The King’s Three Sons and the Fortress
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 6, section 100 of 137: Story of the King who enjoined his three sons (حکایت آن پادشاه و وصیت کردن او سه پسر خویش را کی درین سفر در ممالک من فلان جا چنین ترتیب). Below, each of its 13 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Story of the King who enjoined his three sons, saying, “In this journey through my empire establish certain arrangements in such-and-such a place and appoint certain viceroys in such-and-such a place, but for God’s sake, for God’s sake, do not go to such-and-such a fortress and do not roam around it.” حکایت آن پادشاه و وصیت کردن او سه پسر خویش را کی درین سفر در ممالک من فلان جا چنین ترتیب نهید و فلان جا چنین نواب نصب کنید اما الله الله به فلان قلعه مروید و گرد آن مگردید
بود شاهی شاه را بد سه پسر هر سه صاحب‌فطنت و صاحب‌نظر
There was a King, and the King had three sons: all three (were) endowed with sagacity and discernment.
هر یکی از دیگری استوده‌تر در سخا و در وغا و کر و فر
Each one (was) more praiseworthy than another in generosity and in battle and in exercising royal sway.
پیش شه شه‌زادگان استاده جمع قرة العینان شه هم‌چون سه شمع
The princes, (who were) the delight of the King’s eye, stood together, like three candles, before the King,
از ره پنهان ز عینین پسر می‌کشید آبی نخیل آن پدر
And the father’s palm-tree was drawing water by a hidden channel from the two fountains (eyes) of the son.
تا ز فرزند آب این چشمه شتاب می‌رود سوی ریاض مام و باب
So long as the water of this fountain is running swiftly from the son towards the gardens of his mother and father,
تازه می‌باشد ریاض والدین گشته جاری عینشان زین هر دو عین
His parents’ gardens will always be fresh: their fountain is made to flow by (the water from) both these fountains.
چون شود چشمه ز بیماری علیل خشک گردد برگ و شاخ آن نخیل
(But) when from sickness the (son’s) fountain fails, the leaves and boughs of the (father’s) palm-tree become withered.
خشکی نخلش همی‌گوید پدید که ز فرزندان شجر نم می‌کشید
The withering of his palm-tree tells plainly that the tree was drawing moisture from the son.
ای بسا کاریز پنهان هم‌چنین متصل با جانتان یا غافلین
How many a hidden conduit is connected in like fashion with your souls, O ye heedless ones!
ای کشیده ز آسمان و از زمین مایه‌ها تا گشته جسم تو سمین
O thou who hast drawn stocks (of nourishment) from heaven and earth, so that thy body has grown fat,
عاریه‌ست این کم همی‌باید فشارد کانچ بگرفتی همی‌باید گزارد
(All) this is a loan: thou need’st not stuff (thy body) so much, for thou must needs pay back what thou hast taken.
جز نفخت کان ز وهاب آمدست روح را باش آن دگرها بیهدست
(All) except (that of which God said) “I breathed,” for that hath come from the Munificent. Cleave to the spirit! The other things are vain.
بیهده نسبت به جان می‌گویمش نی بنسبت با صنیع محکمش
I call them vain in relation to the spirit, not in relation to His (their Maker’s) consummate making.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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