Qasida · 14th century

The Cat Repents

Obeyd Zakaniعبید زاکانی

گربه آن موش را بکشت و بخورد

The cat killed that mouse and ate him,

سوی مسجد شدی خرامانا

and went strutting off to the mosque.

دست و رو را بشست و مسح کشید

He washed his hands and face, wiped his head for prayer,

ورد می‌خواند همچو ملانا

and recited his devotions like a mullah:

بار الها که توبه کردم من

‘O Lord, I repent;

ندرم موش را به دندانا

I will never again tear a mouse with my teeth.

بهر این خون ناحق ای خلاق

For this blood unjustly shed, O Creator,

من تصدق دهم دو من نانا

I will give two maunds of bread in alms.’

آنقدر لابه کرد و زاری کرد

He pleaded and lamented so much

تا به‌حدی که گشت گریانا

that in the end he was weeping.

موشکی بود در پس منبر

A little mouse was hiding behind the pulpit;

زود برد این خبر به موشانا

he quickly took the news to the mice:

مژدگانی که گربه تائب شد

‘Good tidings! The cat has repented;

زاهد و عابد و مسلمانا

he is an ascetic now, a devout believer.

بود در مسجد آن ستوده خصال

That praiseworthy creature is in the mosque,

در نماز و نیاز و افغانا

at prayer and supplication and lament.’

From: The Divan of Obeyd Zakani
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

The turning point of Mush o Gorbeh. Having caught and eaten a mouse who boasted when drunk, the cat performs his ablutions, repents in the mosque and vows alms, and the mice take his repentance at face value. As they later complain to their king, he used to take one mouse a year, and now that he has repented he takes five at a time. The poem has often been read as a satire on a ruler whose show of piety went with cruelty, most often the Mozaffarid Mobarez al-Din Mohammad, who took Shiraz in 1353.