Masnavi · 12th–13th century

The King and the Ruined Village

Nezami Ganjaviنظامی گنجوی

گفت به دستور ‌«چه دم می‌زنند؟

He said to his vizier, ‘What are they saying?

چیست صفیری که به‌هم می‌زنند؟»

What is this whistling they send each other?’

گفت وزیر «‌ای ملک روزگار

The vizier said, ‘O king of the age,

گویم اگر شه بود آموزگار

I will tell you, if the king will take it as a lesson.

این دو نوا نز پی رامشگری‌ست

These two songs are not for making music;

خطبه‌ای از بهر زناشوهری‌ست

they are a proposal of marriage.

دختری این مرغ بدان مرغ داد

This bird has given that bird a daughter,

شیربها خواهد از او بامداد

and asks him for the bride-price by morning:

کاین ده ویران بگذاری به ما

“Leave this ruined village to us,

نیز چنین چند سپاری به ما

and hand over a few more like it as well.”

آن دگرش گفت کزین درگذر

The other said to him, “Let that go:

جور ملک بین و برو غم مخور

look at the king’s oppression, and do not worry.

گر ملک اینست نه بس روزگار

If this is the king, before much time has passed

زین ده ویران دهمت صد هزار‌»

I will give you a hundred thousand ruined villages like this.”’

From: The Treasury of Mysteries
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

From the tale that follows the second discourse of The Treasury of Mysteries, on justice. The Sasanian king Anushirvan, out hunting with only his vizier, comes on a ruined village where two birds are calling, and the vizier ‘translates’ their talk. Stung, the king weeps, calls himself the one who has put owls in place of hens, and from then on rules with justice. Anushirvan, called ‘the Just’, is the model of the just king throughout Persian literature.