ساده رویی در افتاده بود جفا بردی از دشمن سختگوی ز چوگان سختی بخستی چو گوی |
| He turned not from any one frowning away; Nor practised rebellion in pref rence to play. Some one said, ” You at least have no honour to show! Of these buffets and load, not an atom you know! “ | ز کس چین بر ابرو نینداختی ز یاری به تندی نپرداختی یکی گفتش آخر تو را ننگ نیست؟ خبر زین همه سیلی و سنگ نیست؟ |
| The ignoble, alone, of their bodies take care; The weak, the affronts of the enemy bear. To wink at the fault of a fool is not right, For they’ll say, ” You possess neither manhood nor might.” | تن خویشتن سغبه دونان کنند ز دشمن تحمل زبونان کنند نشاید ز دشمن خطا درگذاشت که گویند یارا و مردی نداشت |
| How well the demented enthusiast gave A reply, that in gold it were well to engrave: ” My heart’s but the house of the love of my friend, And cannot for others, then, hate comprehend.” | بدو گفت شیدای شوریده سر جوابی که شاید نبشتن به زر دلم خانه مهر یارست و بس ازان مینگنجد در آن کین کس |
| How well spoke Bahlul,1 ever happy in mood, When he passed by a grumbler who thought himself good: “If this claimant had known aught concerning the Friend, He would not have dared with the foe to contend. | چه خوش گفت بهلول فرخنده خوی چو بگذشت بر عارفی جنگجوی گر این مدعی دوست بشناختی به پیکار دشمن نپرداختی |
| If regarding the presence of God he knew aught, He’d have reckoned the whole of the creatures as naught. | گر از هستی حق خبر داشتی همه خلق را نیست پنداشتی |
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by: Reza about (category: Bustan Saadi)
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