Masnavi · 11th–12th century

The Old Woman and Sultan Mahmud

Sanaiسنایی

زار بخروش و خاک بر سر کن

‘Then cry out bitterly, and throw dust on your head

پیش ما وز حدیث بی‌سر و بن

before us, and be done with this tale without head or tail.’

زان سبک گفت ساکن ای سلطان

At that she said at once, ‘Softly, O Sultan:

چون نبردند مر ترا فرمان

since they did not carry out your command,

خاک بر سر مرا نباید کرد

it is not I who should throw dust on my head;

نبود خاک مر مرا در خورد

dust is not what befits me.

خاک بر سر کسی کند که ورا

Dust on the head is for the one whose

نبود بر زمانه حکم روا

command does not run in the world.’

بشنید این سخن ز زن سلطان

The Sultan heard these words from the woman

شد پشیمان ز گفت خود به زمان

and at once repented of what he had said.

گفت کای پیرزن خطا گفتم

He said, ‘Old woman, I spoke wrongly,

کز حدیث تو من برآشفتم

for I grew angry at your words.

خاک بر سر مرا همی باید

It is I who should throw dust on my head,

نه ترا کاینچنین همی شاید

not you; this is what is fitting,

که مرا مملکت بود چندان

for my kingdom reaches only as far

که در آن ملک باشدم فرمان

as my command is obeyed within it.’

From: The Walled Garden of Truth (Hadiqat al-Haqiqa)
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

A story from the eighth chapter of the Hadiqa, on kings and justice. An old woman whose property has been seized by an official in Nasa and Abivard walks to Ghazni to complain to Sultan Mahmud; the official ignores the sultan’s letter, and when she comes back the sultan, busy, tells her to throw dust on her head, the gesture of mourning. In the passage given here she turns his words against him; the story goes on to tell how he had the official hanged.