The Angry Amir Sets Out to Punish
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 144 of 175: How the enraged Amír set out to punish the ascetic (رفتن امیر خشم‌آلود برای گوشمال زاهد). Below, each of its 12 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the enraged Amír set out to punish the ascetic. رفتن امیر خشم‌آلود برای گوشمال زاهد
میر چون آتش شد و برجست راست گفت بنما خانه‌ی زاهد کجاست
The Amír became like fire and jumped straight up. “Show me,” he cried, “where the ascetic’s house is,
تا بدین گرز گران کوبم سرش آن سر بی‌دانش مادرغرش
That I may pound his head with this heavy club his ignorant whoreson head.
او چه داند امر معروف از سگی طالب معروفی است و شهرگی
What should he know about enjoining (others) to do right? He is currishly seeking notoriety and fame,
تا بدین سالوس خود را جا کند تا به چیزی خویشتن پیدا کند
In order that by means of this hypocrisy he may make a position for himself and somehow make himself conspicuous;
کو ندارد خود هنر الا همان که تسلس می‌کند با این و آن
For in truth he has no talent save this alone, that he plays the hypocrite to all and sundry.
او اگر دیوانه است و فتنه‌کاو داروی دیوانه باشد کیر گاو
If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is an ox-hide whip, [If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is a whip (made from) an ox’s penis,]
تا که شیطان از سرش بیرون رود بی‌لت خربندگان خر چون رود
So that the devil may go forth from his head: how should an ass go (forward) without the ass-drivers’ blows?”
میر بیرون جست دبوسی بدست نیم شب آمد به زاهد نیم‌مست
The Amír dashed out, with a mace in his hand: at midnight he came, half intoxicated, to the ascetic.
خواست کشتن مرد زاهد را ز خشم مرد زاهد گشت پنهان زیر پشم
In his rage he wished to kill the ascetic, (but) the ascetic hid beneath (some) wool.
مرد زاهد می‌شنید از میر آن زیر پشم آن رسن‌تابان نهان
The ascetic, hidden under the wool belonging to certain rope-makers, heard that (threat) from the Amír.
گفت در رو گفتن زشتی مرد آینه تاند که رو را سخت کرد
He said (to himself), “(Only) the mirror that has made its face hard can tell a man to his face that he is ugly.
روی باید آینه‌وار آهنین تات گوید روی زشت خود ببین
It needs a steel face, like a mirror, to say to thee, ‘Behold thy ugly face.’”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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