Nasuh Refuses to Serve the Princess Again
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 90 of 175: How the princess again invited Nasúh to shampoo her (باز خواندن شه‌زاده نصوح را از بهر دلاکی بعد از استحکام توبه و قبول توبه و بهانه کردن او و). Below, each of its 9 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the princess again invited Nasúh to shampoo her, after his repentance had taken firm hold and was accepted (by God), and how he made an excuse and refused to comply. باز خواندن شه‌زاده نصوح را از بهر دلاکی بعد از استحکام توبه و قبول توبه و بهانه کردن او و دفع گفتن
بعد از آن آمد کسی کز مرحمت دختر سلطان ما می‌خواندت
Afterwards some one came (to Nasúh), saying, “The daughter of our sovereign graciously invites thee.
دختر شاهت همی‌خواند بیا تا سرش شویی کنون ای پارسا
The King’s daughter invites thee: come and wash her head now, O devout one.
جز تو دلاکی نمی‌خواهد دلش که بمالد یا بشوید با گلش
Her heart desires no shampooer except thee to massage her or wash her with clay.”
گفت رو رو دست من بی‌کار شد وین نصوح تو کنون بیمار شد
He answered, “Begone, begone! My hand is not in practice, and thy (friend) Nasúh is now fallen sick.
رو کسی دیگر بجو اشتاب و تفت که مرا والله دست از کار رفت
Go, look for some one else hastily and speedily, for by God my hand has gone out of business.”
با دل خود گفت کز حد رفت جرم از دل من کی رود آن ترس و گرم
(Then) he said to himself, “My sin passed beyond (all) bounds: how should that terror and anguish (ever) go from my mind?
من بمردم یک ره و باز آمدم من چشیدم تلخی مرگ و عدم
I died (to self) once (and for all), and (then) I came back (to spiritual life): I tasted the bitterness of death and non-existence.
توبه‌ای کردم حقیقت با خدا نشکنم تا جان شدن از تن جدا
I have turned to God with real repentance: I will not break (that vow) till my soul shall be parted from my body.
بعد آن محنت کرا بار دگر پا رود سوی خطر الا که خر
After such a tribulation, whose foot should move towards danger a second time, unless it be (the foot of) an ass?”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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