Masnavi · 13th century

The Merchant and the Parrot

Rumiمولانا

گفت طوطی را چه خواهی ارمغان

He said to the parrot, ‘What present would you like

که‌آرمت از خطه هندوستان

me to bring you from the land of India?’

گفتش آن طوطی که آنجا طوطیان

The parrot said, ‘When you see the parrots there,

چون ببینی کن ز حال من بیان

tell them how it is with me:

که‌آن فلان طوطی که مشتاق شماست

that a certain parrot, who longs for you,

از قضای آسمان در حبس ماست

is in our prison by the decree of heaven;

بر شما کرد او سلام و داد خواست

he sends you greetings and asks for justice,

وز شما چاره و ره ارشاد خواست

and asks you for a remedy and the road of guidance.

گفت می‌شاید که من در اشتیاق

He says: is it right that I, in longing,

جان دهم اینجا بمیرم در فراق

should give up my life here and die of separation?

این روا باشد که من در بند سخت

Is it fair that I should be in hard bonds

گه شما بر سبزه گاهی بر درخت

while you are now on the grass, now in the trees?

این چنین باشد وفای دوستان

Is this the faithfulness of friends:

من درین حبس و شما در گلستان

I in this prison, and you in the rose garden?’

From: The Masnavi
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

From the first book of the Masnavi. A merchant setting out for India asks his caged parrot what present it wants, and it asks only that he carry its message to the free parrots of India. When he does, one of them falls down as if dead; hearing this, his own parrot does the same, is thrown out of the cage, and flies away. The story is read as a teaching on dying to the self in order to be free.