The Camel, the Ox, the Ram and the Grass
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 6, section 79 of 137: Story of the camel and the ox and the ram who found a bunch of grass on the road, and each said, “I will eat it.” (حکایت اشتر و گاو و قج که در راه بند گیاه یافتند هر یکی می‌گفت من خورم). Below, each of its 8 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Story of the camel and the ox and the ram who found a bunch of grass on the road, and each said, “I will eat it.” حکایت اشتر و گاو و قج که در راه بند گیاه یافتند هر یکی می‌گفت من خورم
اشتر و گاو و قجی در پیش راه یافتند اندر روش بندی گیاه
Whilst a camel, ox, and ram were going along, they found a bunch of grass in front of (them on) the road.
گفت قج بخش ار کنیم این را یقین هیچ کس از ما نگردد سیر ازین
The ram said, “If we divide this, certainly none of us will get his fill of it;
لیک عمر هرکه باشد بیشتر این علف اوراست اولی گو بخور
But whichever of us has lived longest has the best right to this fodder: let him eat;
که اکابر را مقدم داشتن آمدست از مصطفی اندر سنن
For (the injunction) to give the foremost place to the seniors has come from Mustafá (Mohammed) among the practices observed by him,
گرچه پیران را درین دور لام در دو موضع پیش می‌دارند عام
Although, at this time when vile men hold sway, the vulgar put forward the elders on two occasions (only),
یا در آن لوتی که آن سوزان بود یا بر آن پل کز خلل ویران بود
Either in (tasting) food that is burning hot, or on a bridge that is (damaged) by cracks (and) in a state of ruin.
خدمت شیخی بزرگی قایدی عام نارد بی‌قرینه‌ی فاسدی
The vulgar do not pay homage to a venerable Shaykh and leader without some mischievous idea associated (with their homage).
خیرشان اینست چه بود شرشان قبحشان را باز دان از فرشان
This is their good: what must their evil be? Distinguish their (inward) foulness from their (outward) fairness.”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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