A Tale from The Gulistan of Sa’adi

The Rose Garden of Sa’di

From the 1st Chapter:
The manner of Kings
Tale No. 7

Here we have a tale of Sa’di from the first section of his masterpiece, Golistan (The Rose Garden of Sa’di) – The Manner of Kings, 7th story.

saai tale 01 - A Tale of Sa'di (1)

پادِشاهی با غُلامی عَجَمی دَر کَشتی نِشَست و غُلام دیگَر دَریا را نَدیده بود و مِحنَتِ کَشتی نیازموده.

پادِشاهی= a king
با = with
غُلامی = a slave
عَجَمی = Persian or Indian
دَر = in – inside
کَشتی = ship
نِشَست = sit
و = and
غُلام = slave

دیگَر = ever
دَریا = the sea
را = sign of object in Farsi
نَدیده بود = not seen
و = and
مِحنَت = distress
کَشتی = ship
نیازموده = not experienced

گِریه و زاری درنِهاده و لَرزه بَر اَندامَش اوفتاد.

گریه و زاری = crying
دَرنَهاده = did
لَرزه = tremble

بَر = on
اَندامَش = his body parts
اوفتاد = failed

چَندان که مُلاطِفَت کَردَند آرام نِمی گِرِفت و عِیشِ مَلِک اَز او مُنَعَّض بود، چاره نَدانِستَند.

چَندان = more
که = that
مُلاطِفَت = kindness
کَردَند = they did
آرام = calm
نِمی گِرِفت = not became
عیش = joy

مَلِک = king
اَز = from
او = him
مُنَعَّض = sad
بود = was
چاره = solution
نَدانِستنَند = couldn’t find

حَکیمی در آن کَشتی بود.

حَکیمی = a philosopher
دَر = inside
آن = that

کَشتی = boat / ship
بود = was

مَلِک را گُفت اَگَر فَرمان دَهی مَن او را به طریقی خامُش گَردانَم.

مَلِک را = to the king
گُفت = he said
اَگَر = if
فَرمان دَهی = you commend
مَن = I

او = him
را = sign of object in Farsi
به طریقی = in a way
خامُش = calm down
گَردانَم = I do

گُفت غایَتِ لُطف و کَرَم باشَد.

گُفت = he said
غایَتِ = extremely

لُطف و کَرَم = kindness
باشَد = it is

بِفَرمود تا غُلام به دَریا انداختَند.

بِفَرمود = he commended
تا = that
غُلام = slave

به = to / in
دَریا = sea
اَنداختَند = threw

باری چَند غوطه خورد.

باری چَند = for a while

غوطه خورد = floated

مویَش گِرِفتَند و پیشِ کِشتی آوَردَند.

مویَش = his hair
گِرِفتَند = pulled
پیشِ = on the

کَشتی = ship / boat
آوردَند = they brought

به دو دَست دَر سُکّانِ کَشتی آویخت.

به = to
دو = two
دَست = hand
دَر = in

سُکّانِ = rudder
کَشتی = ship / boat
آویخت = clung

چون بَرآمَد، به گوشه ای بِنِشَست و قَرار یافت.

چون = as
بَرآمَد = he revived
به گوشه ای = in a corner

بِنِشَست = sit
قَرار یافت = kept calm

مَلِک را عَجَب آمَد.

مَلِک را = to the king

عَجَب آمَد = seemed strange

پُرسید در این چه حِکمَت بود؟

پُرسید = he asked
در= in
این = this

چه = what
حِکمَت = wisdom
بود = was

گُفت از اول، مِحنَتِ غَرقه شُدَن ناچِشیده بود و قَدرِ سَلامَتِ کَشتی نِمی دانِست.

گُفت = he said
از = from
اَوَّل = beginning
مِحنَتِ = distress of
غَرقه شُدَن = drowning

 

ناچِشیده بود = not tasted
قَدرِ = calamity
سَلامتِ = safety of
کَشتی = ship / boat
نِمی دانِست = not know

هَمچنین، قَدرِ عافیَت کَسی دانَد که به مٌصیبَتی گِرِفتار آیَد.

هَمچِنین = as well
قَدرِ = calamity of
عافیَت = safety
کَسی = who
دانَد = knows

که = that
به = to
مُصیبَتی = a straggle
گِرفتار = involved
آید = become

اِی سیر تو را نانِ جُوین خُوش نَنَمایَد

اِی = oh
سیر = full of eating
تو را = to you
نان = bread

جُوین = made from barleycorn
خُوش = delicious
نَنَمایَد = wouldn’t be

مَعشوقِ مَن آن اَست که به نَزدیکِ تو زِشت اَست

مَعشوقِ مَن = my lover
آن است = is who
که = that

به نَزدیکِ تو = seems to you
زِشت = ugly
است = is

حورانِ بِهِشتی را دوزَخ بُوَد اَعراف

حوران = purgatories
بِهِشتی = from paradise
را = seems to them

دوزَخ = hell
بوَد = is
اَعراف = somewhere between hell and heaven/ isthmus

اَز دوزَخیان پُرس که اَعراف بِهِشت اَست

اَز = from
دوزَخیان = Hell dwellers
پُرس = ask

که = if
اَعراف = somewhere between hell and heaven/ isthmus
بِهِشت است = is same as the  paradise

فَرق است میانِ آن که یارَش دَر بَر

فَرق = difference
اَست = is
میانِ = between
آن = who

که = that
یارَش = his/her sweetheart
دَر بَر = in the arms

تا آن که دو چَشمِ اِنتِظارَش بَر دَر

تا آن که = with who
دو = two
چَشمِ = eye

اِنتِظارَش = expecting
بَر = on
دَر = the door

saai tale 01 - A Tale of Sa'di (1)
saadi tale 002 - A Tale of Sa'di (1)

Now try to read this tale of Sa’di without English hints:

پادشاهی با غُلامی عَجَمی دَر کَشتی نِشَست و غُلام دیگَر دَریا را نَدیده بود و مِحنَتِ کَشتی نیازموده. گِریه و زاری درنِهاده و لَرزه بَر اَندامش اوفتاد. چَندان که مُلاطِفَت کَردَند آرام نِمی گِرِفت و عِیش مَلِک از او مُنَغَّض بود. چاره نَدانِستَند. حَکیمی دَر آن کَشتی بود، مَلِک  را گُفت اَگر فَرمان دَهی مَن او را به طَریقی خامُش گَردانَم، گُفت غایَتِ لُطف و کَرَم باشَد. بِفَرمود تا غُلام به دَریا اَنداختَند. باری چَند غوطه خورد، مویَش گِرفتَند و پیشِ کَشتی آوَردَند، به دو دَست در سُکّانِ کَشتی آویخت. چون بَرآمد، به گوشه ای بِنِشَست و قَرار یافت. مَلِک را عَجَب آمَد. پُرسید دَر این چه حِکمَت بود؟ گُفت از اَوَّل، مِحنَتِ غَرقه شُدنِ ناچِشیده بود و قَدر سَلامَتِ کَشتی نِمی دانِست. هَمچِنین قَدرِ عافیَت کَسی دانَد که به مٌصیبَتی گِرِفتار آید.

اِی سیر تو را نان جُوین خُوش نَنَمایَد
مَعشوقِ مَن است آن که به به نَزدیکِ تو زِشت است
حورانِ بِهِشتی را دوزَخ بُوَد اَعراف
اَز دوزَخیان پُرس که اَعراف بِهِشت اَست

فَرق اَست میانِ آن که یارَش دَر بَر
تا آن که دو چَشمِ اِنتِظارَش بَر دَر

English Translation

A padshah was in the same boat with a Persian slave who had never before been at sea and experienced the inconvenience of a vessel. He began to cry and to tremble to such a degree that he could not be pacified by kindness, so that at last the king became displeased as the matter could not be remedied.

In that boat there happened to be a philosopher, who said: ‘With thy permission I shall quiet him.’ The padshah replied: ‘It will be a great favour.’

The philosopher ordered the slave to be thrown into the water so that he swallowed some of it, whereon be was caught and pulled by his hair to the boat, to the stern of which he clung with both his hands. Then he sat down in a corner and became quiet.

This appeared strange to the king who knew not what wisdom there was in the proceeding and asked for it. The philosopher replied: ‘Before he had tasted the calamity of being drowned, he knew not the safety of the boat; thus also a man does not appreciate the value of immunity from a misfortune until it has befallen him.’

O thou full man, barley-bread pleases thee not.
She is my sweetheart who appears ugly to thee.

To the huris of paradise purgatory seems hell.
Ask the denizens of hell. To them purgatory is paradise.

There is a difference between him whose friend is in his arms
And him whose eyes of expectation are upon the door.

English Translation by : EDWARD REHATSEK
Pictures: Source : Ganjoor website

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