Parable مثل
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 120 of 175: Parable مثل. Below, each of its 7 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
آن یکی می‌خورد نان فخفره گفت سایل چون بدین استت شره
A certain person was eating bread made of bran: some one asked him, “How are you so fond of this?”
گفت جوع از صبر چون دوتا شود نان جو در پیش من حلوا شود
He replied, “When hunger is doubled by self-denial, barley bread is (as sweet as) halwá in my opinion;
پس توانم که همه حلوا خورم چون کنم صبری صبورم لاجرم
Therefore when I deny myself once, I can eat halwá entirely, (so) of course I am very self-denying (abstinent).”
خود نباشد جوع هر کس را زبون کین علف‌زاریست ز اندازه برون
Hunger, in truth, is not conquered by every one, for this (world) is a place where fodder is abundant beyond measure.
جوع مر خاصان حق را داده‌اند تا شوند از جوع شیر زورمند
Hunger is bestowed as a gift on God’s elect (alone), that through hunger they may become puissant lions.
جوع هر جلف گدا را کی دهند چون علف کم نیست پیش او نهند
How should hunger be bestowed on every beggarly churl? Since the fodder is not scarce they set it before him,
که بخور که هم بدین ارزانیی تو نه‌ای مرغاب مرغ نانیی
Saying, “Eat! This is all thou art worth: thou art not a waterfowl, thou art a bread-fowl.”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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