The Gourd and the Plane Tree

نشنیده‌ای که زیر چناری کدو بنی

Have you not heard how, beneath a plane tree, a gourd vine

برجست و بر دوید برو بر به روز بیست

sprang up and ran up it in twenty days?

پرسید از چنار که تو چند روزه‌ای

It asked the plane tree, ‘How many days old are you?’

گفتا چنار عمر من افزون‌تر از دویست

The plane tree said, ‘My age is more than two hundred.’

گفتا به بیست روز من از تو فزون شدم

It said, ‘In twenty days I have grown past you;

این کاهلی بگوی که آخر ز بهر چیست

tell me, what is all this sluggishness for?’

گفتا چنار نیست مرا با تو هیچ جنگ

The plane tree said, ‘I have no quarrel with you;

کاکنون نه روز جنگ و نه هنگام داوریست

this is no day for fighting and no time for judging.

فردا که بر من و تو وزد باد مهرگان

Tomorrow, when the autumn wind blows on you and me,

آنگه شود پدید که نامرد و مرد کیست

then it will be seen which of us is weak and which is strong.’