Seeking Livelihood Without Work
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 3, section 98 of 185: Explaining further the story of him who in the time of David (باز شرح کردن حکایت آن طالب روزی حلال بی کسب و رنج در عهد داود علیه السلام و مستجاب شدن). Below, each of its 9 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Explaining further the story of him who in the time of David, on whom be peace, sought to receive (from God) lawful means of livelihood without working or taking trouble, and how his prayer was answered favourably. باز شرح کردن حکایت آن طالب روزی حلال بی کسب و رنج در عهد داود علیه السلام و مستجاب شدن دعای او
یادم آمد آن حکایت کان فقیر روز و شب می‌کرد افغان و نفیر
The story has come into my mind how that poor man used to moan and lament day and night,
وز خدا می‌خواست روزی حلال بی شکار و رنج و کسب و انتقال
And beg of God a lawful means of livelihood without pursuit and trouble and work and movement (from one place to another).
پیش ازین گفتیم بعضی حال او لیک تعویق آمد و شد پنج‌تو
We have formerly related a part of what happened to him, but hindrance intervened and became fivefold.
هم بگوییمش کجا خواهد گریخت چون ز ابر فضل حق حکمت بریخت
(Now) too we shall tell( the rest of) it. Whither will it (the story) flee, since wisdom has poured (on us) from the clouds of God’s bounty?
صاحب گاوش بدید و گفت هین ای بظلمت گاو من گشته رهین
The owner of the cow espied him and said “Hey, O you to whose unrighteousness my cow has fallen a prey,
هین چراکشتی بگو گاو مرا ابله طرار انصاف اندر آ
Hey, tell (me) why did you kill my cow? Fool! Cutpurse! Deal fairly (with me).”
گفت من روزی ز حق می‌خواستم قبله را از لابه می‌آراستم
He said, “I was begging God for daily bread and preparing aqibla(for myself) of supplication.
آن دعای کهنه‌ام شد مستجاب روزی من بود کشتم نک جواب
That ancient prayer of mine was answered (by God). She (the cow) was my portion of daily bread: I killed her. Behold the answer (to your question)!”
او ز خشم آمد گریبانش گرفت چند مشتی زد به رویش ناشکفت
He (the owner of the cow) came angrily and seized his collar; having lost patience, he struck him in the face with his fist several times.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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