Masnavi · 16th century

Come, Heart, Let Us Sit in a Corner

Vahshi Bafqiوحشی بافقی

دلا برخیز تا کنجی نشینیم

Come, heart, rise, and let us sit in a corner;

ز ابنای زمان کنجی گزینیم

let us choose a corner away from the people of our time.

عجب دوری و ناخوش روزگاریست

This is a strange age and an unhappy time;

نه بر مردم نه بر دور اعتباریست

there is no trusting people, and no trusting the age.

اگر سد سال باشی با کسی یار

If you are someone’s friend for a hundred years,

پشیمانی کشی در آخر کار

in the end you will suffer regret.

از این بی‌مهر یاران دوری اولا

Better to stay far from these loveless friends,

ز بزم وصلشان مهجوری اولا

better to be shut out of their company.

بسا یاران که همدم می‌نمودند

Many friends seemed close companions

وفادارانه خود را می‌ستودند

and praised themselves for their faithfulness;

به اندک گفتگویی آخر کار

in the end, after a few words,

حدیث جور و کین کردند اظهار

they came out with talk of cruelty and spite.

گذشتند از طریق دوستداری

They left the way of friendship

به دل دادند آهی یادگاری

and gave the heart a sigh to remember them by.

چه عقل است این که نقد زندگانی

What sense is there in giving

دهی تا در عوض آهی ستانی

the ready coin of life to take back a sigh?

From: Nazer and Manzur
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

From the prologue of Nazer and Manzur, in a section headed as the narrator’s complaint against faithless friends and in praise of solitude. Just before beginning his romance of perfect devotion between two friends, Vahshi resolves to leave false companions behind and keep to a corner of his own.