Poem

دفتر پنجم - بخش ۱۲۱ - غالب شدن مکر روبه بر استعصام خر / Book Five - Section 121 - The Victory of the Fox's Guile Over the Donkey's Self-Restraint

Original content

خر بسی کوشید و او را دفع گفت
لیک جوع الکلب با خر بود جفت

غالب آمد حرص و صبرش بد ضعیف
بس گلوها که برد عشق رغیف

زان رسولی کش حقایق داد دست
کاد فقر ان یکن کفر آمدست

گشته بود آن خر مجاعت را اسیر
گفت اگر مکرست یک ره مرده گیر

زین عذاب جوع باری وا رهم
گر حیات اینست من مرده بهم

گر خر اول توبه و سوگند خورد
عاقبت هم از خری خبطی بکرد

حرص کور و احمق و نادان کند
مرگ را بر احمقان آسان کند

نیست آسان مرگ بر جان خران
که ندارند آب جان جاودان

چون ندارد جان جاوید او شقیست
جرات او بر اجل از احمقیست

جهد کن تا جان مخلد گرددت
تا به روز مرگ برگی باشدت

اعتمادش نیز بر رازق نبود
که بر افشاند برو از غیب جود

تاکنونش فضل بی روزی نداشت
گرچه گه گه بر تنش جوعی گماشت

گر نباشد جوع صد رنج دگر
از پی هیضه بر آرد از تو سر

رنج جوع اولی بود خود زان علل
هم به لطف و هم به خفت هم عمل

رنج جوع از رنجها پاکیزه تر
خاصه در جوعست صد نفع و هنر

English translation

The donkey strived much and repulsed him, but dog-like hunger was the donkey's companion. Greed overcame, and his patience was weak; how many throats have been cut by the love of a loaf! Because of this, the Messenger to whom realities were revealed said, 'Poverty is well-nigh turning into unbelief.' That donkey had become a captive to starvation; he said, 'If it is deceit, well, take me for dead once. At least let me be delivered from this torment of hunger; if this is life, then to be dead is better for me.' Though the donkey first made repentance and swore oaths, in the end, out of donkey-ness, he committed an error. Greed makes one blind, foolish, and ignorant; it makes death easy for the foolish. Death is not easy for the soul of donkeys who do not possess the water of everlasting life. Since he does not possess an everlasting soul, he is wretched; his boldness toward death is out of foolishness. Strive so that your soul may become eternal, so that on the day of death you may have some provision. His trust was also not in the Provider, who would shower bounty upon him from the Unseen. Until now, His grace had not left him without daily bread, though from time to time He inflicted hunger upon his body. If there be no hunger, a hundred other ailments, such as indigestion, will rear their heads in you. The pain of hunger is better than those ailments, both in gentleness, lightness, and efficacy. The pain of hunger is cleaner than other pains; especially in hunger, there are a hundred benefits and arts.

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Updated 2026-06-13

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