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1
2834-2858

  • زین همه انواع دانش روز مرگ ** دانش فقر است ساز راه و برگ‌‌
  • Of all these various kinds of knowledge, on the day of death the (best) equipment and provision for the road is the knowledge of (spiritual) poverty.

  • حکایت ماجرای نحوی و کشتیبان‌‌
  • The story of what passed between the grammarian and the boatman.

  • آن یکی نحوی به کشتی درنشست ** رو به کشتیبان نهاد آن خود پرست‌‌ 2835
  • A certain grammarian embarked in a boat. That self-conceited person turned to the boatman

  • گفت هیچ از نحو خواندی گفت لا ** گفت نیم عمر تو شد در فنا
  • And said, “Have you ever studied grammar?” “No,” he replied. The other said, “Half your life is gone to naught.”

  • دل شکسته گشت کشتیبان ز تاب ** لیک آن دم کرد خامش از جواب‌‌
  • The boatman became heart-broken with grief, but at the time he refrained from answering.

  • باد کشتی را به گردابی فگند ** گفت کشتیبان به آن نحوی بلند
  • The wind cast the boat into a whirlpool: the boatman spoke loud (shouted) to the grammarian,

  • هیچ دانی آشنا کردن بگو ** گفت نی ای خوش جواب خوب رو
  • “Tell me, do you know how to swim?” “No,” said he, “O fair-spoken good-looking man!”

  • گفت کل عمرت ای نحوی فناست ** ز آن که کشتی غرق این گردابهاست‌‌ 2840
  • “O grammarian,” said he, “your whole life is naught, because the boat is sinking in these whirlpools.”

  • محو می‌‌باید نه نحو اینجا بدان ** گر تو محوی بی‌‌خطر در آب ران‌‌
  • Know that here mahw (self-effacement) is needed, not nah? (grammar): if you are mahw (dead to self), plunge into the sea without peril.

  • آب دریا مرده را بر سر نهد ** ور بود زنده ز دریا کی رهد
  • The water of the sea places the dead one on its head (causes him to float on the surface); but if he be living, how shall he escape from the sea?

  • چون بمردی تو ز اوصاف بشر ** بحر اسرارت نهد بر فرق سر
  • Inasmuch as you have died to the attributes of the flesh, the Sea of (Divine) consciousness will place you on the crown of its head (will raise you to honour).

  • ای که خلقان را تو خر می‌‌خوانده‌‌ای ** این زمان چون خر بر این یخ مانده‌‌ای‌‌
  • (But) O thou who hast called the people asses, at this time thou art left (floundering), like an ass, upon this ice.

  • گر تو علامه‌‌ی زمانی در جهان ** نک فنای این جهان بین وین زمان‌‌ 2845
  • If in the world thou art the most learned scholar of the time, behold the passing away of this world and this time!

  • مرد نحوی را از آن در دوختیم ** تا شما را نحو محو آموختیم‌‌
  • We have stitched in (inserted) the (story of the) grammarian, that we might teach you the grammar (nahw) of self-effacement (mahw).

  • فقه فقه و نحو نحو و صرف صرف ** در کم آمد یابی ای یار شگرف‌‌
  • In self-loss, O venerated friend, thou wilt find the jurisprudence of jurisprudence, the grammar of grammar, and the accidence of accidence.

  • آن سبوی آب دانشهای ماست ** و آن خلیفه دجله‌‌ی علم خداست‌‌
  • That jug of water is (an emblem of) our different sorts of knowledge, and the Caliph is the Tigris of God's knowledge.

  • ما سبوها پر به دجله می‌‌بریم ** گر نه خر دانیم خود را ما خریم‌‌
  • We are carrying jugs full (of water) to the Tigris: if we do not know ourselves to be asses, asses we are.

  • باری اعرابی بدان معذور بود ** کو ز دجله بی‌‌خبر بود و ز رود 2850
  • After all, the Bedouin was excusable, for he was inattentive and very blind to the Tigris and of the (great) river.

  • گر ز دجله با خبر بودی چو ما ** او نبردی آن سبو را جا به جا
  • If he had been acquainted with the Tigris, as we are, he would not have carried that jug from place to place;

  • بلکه از دجله چو واقف آمدی ** آن سبو را بر سر سنگی زدی‌‌
  • Nay, had he been aware of the Tigris, he would have dashed that jug against a stone.

  • قبول کردن خلیفه هدیه را و عطا فرمودن با کمال بی‌‌نیازی از آن هدیه و از آن سبو
  • How the Caliph accepted the gift and bestowed largesse, notwithstanding that he was entirely without need of the gift (the water) and the jug.

  • چون خلیفه دید و احوالش شنید ** آن سبو را پر ز زر کرد و مزید
  • When the Caliph saw (the gift) and heard his story, he filled the jug with gold and added (other presents).

  • آن عرب را کرد از فاقه خلاص ** داد بخششها و خلعتهای خاص‌‌
  • He delivered the Arab from penury, he bestowed donations and special robes of honour,

  • کاین سبو پر زر به دست او دهید ** چون که واگردد سوی دجله‌‌ش برید 2855
  • Saying, “Give into his hand this jug full of gold. When he returns (home), take him to the Tigris.

  • از ره خشک آمده ست و از سفر ** از ره آبش بود نزدیکتر
  • He has come (hither) by way of the desert and by travelling (on land): it will be nearer for him (to return) by way of the Tigris.”

  • چون به کشتی درنشست و دجله دید ** سجده می‌‌کرد از حیا و می‌‌خمید
  • When he (the Arab) embarked in the boat and beheld the Tigris, he was prostrating himself in shame and bowing (his head),

  • کای عجب لطف این شه وهاب را ** وین عجبتر کو ستد آن آب را
  • Saying, “Oh, wonderful is the kindness of this bounteous King, and ’tis (even) more wonderful that he took that water.