1Cademy - حکایت سلطان محمود و خارکن / The Tale of Sultan Mahmud and the Thorn-Gatherer

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حکایت سلطان محمود و خارکن / The Tale of Sultan Mahmud and the Thorn-Gatherer

متن و ترجمه / Text and Translation

ناگهی محمود شد سوی شکار	اوفتاد از لشگر خود برکنار
Suddenly Mahmud went hunting, He became separated from his army.
پیرمردی خارکش می راند خر	خار وی بفتاد وی خارید سر
An old thorn-gatherer was driving a donkey, His load of thorns fell off, and he scratched his head.
دید محمودش چنان درمانده	خار او افتاده و خرمانده
Mahmud saw him so helpless, His thorns fallen and his donkey exhausted.
پیش شد محمود و گفت ای بی قرار	یار خواهی؟ گفت خواهم ای سوار
Mahmud went forward and said, "O restless one, Do you want a helper?" He said, "I do, O horseman.
گر مرا یاری کنی چه بود از آن	من کنم سود و تو را نبود زیان
If you help me, what of it? I will profit and you will suffer no loss.
از نکوروییت می بینم نصیب	لطف نبود از نکورویان غریب
From your beautiful face I see a share of kindness, Kindness is not strange from the beautiful-faced."
از کرم آمد به زیر آن شهریار	برد حالی دست چون گل سوی خار
Out of generosity, that king dismounted, At once he reached his rose-like hand toward the thorns.
بار او بر خر نهاد آن سرفراز	رخش سوی لشگر خود راند باز
That exalted one placed his load on the donkey, Then rode his steed back toward his army.
گفت لشگر را که پیری بارکش	با خری می آید از پس خارکش
He told the army, "An old burden-bearer, A thorn-gatherer with a donkey is coming behind.
ره فرو گیرید از هر سوی او	تا ببیند روی من آن روی او
Block the path on all sides of him, So that his face may see my face."
لشگرش بر پیر بگرفتند راه	ره نماند آن پیر را جز پیش شاه
His army blocked the old man's way, No path remained for the old man except toward the king.
پیر با خود گفت با لاغرخری	چون برم راه اینت ظالم لشگری
The old man said to himself with his skinny donkey, "How can I make my way through such a cruel army?"
گرچه می ترسید، چتر شاه دید	هم بسوی شاه رفتن راه دید
Although he was afraid, he saw the king's parasol, And he saw the way was to go toward the king.
آن خرک می راند تا نزدیک شاه	چون بدید او را، خجل شد پیر راه
He drove that little donkey near the king, When he saw him, the old man of the road became ashamed.
دید زیر چتر روی آشنا	در عنایت اوفتاد و در عنا
He saw the familiar face under the parasol, He fell into grace and into distress.
گفت یا رب با که گویم حال خویش	کرده ام محمود را حمال خویش
He said, "O Lord, to whom can I tell my state? I have made Mahmud my porter."
شاه با او گفت ای درویش من	چیست کار تو بگو در پیش من
The king said to him, "O my dervish, What is your work? Tell me."
گفت می دانی تو کارم کژ مباز	خویشتن را اعجمی ره مساز
He said, "You know my work, do not play crookedly, Do not pretend to be ignorant in this way.
پیرمردی ام معیل و بارکش	روز و شب در دشت باشم خارکش
I am an old man, with a family to feed and a burden-bearer, Day and night I am in the desert gathering thorns.
خار بفروشم، خرم نان تهی	می توانی گر مرا نانی دهی
I sell thorns, I buy dry bread, If you can, give me some bread."
شهریارش گفت ای پیر نژند	نرخ کن تا زر دهم، خارت به چند
The king said to him, "O downcast old man, Set a price so I can give you gold; how much for your thorns?"
گفت ای شه این ز من ارزان مخر	کم بنفروشم ز ده همیان زر
He said, "O king, do not buy this from me cheaply, I will not sell for less than ten purses of gold."
لشگرش گفتند ای ابله خموش	این دو جو ارزد، زهی ارزان فروش
His army said, "O silent fool, This is worth two barleycorns, what a cheap seller!"
پیر گفتا این دو جو ارزد ولیک	زین کم افتد این خریداری ست نیک
The old man said, "This is worth two barleycorns, but It would be less than this, if this buyer were not so good.
مقبلی چون دست بر خارم نهاد	خار من صد گونه گلزارم نهاد
Since a fortunate one placed his hand on my thorns, My thorns have turned into a hundred kinds of rose gardens.
هر که را باید چنین خاری خرد	هر بن خاری به دیناری خرد
Whoever wants to must buy such a thorn, They must buy every root of the thorn for a dinar.
نامرادی خار بسیارم نهاد	تا چو اویی دست بر خارم نهاد
Misfortune placed many thorns upon me, Until someone like him placed his hand on my thorns.
گرچه خاری است کارزان ارزد این	چون ز دست اوست صد جان ارزد این
Although it is a thorn that is worth little, Since it is from his hand, it is worth a hundred lives."
دیگری گفتش که ای پشت سپاه	ناتوانم، روی چون آرم به راه
Another (bird) said to him (the hoopoe), "O backing of the army, I am weak, how can I turn my face to the path?
من ندارم قوت و بس عاجزم	این چنین ره پیش نآمد هرگزم
I have no strength and am very helpless, Such a path has never appeared before me.
وادی دورست و راه مشکلش	من بمیرم در نخستین منزلش
The valley is far and the path is difficult, I will die at the first stage of it.
کوه های آتشین در ره بسی ست	وین چنین کاری نه کار هرکسی ست
There are many mountains of fire on the way, And such a task is not for just anyone.
صد هزاران سر درین ره گوی شد	بس که خون ها زین طلب در جوی شد
A hundred thousand heads became like balls on this path, So much blood flowed into streams from this quest.
صد هزاران عقل اینجا سر نهاد	وانک او ننهاد سر، بر سر فتاد
A hundred thousand intellects laid down their heads here, And whoever did not lay down their head, fell headlong.
در چنین راهی که مردان بی ریا	چادری در سر کشیدند از حیا
On such a path where sincere men Pulled a veil over their heads out of shame.
از چو من مسکین چه خیزد جز غبار	گر کنم عزمی بمیرم زارزار
What can rise from a wretched one like me but dust? If I make the resolve, I will die miserably."
هدهدش گفت ای فسرده چند ازین	تا به کی داری تو دل دربند ازین
The hoopoe said to him, "O frozen one, how much of this? How long will you keep your heart bound by this?
چون تو را این جایگه قدر اندکی ست	خواه می رو خواه نی، هر دو یکی ست
Since you have little value in this place, Whether you go or not, both are the same.
هست دنیا چون نجاست سر به سر	خلق می میرند در وی در به در
The world is entirely like filth, People die in it, wandering from door to door.
صد هزاران خلق همچون کرم زرد	زار می میرند در دنیا به درد
A hundred thousand people like yellow worms, Miserably die in the world in pain.
ما اگر آخر درین میریم خوار	به که در عین نجاست زار زار
If we ultimately die in this wretchedly, It is better than dying miserably in the essence of filth.
این طلب گر از تو و از من خطاست	گر بمیرم این دم از غم هم رواست
If this quest is a mistake from you and me, If I die this moment from sorrow, it is also acceptable.
چون خطاها در جهان بسیار هست	یک خطا دیگر همان انگار هست
Since there are many mistakes in the world, Consider this just another mistake.
گر کسی را عشق بدنامی بود	به ز کناسی و حجامی بود
If someone has a passion for a bad reputation, It is better than sweeping latrines and cupping.
گیرم این سودا ز طراری کم است	تو کمش گیر این مرا کمتر غم است
Suppose this ambition is less than pickpocketing, Consider it less, this is less sorrow for me.
گر ازین دریا تو دل دریا کنی	چون نظر آری همه سودا کنی
If you make your heart an ocean from this ocean, When you look, you will make it all ambition.
گر کسی گوید غرورست این هوس	چون رسی آن جا تو چون نرسید کس
If someone says this desire is delusion, How will you get there when no one else has?
در غرور این هوس گر جان دهم	به که دل در خانه و دکان نهم
If I give my life in the delusion of this desire, It is better than placing my heart in the house and shop.
این همه دیدیم و بشنیدیم ما	یک نفس از خود نگردیدیم ما
We have seen and heard all this, We have not turned away from ourselves for a single breath.
کار ما از خلق شد بر ما دراز	چند ازین مشت گدای بی نیاز
Our affair became prolonged on us because of people, How much of this handful of independent beggars?
تا نمیری از خود و از خلق پاک	بر نیاید جان ما از حلق پاک
Until you die entirely to yourself and to the people, Our pure soul will not rise from the throat.
هرک او از خلق کلی مرده نیست	مرد او کو محرم این پرده نیست
Whoever is not completely dead to the people, That man is not an intimate of this veil.
محرم این پرده جان آگه است	زنده ای از خلق نامرد ره است
The intimate of this veil is the aware soul, One who is alive to the people is unmanly on the path.
پای در نه گر تو هستی مرد کار	چون زنان دست آخر از دستان بدار
Set foot on the path if you are a man of action, Like women, finally keep your hands from trickery.
تو یقین دان کین طلب گر کافری ست	کار این ست این نه کار سرسری ست
Know for certain that if this quest is infidelity, This is the work, this is not a trivial matter.
بر درخت عشق بی برگی ست بار	هرک دارد برگ این گو سر درآر
On the tree of love, fruitlessness is the fruit, Whoever has the provision for this, tell them to raise their head.
عشق چون در سینهٔ منزل گرفت	جان آن کس راز هستی دل گرفت
When love took up residence in the chest, That person's soul took the secret of existence from the heart.
مرد را این درد در خون افکند	سرنگون از پرده بیرون افکند
This pain throws the man into blood, Throws him headlong out of the veil.
یک دمش با خویشتن نکند رها	بکشدش وانگاه خواهد خون بها
It does not release him to himself for a single breath, It kills him and then demands the blood price.
گر دهد آبیش، نبود بی زحیر	ور دهد نانش، به خون باشد خمیر
If it gives him water, it is not without agony, And if it gives him bread, it is kneaded with blood.
ور بود از ضعف عاجزتر ز مور	عشق بیش آرد برو هر لحظه زور
And if out of weakness he is more helpless than an ant, Love brings more force upon him every moment.
مرد چون افتاد در بحر خطر	کی خورد یک لقمه هرگز بی خبر
When a man falls into the sea of danger, When does he ever eat a single morsel unknowingly?"

Updated 2026-08-30

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