The Dervish and the Man of Gilan
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 6, section 37 of 137: Story of the dervish who blessed a man of Gílán, saying, “May God bring thee back in safety to thy home and household!” (داستان آن درویش کی آن گیلانی را دعا کرد کی خدا ترا به سلامت به خان و مان باز رساناد). Below, each of its 5 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Story of the dervish who blessed a man of Gílán, saying, “May God bring thee back in safety to thy home and household!” داستان آن درویش کی آن گیلانی را دعا کرد کی خدا ترا به سلامت به خان و مان باز رساناد
گفت یک روزی به خواجه‌ی گیلیی نان پرستی نر گدا زنبیلیی
One day a sturdy beggar, (who was) very fond of bread and carried a basket (about with him), accosted a Khwája of Gílán.
چون ستد زو نان بگفت ای مستعان خوش به خان و مان خود بازش رسان
On receiving some bread from him, he cried, “O Thou (God) whose help is besought, bring him back happy to his home and household!”
گفت خان ار آنست که من دیده‌ام حق ترا آنجا رساند ای دژم
He (the Khwája) said, “If the house is the one that I have seen (recently), may God bring thee there, O squalid wretch!”
هر محدث را خسان باذل کنند حرفش ار عالی بود نازل کنند
Worthless folk humiliate every story-teller: if his words are lofty, they make them low;
زانک قدر مستمع آید نبا بر قد خواجه برد درزی قبا
For the tale is (lofty or low) in proportion to (the understanding of) the hearer: the tailor cuts the coat according to the Khwája’s (customer’s) figure.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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