Rumi's Masnavi - He takes half a life and gives a hundred lives (in exchange): he gives that which enters not into your imagination.

He takes half a life and gives a hundred lives (in exchange): he gives that which enters not into your imagination. 245

نیم جان بستاند و صد جان دهد ** آن چه در وهمت نیاید آن دهد

You are judging (his actions) from (the analogy of) yourself, but you have fallen far, far (away from the truth). Consider well!

تو قیاس از خویش می‌‌گیری و لیک ** دور دور افتاده‌‌ای بنگر تو نیک‌‌

The story of the greengrocer and the parrot and the parrot's spilling the oil in the shop.

حکایت بقال و طوطی و روغن ریختن طوطی در دکان‌‌

There was a greengrocer who had a parrot, a sweet-voiced green talking parrot.

بود بقالی و وی را طوطیی ** خوش نوایی سبز و گویا طوطیی‌‌

(Perched) on the bench, it would watch over the shop (in the owner's absence) and talk finely to all the traders.

بر دکان بودی نگهبان دکان ** نکته گفتی با همه سوداگران‌‌

In addressing human beings it would speak (like them); it was (also) skilled in the song of parrots.

در خطاب آدمی ناطق بدی ** در نوای طوطیان حاذق بدی‌‌

(Once) it sprang from the bench and flew away; it spilled the bottles of rose-oil. 250

جست از سوی دکان سویی گریخت ** شیشه‌‌های روغن گل را بریخت‌‌

Its master came from the direction of his house and seated himself on the bench at his ease as a merchant does.

از سوی خانه بیامد خواجه‌‌اش ** بر دکان بنشست فارغ خواجه‌‌وش‌‌

(Then) he saw the bench was full of oil and his clothes greasy; he smote the parrot on the head: it was made bald by the blow.

دید پر روغن دکان و جامه چرب ** بر سرش زد گشت طوطی کل ز ضرب‌‌

For some few days it refrained from speech; the greengrocer, in repentance, heaved deep sighs,

روزکی چندی سخن کوتاه کرد ** مرد بقال از ندامت آه کرد

Tearing his beard and saying, “Alas! the sun of my prosperity has gone under the clouds.

ریش بر می‌‌کند و می‌‌گفت ای دریغ ** کافتاب نعمتم شد زیر میغ‌‌