Poem

دفتر پنجم - بخش ۱۲۵ - حکایت آن گاو کی تنها در جزیره‌ای‌ست بزرگ، حق تعالی آن جزیرهٔ بزرگ را پر کند از نبات و ریاحین کی علفِ گاو باشد. تا به شب آن گاو همه را بخورَد و فربه شود چون کوه پاره‌ای. چون شب شود خوابش نبرَد از غصه و خوف کی همه صحرا را چریدم فردا چه خورم تا ازین غصه لاغر شود. هم‌چون خلال روز برخیزد همه صحرا را سبزتر و انبوه‌تر بیند از دی؛ باز بخورَد و فربه شود باز شبش همان غم بگیرد سالهاست کی او هم‌چنین می‌بیند و اعتماد نمی‌کند / Book Five - Section 125 - The Story of the Cow that lives alone on a large island; God Almighty fills that large island with plants and sweet herbs to serve as the cow's fodder. Until nightfall, the cow eats it all and becomes as fat as a mountain peak. When night comes, it cannot sleep from grief and fear, thinking 'I have grazed the entire plain, what will I eat tomorrow?' so that from this grief it grows thin. Rising like a splinter at daybreak, it sees the entire plain greener and more abundant than yesterday; again it eats and becomes fat, and again at night the same sorrow overcomes it; for years it has witnessed this and yet does not trust.

Original content

یک جزیره سبز هست اندر جهان
اندرو گاویست تنها خوش دهان

جمله صحرا را چرد او تا به شب
تا شود زفت و عظیم و منتجب

شب ز اندیشه که فردا چه خورم
گردد او چون تار مو لاغر ز غم

چون برآید صبح گردد سبز دشت
تا میان رسته قصیل سبز و کشت

اندر افتد گاو با جوع البقر
تا به شب آن را چرد او سر به سر

باز زفت و فربه و لمتر شود
آن تنش از پیه و قوت پر شود

باز شب اندر تب افتد از فزع
تا شود لاغر ز خوف منتجع

که چه خواهم خورد فردا وقت خور
سالها اینست کار آن بقر

هیچ نندیشد که چندین سال من
می خورم زین سبزه زار و زین چمن

هیچ روزی کم نیامد روزیم
چیست این ترس و غم و دلسوزیم

باز چون شب می شود آن گاو زفت
می شود لاغر که آوه رزق رفت

نفس آن گاوست و آن دشت این جهان
کاو همی لاغر شود از خوف نان

که چه خواهم خورد مستقبل عجب
لوت فردا از کجا سازم طلب

سالها خوردی و کم نامد ز خور
ترک مستقبل کن و ماضی نگر

لوت و پوت خورده را هم یاد آر
منگر اندر غابر و کم باش زار

English translation

There is a green island in the world, Wherein lives a single, sweet-mouthed cow. It grazes upon the entire plain until nightfall, Until it becomes stout, massive, and choice. At night, from the thought of 'what shall I eat tomorrow?' It becomes as thin as a single hair from grief. When morning arises, the plain turns green, With fresh green fodder and crops grown waist-high. The cow falls upon it with insatiable hunger, Grazing it completely from end to end until night. Again it becomes stout, fat, and bulky, Its body filled with fat and strength. Again, at night, it falls into a fever of panic, Becoming thin out of fear of lacking pasture: 'What shall I eat tomorrow at mealtime?' For years, this has been the habit of that cow. It never reflects: 'For so many years, I have eaten from this meadow and this pasture. No day has my daily bread ever fallen short; What is this fear, sorrow, and self-torment?' Yet when night comes, that stout cow Becomes thin, sighing: 'Alas! My provision is gone!' The carnal soul (nafs) is that cow, and that field is this world, Which is constantly growing thin from the fear of daily bread, Thinking: 'What shall I eat in the future, indeed? From where shall I seek tomorrow's banquet?' For years you have eaten and your food never ran short; Leave the future be, and contemplate the past. Recall the food and provisions you have already eaten, Do not look to what is yet to come, and cease your weeping.

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Updated 2026-06-13

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Humanities

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Islam

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Persian Literature Prerequisite Course

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