Poem

دفتر پنجم - بخش ۴۱ - بقیهٔ قصهٔ آهو و آخر خران / Book Five - Section 41 - The Rest of the Story of the Fawn and the Stable of Asses

Original content

روزها آن آهوی خوش ناف نر
در شکنجه بود در اصطبل خر

مضطرب در نزع چون ماهی ز خشک
در یکی حقه معذب پشک و مشک

یک خرش گفتی که ها این بوالوحوش
طبع شاهان دارد و میران خموش

وآن دگر تسخر زدی کز جزر و مد
گوهر آوردست کی ارزان دهد

وآن خری گفتی که با این نازکی
بر سریر شاه شو گو متکی

آن خری شد تخمه وز خوردن بماند
پس برسم دعوت آهو را بخواند

سر چنین کرد او که نه رو ای فلان
اشتهاام نیست هستم ناتوان

گفت می دانم که نازی می کنی
یا ز ناموس احترازی می کنی

گفت او با خود که آن طعمه توست
که از آن اجزای تو زنده و نوست

من الیف مرغزاری بوده ام
در زلال و روضه ها آسوده ام

گر قضا انداخت ما را در عذاب
کی رود آن خو و طبع مستطاب

گر گدا گشتم گدارو کی شوم
ور لباسم کهنه گردد من نوم

سنبل و لاله و سپرغم نیز هم
با هزاران ناز و نفرت خورده ام

گفت آری لاف می زن لاف لاف
در غریبی بس توان گفتن گزاف

گفت نافم خود گواهی می دهد
منتی بر عود و عنبر می نهد

لیک آن را کی شنود صاحب مشام
بر خر سرگین پرست آن شد حرام

خر کمیز خر ببوید بر طریق
مشک چون عرضه کنم با این فریق

بهر این گفت آن نبی مستجیب
رمز الاسلام فی الدنیا غریب

زانک خویشانش هم از وی می رمند
گرچه با ذاتش ملایک هم دمند

صورتش را جنس می بینند انام
لیک از وی می نیابند آن مشام

هم چو شیری در میان نقش گاو
دور می بینش ولی او را مکاو

ور بکاوی ترک گاو تن بگو
که بدرد گاو را آن شیرخو

طبع گاوی از سرت بیرون کند
خوی حیوانی ز حیوان بر کند

گاو باشی شیر گردی نزد او
گر تو با گاوی خوشی شیری مجو

English translation

For days, that male fawn with the sweet musk-gland was in torment in the stable of asses. Agitated in the agony of death like a fish out of water, dung and musk tormented together in a single vessel. One ass would say to him: 'Hey, this wild beast has the nature of kings and silent princes!' And another would mockingly say: 'From the ebb and flow, he has brought a pearl; when will he give it cheaply?' And another ass would say: 'With such delicacy, go, tell him to lean upon the king's throne!' One ass overate and became bloated, so, as an invitation, he called the fawn. He shook his head like this, saying: 'No, go away, my friend, I have no appetite; I am weak.' The ass said: 'I know you are putting on airs, or you are staying away out of pride.' The fawn said to himself: 'That food is yours, by which your limbs are kept alive and renewed. I have been a companion of the meadows, I have rested in pure waters and gardens. If destiny has cast us into torment, how should that fine habit and nature depart? If I have become a beggar, how should I become beggar-faced? And if my clothes become worn out, I am still new. Hyacinth, tulip, and sweet basil also, I have eaten with thousands of graces and fastidiousness.' The ass said: 'Yes, boast, boast, boast! In a foreign land, one can say many exaggerations.' The fawn said: 'My musk-gland itself bears witness, placing a favor upon aloeswood and ambergris. But who with a sense of smell will perceive it? For the dung-worshiping ass, that is forbidden. The ass sniffs the donkey-urine on the path; how should I offer musk to this crowd?' For this reason, that answered Prophet said, the mystery: 'Islam is a stranger in the world.' For even his relatives flee from him, though the angels are companions to his essence. Mankind sees his form as being of their own kind, yet they do not perceive that fragrance from him. He is like a lion in the painted image of a cow; see him from afar, but do not probe him. And if you probe, say farewell to the cow of the body, for that lion-natured one will tear the cow to pieces. He will expel the cow-like nature from your head; he will uproot the animalistic disposition from the beast. You might be a cow, but you will become a lion near him; if you are happy being a cow, do not seek a lion.

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Updated 2026-06-13

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