The Amirs Revile Ayaz for Breaking It
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 172 of 175: How the Amírs reviled Ayáz, saying, “Why did he break it?” and how Ayáz answered them (تشنیع زدن امرا بر ایاز کی چرا شکستش و جواب دادن ایاز ایشان را). Below, each of its 13 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the Amírs reviled Ayáz, saying, “Why did he break it?” and how Ayáz answered them. تشنیع زدن امرا بر ایاز کی چرا شکستش و جواب دادن ایاز ایشان را
گفت ایاز ای مهتران نامور امر شه بهتر به قیمت یا گهر
Ayáz said, “O renowned princes, is the King’s command more precious or the pearl?
امر سلطان به بود پیش شما یا که این نیکو گهر بهر خدا
In your eyes is the command of the sovereign or this goodly pearl superior? For God’s sake (tell me that)!
ای نظرتان بر گهر بر شاه نه قبله‌تان غولست و جاده‌ی راه نه
O ye whose gaze is (fixed) upon the pearl, not upon the King, the ghoul is your object of desire, not the highway.
من ز شه بر می‌نگردانم بصر من چو مشرک روی نارم با حجر
I will never avert my gaze from the King, I will not turn my face towards a stone, like the polytheist.
بی‌گهر جانی که رنگین سنگ را برگزیند پس نهد شاه مرا
Devoid of the (spiritual) pearl is the soul that prefers a coloured stone and puts my King behind.”
پشت سوی لعبت گل‌رنگ کن عقل در رنگ‌آورنده دنگ کن
Turn thy back towards the rose-coloured doll 6, lose thy reason in Him who bestows the colour.
اندر آ در جو سبو بر سنگ زن آتش اندر بو و اندر رنگ زن
Come into the river (of reality), dash the pitcher (of phenomenal form) against the stone, set fire to (mere) scent and colour.
گر نه‌ای در راه دین از ره‌زنان رنگ و بو مپرست مانند زنان
If thou art not one of the brigands on the Way of the Religion, do not be addicted, like women, to colour and scent.
سر فرود انداختند آن مهتران عذرجویان گشه زان نسیان به جان
Those princes cast down their heads, craving with (all) their soul to be excused for that (act of) forgetfulness.
از دل هر یک دو صد آه آن زمان هم‌چو دودی می‌شدی تا آسمان
At that moment from the heart of each one (of them) two hundred sighs were going (up), like a (great) smoke, to heaven.
کرد اشارت شه به جلاد کهن که ز صدرم این خسان را دور کن
The King made a sign to the ancient executioner, as though to say, “Remove these vile wretches from my seat of honour.
این خسان چه لایق صدر من‌اند کز پی سنگ امر ما را بشکنند
How are these vile wretches worthy of my seat of honour, when they break my command for the sake of a stone?
امر ما پیش چنین اهل فساد بهر رنگین سنگ شد خوار و کساد
For the sake of a coloured stone my command is held contemptible and cheap by evil-doers like these.”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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