Qit'a · 12th century

The Hut Where I Eat and Sleep

Anvariانوری

کلبه‌ای کاندرو به روز و به شب

A hut, where by day and by night

جای آرام و خورد و خواب منست

is my place of rest, of eating and of sleep:

حالتی دادم اندرو که در آن

in it I have made myself a state

چرخ در غبن و رشک و تاب منست

that leaves the turning sky in loss, envy and torment over me.

آن سپهرم درو که گوی سپهر

In it I am such a heaven that the globe of heaven

ذره‌ای نور آفتاب منست

is a mote in the light of my sun;

وان جهانم درو که بحر محیط

in it I am such a world that the encircling ocean

واله لمعه سراب منست

is dazed by the glint of my mirage.

هرچه در مجلس ملوک بود

Whatever there is at the banquets of kings

همه در کلبه خراب منست

is all here in my ruined hut:

رحل اجزا و نان خشک برو

a book-stand with its quires, and dry bread on it,

گرد خوان من و کباب منست

are my spread table and my roast;

شیشه صبر من که بادا پر

the flask of my patience, may it stay full,

پیش من شیشه شراب منست

is, to me, my flask of wine;

قلم کوته و صریر خوشش

my short pen and its pleasant scratching

زخمه و نغمه رباب منست

are the plectrum and the music of my lute.

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

A note for readers

The heading of this qit'a in the Divan says that Anvari, late in life, kept away from court, and sent it when a sultan of Ghur summoned him. He sets his bare hut against the banquets of kings: books for meat, patience for wine, his pen for music. The excerpt gives the first eight of its sixteen couplets; the poem ends, ‘my clothes and my place are my answer.’