Qit'a · 9th–10th century

Live Glad with the Dark-Eyed Ones

Rudakiرودکی

شاد زی با سیاه‌چشمان، شاد

Live glad with the dark-eyed ones, live glad,

که جهان نیست جز فسانه و باد

for the world is nothing but a tale and the wind.

ز آمده شادمان بباید بود

We must be glad of what has come,

وز گذشته نکرد باید یاد

and must not dwell on what has gone.

من و آن جعدموی غالیه‌بوی

I and that curly-haired one, fragrant with musk,

من و آن ماهروی حورنژاد

I and that moon-faced one, born of the houris.

نیک‌بخت آن کسی که داد و بخورد

Fortunate is the one who gave and ate;

شوربخت آن که او نه خورد و نه داد

unfortunate the one who neither ate nor gave.

باد و ابر است این جهان فسوس

This mocking world is wind and cloud:

باده پیش آر هرچه باداباد

bring the wine, and let come what may.

شاد بوده‌ست از این جهان هرگز

Has anyone ever been glad in this world,

هیچ‌کس، تا از او تو باشی شاد؟

that you should be glad in it?

داد دیده‌ست از او به هیچ سبب

Has any wise man, by any means, found justice in it,

هیچ فرزانه، تا تو بینی داد؟

that you should see justice?

From: The Poems of Rudaki
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

A short poem of seven couplets, given whole as it stands on Ganjoor. It joins two of Rudaki's constant themes: the world is passing, like wind and cloud, so take joy, give and enjoy what you have. Its closing questions turn the call to pleasure into something darker. Like most of Rudaki's verse, it survives only because later writers quoted it, and the text may be incomplete.