The Prophet, on whom be peace
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 37 of 175: The Prophet, said, “Pity three (classes of men) (قال النبی علیه‌السلام ارحموا ثلاثا عزیز قوم ذل و غنی قوم افتقر و عالما یلعب به الجهال). Below, each of its 20 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
The Prophet, on whom be peace, said, “Pity three (classes of men): the mighty man of a people who is abased, and the rich man of a people who is impoverished, and a learned man whom the ignorant make sport of.” قال النبی علیه‌السلام ارحموا ثلاثا عزیز قوم ذل و غنی قوم افتقر و عالما یلعب به الجهال
گفت پیغامبر که رحم آرید بر
جان من کان غنیا فافتقر
The Prophet said, “Take pity on the soul of him who was rich and then became poor,
والذی کان عزیزا فاحتقر
او صفیا عالما بین المضر
And on him who was mighty and became despised, or on one (who is) virtuous and learned (dwelling) amongst the (people of) Mudar.”
گفت پیغامبر که با این سه گروه
رحم آرید ار ز سنگید و ز کوه
The Prophet said, “Show pity to these three classes (of men), (even) if ye are of (the hardness of) rock and mountain:
آنک او بعد از رئیسی خوار شد
وآن توانگر هم که بی‌دینار شد
(Namely), him who was made lowly after having been a chief, and the rich man, too, who became impecunious,
وآن سوم آن عالمی که اندر جهان
مبتلی گردد میان ابلهان
And, thirdly, the learned man who in this world becomes afflicted (by living amongst) the foolish;
زانک از عزت به خواری آمدن
هم‌چو قطع عضو باشد از بدن
For to come (fall) from high to low estate is like the amputation of a limb from the body.”
عضو گردد مرده کز تن وا برید
نو بریده جنبد اما نی مدید
The limb that is cut off from the body becomes dead: (when) newly cut off, it moves, but not for long.
هر که از جام الست او خورد پار
هستش امسال آفت رنج و خمار
(Similarly) he who drank of the cup of Alast last year, this year he suffers the pain and headache (in consequence of having drunk),
وآنک چون سگ ز اصل کهدانی بود
کی مرورا حرص سلطانی بود
While he who, like a dog, is by nature attached to the kennel —how should he have the desire for (spiritual) sovereignty?
توبه او جوید که کردست او گناه
آه او گوید که گم کردست راه
(Only) he that has sinned seeks to repent; (only) he that has lost the (right) way cries “Alas!”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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