The Amir Weeps and Offers His Treasury
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 114 of 175: How the admonition of the Shaykh and the reflexion of (the impression produced by) his sincerity moved the Amír to weep (گریان شدن امیر از نصیحت شیخ و عکس صدق او و ایثار کردن مخزن بعد از آن گستاخی و استعصام شیخ). Below, each of its 13 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the admonition of the Shaykh and the reflexion of (the impression produced by) his sincerity moved the Amír to weep; and how after (having shown) that irreverence he gave up (to him the contents of) his treasury; and how the Shaykh preserved himself (from temptation) and refused to accept (the gift) and said, “I cannot take any action in the absence of an intimation (from God).” گریان شدن امیر از نصیحت شیخ و عکس صدق او و ایثار کردن مخزن بعد از آن گستاخی و استعصام شیخ و قبول ناکردن و گفتن کی من بی‌اشارت نیارم تصرفی کردن
این بگفت و گریه در شد های های اشک غلطان بر رخ او جای جای
He (the Shaykh) said this and began to weep with ecstatic cries, the tears rolling hither and thither down his cheeks.
صدق او هم بر ضمیر میر زد عشق هر دم طرفه دیگی می‌پزد
His sincerity touched the Amír’s heart: Love is ever cooking a wondrous potful.
صدق عاشق بر جمادی می‌تند چه عجب گر بر دل دانا زند
The sincerity of the lover affects (even) an inanimate thing: what wonder if it make an impression on the mind of one possessed of knowledge?
صدق موسی بر عصا و کوه زد بلک بر دریای پر اشکوه زد
The sincerity of Moses made an impression on the rod and the mountain; nay, on the majestic sea.
صدق احمد بر جمال ماه زد بلک بر خورشید رخشان راه زد
The sincerity of Ahmad (Mohammed) made an impression on the beauty of the moon; nay, it stopped the course of the shining sun.
رو برو آورده هر دو در نفیر گشته گریان هم امیر و هم فقیر
With face turned to face in lamentation, both the Amír and the Dervish had fallen to weeping.
ساعتی بسیار چون بگریستند گفت میر او را که خیز ای ارجمند
After they had wept much for a while, the Amír said to him, “Arise, O worthy man,
هر چه خواهی از خزانه برگزین گرچه استحقاق داری صد چنین
And choose from the Treasury whatever thou wilt, albeit thou deservest a hundred such (treasuries).
خانه آن تست هر چت میل هست بر گزین خود هر دو عالم اندکست
The (treasure-) house is thine: choose anything thou desirest, (though) in truth the two worlds are little (in thy estimation).”
گفت دستوری ندادندم چنین که کنم من این دخیلانه دخول
He replied, “I have not been given permission (by God) to pick out anything with my own hand.
این بهانه کرد و مهره در ربود مانع آن بدکان عطا صادق نبود
He made this excuse and took his leave: what prevented (him from complying) was (the fact) that the (Amír’s) munificence was not sincere.
نه که صادق بود و پاک از غل و خشم شیخ را هر صدق می‌نامد به چشم
Was it not (the case) that it (the munificence) was sincere and unmixed with rancour and wrath? (Yes; but) every (kind of) sincerity did not come into the Shaykh’s consideration.
گفت فرمانم چنین دادست اله که گدایانه برو نانی بخواه
He said, “God hath so commanded me, saying, ‘Go as a beggar and ask for a piece of bread.’”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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