The Arab Who Wept for His Starving Dog
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 22 of 175: Story of the Arab of the desert whose dog was dying of hunger, while his wallet was full of bread (حکایت آن اعرابی کی سگ او از گرسنگی می‌مرد و انبان او پر نان و بر سگ نوحه می‌کرد و شعر). Below, each of its 42 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Story of the Arab of the desert whose dog was dying of hunger, while his wallet was full of bread; he was lamenting over the dog and reciting poetry and sobbing and beating his head and face; and yet he grudged the dog a morsel from his wallet. حکایت آن اعرابی کی سگ او از گرسنگی می‌مرد و انبان او پر نان و بر سگ نوحه می‌کرد و شعر می‌گفت و می‌گریست و سر و رو می‌زد و دریغش می‌آمد لقمه‌ای از انبان به سگ دادن
آن سگی می‌مرد و گریان آن عرب
اشک می‌بارید و می‌گفت ای کرب
The dog was dying, and the Arab sobbing, shedding tears, and crying, “Oh, sorrow!”
سایلی بگذشت و گفت این گریه چیست
نوحه و زاری تو از بهر کیست
A beggar passed by and asked, “What is this sobbing? For whom is thy mourning and lamentation?”
گفت در ملکم سگی بد نیک‌خو
نک همی‌میرد میان راه او
He replied, “There was in my possession a dog of excellent disposition. Look, he is dying on the road.
روز صیادم بد و شب پاسبان
تیزچشم و صیدگیر و دزدران
He hunted for me by day and kept watch by night; (he was) keen-eyed and (good at) catching the prey and driving off thieves.”
گفت رنجش چیست زخمی خورده است
گفت جوع الکلب زارش کرده است
He (the beggar) asked, “What ails him? Has he been wounded?” The Arab replied, “Ravenous hunger has made him (so) lamentable.”
گفت صبری کن برین رنج و حرض
صابران را فضل حق بخشد عوض
“Show some patience,” said he, “in (bearing) this pain and anguish: the grace of God bestows a recompense on those who are patient.”
بعد از آن گفتش کای سالار حر
چیست اندر دستت این انبان پر
Afterwards he said to him, “O noble chief, what is this full wallet in your hand?”
گفت نان و زاد و لوت دوش من
می‌کشانم بهر تقویت بدن
He replied, “My bread and provender and food left over from last night, (which) I am taking along (with me) to nourish my body.”
گفت چون ندهی بدان سگ نان و زاد
گفت تا این حد ندارم مهر و داد
“Why don’t you give (some) bread and provender to the dog?” he asked. He replied, “I have not love and liberality to this extent.
دست ناید بی‌درم در راه نان
لیک هست آب دو دیده رایگان
Bread cannot be obtained (by a traveller) on the road without money, but water from the eyes costs nothing.”
گفت خاکت بر سر ای پر باد مشک
که لب نان پیش تو بهتر ز اشک
He (the beggar) said, “Earth be on your head, O water-skin full of wind! for in your opinion a crust of bread is better than tears.”
اشک خونست و به غم آبی شده
می‌نیرزد خاک خون بیهده
Tears are (originally) blood and have been turned by grief into water: idle tears have not the value of earth.
کل خود را خوار کرد او چون بلیس
پاره‌ی این کل نباشد جز خسیس
He (the Arab) made the whole of himself despicable, like Iblís: a piece of this whole is naught but vile.
من غلام آنک نفروشد وجود
جز بدان سلطان با افضال و جود
I am the (devoted) slave of him who will not sell his existence save to that bounteous and munificent Sovereign,
چون بگرید آسمان گریان شود
چون بنالد چرخ یا رب خوان شود
(So that) when he weeps, heaven begins to weep, and when he moans (in supplication), the celestial sphere begins to cry, “O Lord!”
من غلام آن مس همت‌پرست
کو به غیر کیمیا نارد شکست
I am the (devoted) slave of that high-aspiring copper which humbles itself to naught but the Elixir.
دست اشکسته برآور در دعا
سوی اشکسته پرد فضل خدا
Lift up in prayer a broken hand: the loving kindness of God flies towards the broken.
گر رهایی بایدت زین چاه تنگ
ای برادر رو بر آذر بی‌درنگ
If thou hast need of deliverance from this narrow dungeon (the world), O brother, go without delay (and cast thyself) on the fire.
مکر حق را بین و مکر خود بهل
ای ز مکرش مکر مکاران خجل
Regard God’s contrivance and abandon thine own contrivance: oh, by His contrivance (all) the contrivance of contrivers is put to shame.
چونک مکرت شد فنای مکر رب
برگشایی یک کمینی بوالعجب
When thy contrivance is naughted in the contrivance of the Lord, thou wilt open a most marvellous hiding-place,
که کمینه‌ی آن کمین باشد بقا
تا ابد اندر عروج و ارتقا
Of which hiding-place the least (treasure) is everlasting life (occupied) in ascending and mounting higher.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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