Pandnamah
Pand-nāmah (پندنامه) means “Book of Counsel” or “Book of Advice.” The title belongs to a wider Persian tradition: a separate work called Pand-nāmah is attributed to Sa'adi, and another one to al-Ghazālī, though its authorship is also disputed. The much-loved verse Pand-nāmah traditionally attributed to Farīd al-Dīn ʿAṭṭār may not be his. Its straightforward moral instructions lack much of the layered imagery and mystical subtlety found in his established poetry. The text does not name him, and no evidence of it survives from before the fifteenth century. Its author remains unknown.
Volume 1 of 8
Couplets 1–103 Praise of God and the Messenger leads into prayer, discipline of the self, silence, and the foundations of faith. The three-line units follow the selected scan, with documented readings explained in the accompanying editorial guide.
How to read Each unit gives one vocalized Persian couplet, its Latin transliteration, then its English rendering. The original two hemistichs are separated by │. The small number on the Latin line identifies section.couplet and the global couplet number.
1 In the Name of God
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
حَمْدِ بی‌حَدّ آن خُدایِ پاک را │ آن‌کِه ایمان داد مُشْتی خاک را
01.01 001 Hamd-e bī-hadd ān khodā-ye pāk rā │ ān-ke īmān dād moshtī khāk rā
Limitless praise belongs to that pure God, who gave faith to a handful of dust.
آن‌کِه دَر آدَم دَمید او روح را │ داد اَز طوفان نَجات او نوح را
01.02 002 Ān-ke dar Ādam damīd ū rūḥ rā │ dād az ṭūfān nejāt ū Nūḥ rā
He breathed spirit into Adam and delivered Noah from the flood.
آن‌کِه فَرمان کَرْد قَهْرَش باد را │ تا سَزای داد قَوْمِ عاد را
01.03 003 Ān-ke farmān kard qahrash bād rā │ tā sazā-ye dād qowm-e ʿĀd rā
He commanded the wind in His wrath to bring the people of ʿĀd their due.
آن‌کِه لُطْفِ خویش را اِظْهار کَرْد │ بَر خَلیلَش نار را گُلْزار کَرْد
01.04 004 Ān-ke lotf-e khīsh rā eẓhār kard │ bar Khalīlash nār rā golzār kard
He revealed His kindness and made the fire a rose garden for His friend.
آن خُداوَنْدی کِه هَنْگامِ سَحَر │ کَرْد قَوْمِ لوط را زیر و زَبَر
01.05 005 Ān khodāvandī ke hengām-e sahar │ kard qowm-e Lūṭ rā zīr-o zabar
He is the Lord who, at dawn, overturned the people of Lot.
سُویِ او خَصْمی کِه تیر اَنْداخْتِه │ پَشّه کارَش کِفایَت ساخْتِه
01.06 006 Sū-ye ū khasmī ke tīr andākhte │ pashshe kārash kefāyat sākhte
Against the enemy who shot an arrow toward Him, a mere gnat sufficed.
آن‌کِه اَعْدا را بِدَریا دَرکَشید │ ناقِه را اَز سَنْگِ خارا بَرکَشید
01.07 007 Ān-ke aʿdā rā be-daryā dar-kashīd │ nāqe rā az sang-e khārā bar-kashīd
He drew His enemies into the sea and brought the she-camel out of solid rock.
چون عِنایَت قادِر و قَیّوم کَرْد │ دَر کَفِ داوود آهَن مُوم کَرْد
01.08 008 Chūn ʿenāyat Qāder-o Qayyūm kard │ dar kaf-e Dāvūd āhan mūm kard
When the Almighty and Ever-Sustaining One bestowed His favor, He made iron soft as wax in David’s hand.
با سُلَیْمان داد مُلْک و سَرْوَری │ شُد مُطیعِ خاتَمَش دیو و پَری
01.09 009 Bā Soleymān dād molk-o sarvarī │ shod motīʿ-e khātamash dīv-o parī
He gave Solomon dominion and sovereignty; spirits and demons obeyed his ring.
اَز تَنِ صابِر بِکِرْمان قُوْت داد │ هَم زِ یونُس لُقْمِه‌ای با حوت داد
01.10 010 Az tan-e sāber be-kermān qūt dād │ ham ze Yūnos loqme-ī bā ḥūt dād
He gave the worms sustenance from the patient one’s body and offered Jonah as a morsel to the great fish.
بَنْدِه را اَرّه بَر سَر می‌نَهَد │ دیگَری را تاج بَر سَر می‌نَهَد
01.11 011 Bande rā arre bar sar mī-nahad │ dīgarī rā tāj bar sar mī-nahad
Upon one servant’s head He sets a saw; upon another’s, a crown.
اوست سُلْطان، هَرچِه خواهَد آن کُنَد │ عالَمی را دَر دَمی ویران کُنَد
01.12 012 Ūst soltān, har-che khāhad ān konad │ ʿālamī rā dar damī vīrān konad
He is sovereign and does whatever He wills; in an instant He can lay a world waste.
هَسْت سُلْطانی مُسَلَّم مَر وَرا │ نیسْت کَس را زُهْرَهٔ چون و چِرا
01.13 013 Hast soltānī mosallam mar varā │ nīst kas rā zohre-ye chūn-o cherā
His sovereignty is beyond dispute; no one dares demand how or why.
آن یَکی را گَنْج و نِعْمَت می‌دَهَد │ وان دِگَر را رَنْج و زَحْمَت می‌دَهَد
01.14 014 Ān yekī rā ganj-o neʿmat mī-dahad │ vān degar rā ranj-o zaḥmat mī-dahad
To one He gives treasure and ease; to another, labor and hardship.
آن یَکی را زَر، دو صَد هَمیان دَهَد │ دیگَری دَر حَسْرَتِ نان جان دَهَد
01.15 015 Ān yekī rā zar, do sad hamyān dahad │ dīgarī dar ḥasrat-e nān jān dahad
He gives one person two hundred purses of gold, while another dies longing for bread.
آن یَکی بَر تَخْت، با صَد عِزّ و ناز │ و آن دِگَر کَرْدِه دَهان اَز فاقِه باز
01.16 016 Ān yekī bar takht, bā sad ʿezz-o nāz │ va ān degar karde dahān az fāqe bāz
One sits enthroned amid honor and comfort; another opens his mouth in hunger.
آن یَکی پوشیدِه سَنْجاب و سَمور │ دیگَری خُفْتِه بَرَهْنِه دَر تَنور
01.17 017 Ān yekī pūshīde sanjāb-o samūr │ dīgarī khofte barahne dar tanūr
One wears squirrel fur and sable; another lies naked in the oven.
آن یَکی بَر بِسْتَرِ کَمْخا و نَخ │ وان دِگَر بَر خاکِ خواری بَسْتِه یَخ
01.18 018 Ān yekī bar bestar-e kamkhā-o nakh │ vān degar bar khāk-e khvārī baste yakh
One lies upon a bed of brocade and fine cloth; another freezes on the bare ground.
طَرْفَةَ الْعَیْنی جَهان بَر هَم زَنَد │ کَس نَمی‌آرَد کِه آن‌جا دَم زَنَد
01.19 019 Ṭarfat al-ʿaynī jahān bar ham zanad │ kas nemī-ārad ke ān-jā dam zanad
In the blink of an eye He can overturn the world, and no one dares utter a word.
آن‌کِه با مُرْغِ هَوا ماهی دَهَد │ بَنْدِگان را دَوْلَتِ شاهی دَهَد
01.20 020 Ān-ke bā morgh-e havā māhī dahad │ bandegān rā dowlat-e shāhī dahad
He provides fish for the birds of the air and grants His servants the fortune of kings.
بی پِدَر فَرْزَنْد پَیْدا او کُنَد │ طِفْل را دَر مَهْد گویا او کُنَد
01.21 021 Bī pedar farzand peydā ū konad │ tefl rā dar mahd gūyā ū konad
He brings forth a child without a father and gives speech to an infant in the cradle.
مُرْدَهٔ صَد سالِه را حَیّ می‌کُنَد │ این بِجُز حَقّ دیگَری کِی می‌کُنَد
01.22 022 Morde-ye sad sāle rā ḥayy mī-konad │ īn be-joz Ḥaqq dīgarī key mī-konad
He restores one dead for a hundred years to life. Who but God could do this?
صانِعی کَز طین سَلاطین می‌کُنَد │ نَجْم را رَجْمِ شَیاطین می‌کُنَد
01.23 023 Ṣāneʿī kaz ṭīn salāṭīn mī-konad │ najm rā rajm-e shayāṭīn mī-konad
The Maker fashions kings from clay and turns stars into missiles against devils.
اَز زَمینِ خُشْک رویانَد گِیاه │ آسِمان را نیز او دارَد نِگاه
01.24 024 Az zamīn-e khoshk rūyānad giyāh │ āsemān rā nīz ū dārad negāh
He makes plants grow from dry earth and holds the sky in place.
هیچ کَس دَر مُلْکِ او اَنْباز نی │ قَوْلِ او را لَحْن نی، آواز نی
01.25 025 Hīch kas dar molk-e ū anbāz nī │ qowl-e ū rā laḥn nī, āvāz nī
No one shares His dominion; His speech has neither melody nor audible sound.
در نعمت سید المرسلین
2 Praise of the Messenger
سَیِّدُ الْکَوْنَیْنِ خَتْمُ الْمُرْسَلین │ آخِر آمَد، بود فَخْرُ الْأَوَّلین
02.01 026 Seyyed al-kownayn, khatm al-morsalīn │ ākhar āmad, būd fakhr al-awwalīn
Master of both worlds and seal of the messengers: he came last, yet was the pride of those who came first.
آن‌کِه آمَد نُه فَلَک مِعْراجِ او │ اَنْبِیا و اَوْلِیا مُحْتاجِ او
02.02 027 Ān-ke āmad noh falak meʿrāj-e ū │ anbiyā-o owliyā moḥtāj-e ū
His ascent reached through the nine heavens; prophets and saints alike have need of him.
شُد وُجودَش رَحْمَةً لِلْعالَمین │ مَسْجِدِ او شُد هَمِه رویِ زَمین
02.03 028 Shod vojūd-ash raḥmatan lil-ʿālamīn │ masjed-e ū shod hame rū-ye zamīn
His very being became a mercy to all the worlds, and the whole face of the earth became a place of prayer for him.
آن‌کِه یارَش بُد اَبوبَکْر و عُمَر │ اَز سَرِ اَنْگُشْتِ او شَقّ شُد قَمَر
02.04 029 Ān-ke yār-ash bod Abū Bakr-o ʿOmar │ az sar-e angosht-e ū shaqq shod qamar
Abū Bakr and ʿUmar were his companions; at his fingertip the moon was split.
آن یَکی را او رَفیقِ غار بود │ و آن دِگَر لَشْکَرَش اَبْرار بود
02.05 030 Ān yekī rā ū rafīq-e ghār būd │ va ān degar lashkar-ash abrār būd
He was one man's companion in the cave; the other's army was made up of the righteous.
صاحِبَش بودند عُثْمان و عَلی │ بَهْرِ آن گَشْتَنْد دَر عالَم وَلی
02.06 031 Ṣāḥeb-ash būdand ʿOsmān-o ʿAlī │ bahr-e ān gashtand dar ʿālam valī
ʿUthmān and ʿAlī were his companions too, and for that they became revered friends of God in the world.
آن یَکی کان حَیا و حِلْم بود │ وان دِگَر بابِ مَدینَهٔ عِلْم بود
02.07 032 Ān yekī kān ḥayā-o ḥelm būd │ vān degar bāb-e madīne-ye ʿelm būd
The first embodied modesty and forbearance; the other was the gate to the city of knowledge.
آن رَسولِ حَقّ کِه خَیْرُ النّاس بود │ عَمِّ پاکَش حَمْزِه و عَبّاس بود
02.08 033 Ān rasūl-e Ḥaqq ke khayr al-nās būd │ ʿamm-e pāk-ash Ḥamze-o ʿAbbās būd
That Messenger of God was the best of people; his noble uncles were Ḥamza and ʿAbbās.
هَر دَم اَز ما صَد دُرود و صَد سَلام │ بَر رَسول و آل و اَصْحابَش تَمام
02.09 034 Har dam az mā sad dorūd-o sad salām │ bar rasūl-o āl-o aṣḥāb-ash tamām
At every moment, a hundred blessings and greetings from us upon the Messenger, his family, and all his companions.
در فضیلت ائمۀ دین
3 In Praise of the Imams of Religion
آن اِمامانی کِه کَرْدَنْد اِجْتِهاد │ رَحْمَتِ حَقّ بَر رَوانِ جُمْلِه باد
03.01 035 Ān emāmānī ke kardand ejtehād │ raḥmat-e Ḥaqq bar ravān-e jomle bād
May God's mercy rest upon the souls of all those imams who devoted themselves to learned judgment.
بوحَنیفِه بود اِمامِ باصَفا │ آن سِراجِ اُمَّتانِ مُصْطَفا
03.02 036 Bū Ḥanīfe būd emām-e bā-ṣafā │ ān serāj-e ommatān-e Moṣṭafā
Abū Ḥanīfa was a pure-hearted imam, a lamp for the followers of the Chosen One.
باد فَضْلِ حَقّ قَرینِ جانِ او │ شاد باد اَرْواحِ شاگِرْدانِ او
03.03 037 Bād faẓl-e Ḥaqq qarīn-e jān-e ū │ shād bād arvāḥ-e shāgerdān-e ū
May God's grace keep his soul company; may the souls of his students rejoice.
صاحِبَش بویوسُفِ الْقاضی شُدِه │ وَز مُحَمَّد ذُوالْمِنَن راضی شُدِه
03.04 038 Ṣāḥeb-ash Bū Yūsof al-Qāżī shode │ vaz Moḥammad Ẕū l-Menan rāżī shode
The judge Abū Yūsuf became his associate, and the Giver of blessings was pleased with Muḥammad.
شافِعی اِدْریس و مالِک با زُفَر │ یافْت زیشان دینِ اَحْمَد زیب و فَر
03.05 039 Shāfeʿī Edrīs-o Mālek bā Zofar │ yāft z-īshān dīn-e Aḥmad zīb-o farr
Al-Shāfiʿī, son of Idrīs, and Mālik together with Zufar: through them the faith of Aḥmad gained beauty and splendor.
روحِ‌شان دَر صَدْرِ جَنَّت شاد باد │ قَصْرِ دین اَز عِلْمِ‌شان آباد باد
03.06 040 Rūḥ-eshān dar ṣadr-e jannat shād bād │ qaṣr-e dīn az ʿelm-eshān ābād bād
May their souls rejoice in the highest place in Paradise, and may their knowledge keep the house of faith flourishing.
در مناجات
4 A Prayer
پادْشاها جُرْمِ ما را دَرگُذار │ ما گُنَهْکاریم و تو آمُرْزْگار
04.01 041 Pādshāhā jorm-e mā rā dar-gozār │ mā gonahkārīm-o to āmorzegār
O King, forgive our wrongs. We have sinned, and You are the One who forgives.
تو نِکوکاری و ما بَد کَرْدِه‌ایم │ جُرْمِ بی‌پایان و بی‌حَدّ کَرْدِه‌ایم
04.02 042 To nekūkārī-o mā bad karde-īm │ jorm-e bī-pāyān-o bī-hadd karde-īm
You are good to us, while we have done wrong; our offenses have been countless and without end.
سال‌ها دَر فِسْق و عِصْیان گَشْتِه‌ایم │ آخِر اَز کَرْدِه پَشیمان گَشْتِه‌ایم
04.03 043 Sāl-hā dar fesq-o ʿeṣyān gashte-īm │ ākhar az karde pashīmān gashte-īm
For years we wandered in wrongdoing and rebellion; at last we regret what we have done.
روز و شَب اَنْدَر مَعاصی بودِه‌ایم │ غافِل اَز «یُؤْخَذُ نَواصی» بودِه‌ایم
04.04 044 Rūz-o shab andar maʿāṣī būde-īm │ ghāfel az «yuʾkhadhu nawāṣī» būde-īm
Day and night we lived in sin, heedless of the warning that sinners will be seized by their forelocks.
دایِماً دَر بَنْدِ عِصْیان بودِه‌ایم │ هَم قَرینِ نَفْس و شَیْطان بودِه‌ایم
04.05 045 Dāyeman dar band-e ʿeṣyān būde-īm │ ham qarīn-e nafs-o shayṭān būde-īm
We have lived in the grip of rebellion, keeping company with the lower self and Satan.
بی گُنَهْ نَگْذَشْتِه بَر ما ساعَتی │ با حُضورِ دِل نَکَرْدِه طاعَتی
04.06 046 Bī gonah nagzashte bar mā sāʿatī │ bā ḥożūr-e del nakarde ṭāʿatī
Not an hour has passed without sin, and we have performed no act of worship with a fully present heart.
بَر دَر آمَد بَنْدَهٔ بِگْریخْتِه │ آبْرویِ خُود بِعِصْیان ریخْتِه
04.07 047 Bar dar āmad bande-ye begrīkhte │ ābrū-ye khod be-ʿeṣyān rīkhte
A runaway servant has returned to Your door, having squandered his honor through disobedience.
مَغْفِرَت دارَد اُمید اَز لُطْفِ تو │ زان‌کِه خُود فَرْمودِه‌ای «لا تَقْنَطوا»
04.08 048 Maghferat dārad omīd az loṭf-e to │ zān-ke khod farmūde-ī «lā taqnaṭū»
He hopes for forgiveness through Your kindness, for You Yourself have said: ‘Do not despair.’
بَحْرِ اَلْطافِ تو بی‌پایان بُوَد │ نااُمید اَز رَحْمَتَت شَیْطان بُوَد
04.09 049 Baḥr-e alṭāf-e to bī-pāyān bovad │ nā-omīd az raḥmat-at shayṭān bovad
The sea of Your kindness is boundless; only Satan despairs of Your mercy.
نَفْس و شَیْطان زَد، کَریما، راهِ مَن │ رَحْمَتَت باشَد شَفاعَتْ‌خواهِ مَن
04.10 050 Nafs-o shayṭān zad, Karīmā, rāh-e man │ raḥmat-at bāshad shafāʿat-khvāh-e man
O Generous One, my lower self and Satan waylaid me. Let Your mercy plead on my behalf.
چَشْم دارَم کَز گُنَهْ پاکَم کُنی │ پیش اَز آن کانْدَر جَهان خاکَم کُنی
04.11 051 Chashm dāram kaz gonah pāk-am konī │ pīsh az ān kāndar jahān khāk-am konī
I hope You will cleanse me of sin before You turn me to dust in this world.
اَنْدَر آن دَم کَز بَدَن جانَم بَری │ اَز جَهان با نورِ ایمانَم بَری
04.12 052 Andar ān dam kaz badan jān-am barī │ az jahān bā nūr-e īmān-am barī
When You take my soul from my body, take me from this world with the light of faith.
در بیان مخالفت نفس اماره
5 Resisting the Commanding Self
عاقِل آن باشَد کِه او شاکِر بُوَد │ و آن‌گَهی بَر نَفْسِ خُود قادِر بُوَد
05.01 053 ʿĀqel ān bāshad ke ū shāker bovad │ va āngahī bar nafs-e khod qāder bovad
A wise person gives thanks and then learns to master the lower self.
هَر کِه خَشْمِ خُود فُرو خورَد، ای جَوان │ باشَد او اَز رَسْتِگارانِ جَهان
05.02 054 Har ke khashm-e khod forū khorad, ey javān │ bāshad ū az rastegārān-e jahān
Young friend, whoever swallows anger is among the people who find deliverance.
آن بُوَد اَبْلَهْ‌تَرینِ مَرْدُمان │ کَز پِیِ نَفْس و هَوا باشَد دَوان
05.03 055 Ān bovad ablah-tarīn-e mardomān │ kaz pey-e nafs-o havā bāshad davān
The greatest fool is the person who keeps running after the lower self and its desires.
وان‌گَهی پِنْدارَد آن تاریک‌رای │ خواهَد آمُرْزیدَنَش آخِر خُدای
05.04 056 Vāngahī pendārad ān tārīk-rāy │ khāhad āmorzīdan-ash ākhar Khodāy
Yet that clouded mind assumes that, in the end, God will forgive him.
گَرچِه دَرْویشی بُوَد سَخْت، ای پِسَر │ هَم زِ دَرْویشی نَباشَد خوبْ‌تَر
05.05 057 Gar-che darvīshī bovad sakht, ey pesar │ ham ze darvīshī nabāshad khūb-tar
My son, though poverty is hard, nothing is better than the dervish's way of life.
هَر کِه او را نَفْسِ سَرْکَش رام شُد │ اَز خِرَدْمَنْدانِ نیکونام شُد
05.06 058 Har ke ū rā nafs-e sarkash rām shod │ az kheradmandān-e nīkū-nām shod
Whoever tames the unruly self earns a good name among the wise.
دَر رِیاضَت نَفْسِ بَد را گوشْ‌مال │ تا نَیَنْدازَد تو را اَنْدَر وَبال
05.07 059 Dar riyāżat nafs-e bad rā gūsh-māl │ tā nayandāzad to rā andar vabāl
Discipline your wayward self through practice, so it does not bring you to ruin.
هَر کِه خواهَد تا سَلامَت مانَد او │ اَز جَمیعِ خَلْق رو گَرْدانَد او
05.08 060 Har ke khāhad tā salāmat mānad ū │ az jamīʿ-e khalq rū gardānad ū
Whoever wishes to remain unharmed turns away from all other people.
مَرْدُمان را سَر بِسَر دَر خواب دان │ گَشْت بیدار آن‌کِه او رَفْت اَز جَهان
05.09 061 Mardomān rā sar-be-sar dar khāb dān │ gasht bīdār ān-ke ū raft az jahān
Know that people are asleep, every one of them; the one who leaves this world awakens.
آن‌کِه رَنْجانَد تو را، عُذْرَش پَذیر │ تا بِیابی مَغْفِرَت، بَر وَی مَگیر
05.10 062 Ān-ke ranjānad to rā, ʿozr-ash pazīr │ tā biyābī maghferat, bar vey magīr
Accept the apology of anyone who hurts you. Do not hold it against them, so that you too may find forgiveness.
حَقّ نَدارَد دوسْت خَلْق‌آزار را │ نیسْت این خِصْلَت یَکی دین‌دار را
05.11 063 Ḥaqq nadārad dūst khalq-āzār rā │ nīst īn kheṣlat yekī dīndār rā
God does not love a person who harms others; such conduct does not belong to a person of faith.
اَز سِتَم هَر کو دِلی را ریش کَرْد │ آن جَراحَت بَر وُجودِ خویش کَرْد
05.12 064 Az setam har kū delī rā rīsh kard │ ān jarāḥat bar vojūd-e khīsh kard
Whoever wounds a heart through cruelty inflicts that wound upon himself.
هَر کِه دَر بَنْدِ دِل‌آزاری بُوَد │ دَر عُقوبَت کارِ او زاری بُوَد
05.13 065 Har ke dar band-e del-āzārī bovad │ dar ʿoqūbat kār-e ū zārī bovad
Whoever is bent on hurting hearts will find only grief when punishment comes.
ای پِسَر، قَصْدِ دِل‌آزاری مَکُن │ وَز خُدایِ خویش بیزاری مَکُن
05.14 066 Ey pesar, qaṣd-e del-āzārī makon │ vaz Khodā-ye khīsh bīzārī makon
My son, do not set out to hurt another's heart or turn away from your God.
خاطِرِ کَس را مَرَنْجان، ای پِسَر │ وَرنِه خُورْدی زَخْم بَر جان، ای پِسَر
05.15 067 Khāṭer-e kas rā maranjān, ey pesar │ varne khordī zakhm bar jān, ey pesar
My son, do not hurt anyone's feelings, or you will bear the wound in your own soul.
گَر هَمی‌خواهی کِه گَرْدی مُعْتَبَر │ نامِ مَرْدُم جُز بِ نیکویی مَبَر
05.16 068 Gar hamī-khāhī ke gardī moʿtabar │ nām-e mardom joz be nīkūyī mabar
If you wish to be respected, speak of others only with kindness.
قُوَّتِ نیکی نَداری، بَد مَکُن │ بَر وُجودِ خُود سِتَمِ بی‌حَدّ مَکُن
05.17 069 Qovvat-e nīkī nadārī, bad makon │ bar vojūd-e khod setam-e bī-hadd makon
If you lack the strength to do good, at least refrain from evil; do not wrong yourself without limit.
رو، زَبان اَز غیبَتِ مَرْدُم بِبَنْد │ تا نَبینی دَسْت و پایِ خُود بِ بَنْد
05.18 070 Rū, zabān az ghībat-e mardom beband │ tā nabīnī dast-o pā-ye khod be band
Keep your tongue from speaking ill of others, so that you do not find your hands and feet in chains.
هَر کِه اَز غیبَت زَبانَش بَسْتِه نیسْت │ آن‌چُنان کَس اَز عُقوبَت رَسْتِه نیسْت
05.19 071 Har ke az ghībat zabān-ash baste nīst │ ān-chenān kas az ʿoqūbat raste nīst
One whose tongue is never restrained from backbiting has not escaped punishment.
در بیان فواید خاموشی
6 The Benefits of Silence
ای بَرادَر، گَر تو هَسْتی حَقّ‌طَلَب │ جُز بِ فَرْمانِ خُدا مَگْشای لَب
06.01 072 Ey barādar, gar to hastī ḥaqq-ṭalab │ joz be farmān-e Khodā magshāy lab
Brother, if you seek the Truth, open your lips only at God's command.
گَر خَبَر داری زِ حَیِّ لایَموت │ بَر دَهانِ خُود بِنِه مُهْرِ سُکوت
06.02 073 Gar khabar dārī ze Ḥayy-e lā-yamūt │ bar dahān-e khod beneh mohr-e sokūt
If you know the Ever-Living One who never dies, set the seal of silence upon your mouth.
ای پِسَر، پَنْد و نَصیحَت گوش کُن │ گَر نَجاتی بایَدَت، خاموش کُن
06.03 074 Ey pesar, pand-o naṣīḥat gūsh kon │ gar nejātī bāyad-at, khāmūsh kon
My son, heed this advice: if you seek deliverance, hold your tongue.
هَر کِه را گُفْتارِ بِسْیارَش بُوَد │ دِل دَرونِ سینه بیمارَش بُوَد
06.04 075 Har ke rā goftār-e besyār-ash bovad │ del darūn-e sīne bīmār-ash bovad
A person who talks too much carries a sick heart within the breast.
عاقِلان را پیشِه خاموشی بُوَد │ پیشِهٔ جاهِل فَراموشی بُوَد
06.05 076 ʿĀqelān rā pīshe khāmūshī bovad │ pīshe-ye jāhel farāmūshī bovad
Silence is the habit of the wise; forgetfulness is the habit of the ignorant.
خامُشی اَز کِذْب و غیبَت واجِب اَسْت │ اَبْلَه اَسْت آن کو بِ گُفْتَن راغِب اَسْت
06.06 077 Khāmushī az kezeb-o ghībat vājeb ast │ ablah ast ān kū be goftan rāgheb ast
One must refrain from lies and backbiting; a fool is eager to speak.
ای بَرادَر، جُز ثَنایِ حَقّ مَگو │ قَوْلِ حَقّ را اَز بَرایِ دَقّ مَگو
06.07 078 Ey barādar, joz sanā-ye Ḥaqq magū │ qowl-e ḥaqq rā az barā-ye daqq magū
Brother, speak in praise of God; do not wield a true word merely to wound someone.
هَر کِه دَر بَنْدِ عِبارَت می‌شَوَد │ هَرچِه دارَد جُمْلِه غارَت می‌شَوَد
06.08 079 Har ke dar band-e ʿebārat mī-shavad │ har-che dārad jomle ghārat mī-shavad
Whoever becomes captive to polished phrases loses all that he possesses.
دِل زِ پُرگُفْتَن بِمیرَد دَر بَدَن │ گَرچِه گُفْتارَش بُوَد دَر عَدَن
06.09 080 Del ze por-goftan bemīrad dar badan │ gar-che goftār-ash bovad dar ʿAdan
Too much talk kills the heart within the body, even if the speaker's words belonged in Eden.
وان‌کِه سَعْی اَنْدَر فَصاحَت می‌کُنَد │ چِهْرَهٔ دِل را جَراحَت می‌کُنَد
06.10 081 Vān-ke saʿy andar faṣāḥat mī-konad │ chehre-ye del rā jarāḥat mī-konad
The one who strains after eloquence wounds the very face of the heart.
رو، زَبان را دَر دَهان مَحْبوس دار │ وَز خَلایِق خویش را مَأیوس دار
06.11 082 Rū, zabān rā dar dahān maḥbūs dār │ vaz khalāyeq khīsh rā maʾyūs dār
Keep your tongue confined within your mouth, and expect nothing from other people.
هَر کِه او بَر عَیْبِ خُود بینا شَوَد │ روحِ او را قُوَّتی پَیْدا شَوَد
06.12 083 Har ke ū bar ʿeyb-e khod bīnā shavad │ rūḥ-e ū rā qovvatī peydā shavad
Whoever comes to see his own faults finds new strength in his spirit.
در بیان صفت اهل ایمان و در عمل خالص
7 Signs of Faith and Sincere Action
هَر کِه باشَد اَهْلِ ایمان، ای عَزیز │ پاک دارَد چار چیز اَز چار چیز
07.01 084 Har ke bāshad ahl-e īmān, ey ʿazīz │ pāk dārad chār chīz az chār chīz
Dear friend, a person of faith keeps four things free of four others.
اَز حَسَد اَوَّل تو دِل را پاک دار │ خویشْتَن را بَعْد اَز آن مُؤْمِن شُمار
07.02 085 Az ḥasad avval to del rā pāk dār │ khīshtan rā baʿd az ān moʾmen shomār
First cleanse your heart of envy; only then count yourself a believer.
پاک دار اَز کِذْب و اَز غیبَت زَبان │ تا کِه ایمانَت نِیُفْتَد دَر زِیان
07.03 086 Pāk dār az kezeb-o az ghībat zabān │ tā ke īmān-at nayoftad dar ziyān
Keep your tongue free of lies and backbiting so your faith suffers no loss.
پاک اَگَر داری عَمَل را اَز رِیا │ شَمْعِ ایمان تو را باشَد ضِیا
07.04 087 Pāk agar dārī ʿamal rā az riyā │ shamʿ-e īmān to rā bāshad żiyā
If your actions are free of display, the lamp of faith will shine for you.
چون شِکَم را پاک داری اَز حَرام │ مَرْدِ ایمان‌دار باشی وَالسَّلام
07.05 088 Chūn shekam rā pāk dārī az ḥarām │ mard-e īmān-dār bāshī, va-s-salām
Keep unlawful food from your stomach, and you will be a person of faith. That is the matter settled.
هَر کِه دارَد این صِفَت باشَد شَریف │ وَر نَدارَد، دارَد ایمانِ ضَعیف
07.06 089 Har ke dārad īn ṣefat bāshad sharīf │ var nadārad, dārad īmān-e żaʿīf
Whoever has these qualities is honorable; without them, a person's faith is weak.
هَر کِه باطِن اَز حَرامَش پاک نیسْت │ روحِ او را رَه سُویِ اَفْلاک نیسْت
07.07 090 Har ke bāṭen az ḥarām-ash pāk nīst │ rūḥ-e ū rā rah sū-ye aflāk nīst
When someone's inner life is tainted by what is forbidden, the soul finds no path toward the heavens.
چون نَباشَد پاک اَعْمال اَز رِیا │ اَسْت بی‌حاصِل چو نَقْشِ بورِیا
07.08 091 Chūn nabāshad pāk aʿmāl az riyā │ ast bī-ḥāṣel chū naqsh-e būriyā
When deeds are not free of show, they bear no fruit, like patterns woven into a reed mat.
هَر کِرا اَنْدَر عَمَل اِخْلاص نیسْت │ دَر جَهان اَز بَنْدِگانِ خاص نیسْت
07.09 092 Har kerā andar ʿamal ekhlāṣ nīst │ dar jahān az bandegān-e khāṣ nīst
Whoever lacks sincerity in action is not among God's devoted servants.
هَر کِه کارَش اَز بَرایِ حَقّ بُوَد │ کارِ او پِیْوَسْتِه با رَوْنَق بُوَد
07.10 093 Har ke kār-ash az barā-ye Ḥaqq bovad │ kār-e ū peyvaste bā rownaq bovad
When a person acts for God, the work retains its life and luster.
در بیان اصل ایمان
8 The Foundations of Faith
اَصْلِ ایمان هَسْت شِش چیز، ای وَحید │ با تو گویَم گَر بِ دِل خواهی شِنید
08.01 094 Aṣl-e īmān hast shesh chīz, ey vaḥīd │ bā to gūyam gar be del khāhī shenīd
Faith rests on six things, O singular one. I will tell you if you listen with your heart.
سِه اَز آن شِش با یَقین، خَوْف و رَجاسْت │ پَس تَوَکُّل با مَحَبَّت، با حَیاسْت
08.02 095 Se az ān shesh bā yaqīn, khowf-o rajāst │ pas tavakkol bā maḥabbat, bā ḥayāst
Three are certainty, reverent fear, and hope; the others are trust in God, love, and modesty.
هَر کِرا نورِ یَقین حاصِل بُوَد │ صاحِبِ ایمان و روشَنْ‌دِل بُوَد
08.03 096 Har kerā nūr-e yaqīn ḥāṣel bovad │ ṣāḥeb-e īmān-o roshan-del bovad
Whoever gains the light of certainty has faith and a heart filled with light.
هَر کِه خَوْفی نَبوَد اَنْدَر جانِ او │ ای پِسَر، باشَد ضَعیف ایمانِ او
08.04 097 Har ke khowfī nabovad andar jān-e ū │ ey pesar, bāshad żaʿīf īmān-e ū
My son, a person whose soul knows no reverent fear has weak faith.
نامِهٔ اَعْمال اَگَر نَبوَد سِپید │ رو، مَباش اَز رَحْمَتِ حَقّ نااُمید
08.05 098 Nāme-ye aʿmāl agar nabovad sepīd │ rū, mabāsh az raḥmat-e Ḥaqq nā-omīd
Even if your record of deeds is not clean, do not despair of God's mercy.
هَر کِرا نَبوَد تَوَکُّل با خُدای │ شایَدَت بَر وَی بِگْرِیی های‌های
08.06 099 Har kerā nabovad tavakkol bā Khodāy │ shāyad-at bar vey begrīyī hāy-hāy
For someone who does not place trust in God, you would be right to weep aloud.
آن‌کِه حُبِّ حَقّ نَباشَد دَر دِلَش │ اَز عَمَل جُز باد نَبوَد حاصِلَش
08.07 100 Ān-ke ḥobb-e Ḥaqq nabāshad dar del-ash │ az ʿamal joz bād nabovad ḥāṣel-ash
If love of God is absent from the heart, one's actions yield nothing but wind.
باش، ای بَنْدِه، خُدا را دوسْت دار │ تا شَوی تو اَز عَذابَش دَر کِنار
08.08 101 Bāsh, ey bande, Khodā rā dūst dār │ tā shavī to az ʿazāb-ash dar kenār
Servant of God, love Him, so that you may be spared His punishment.
ای بَرادَر، شَرْمی اَز ایمان بُوَد │ بی‌حَیا اَز زُمْرِهٔ شَیْطان بُوَد
08.09 102 Ey barādar, sharmī az īmān bovad │ bī-ḥayā az zomre-ye shayṭān bovad
Brother, modesty is part of faith; the shameless join the company of Satan.
گَر تو هَسْتی مُؤْمِن و پَرْهیزْگار │ اَز خُدای و اَز خَلایِق شَرْم دار
08.10 103 Gar to hastī moʾmen-o parhīzgār │ az Khodāy-o az khalāyeq sharm dār
If you are a believer who guards against wrongdoing, show modesty before God and before people.
Brief reading notes
1.04–1.10 The opening alludes to Abraham, Lot, the people of ʿĀd, the sign of the she-camel, David, Solomon, the patient Job, and Jonah. Proper names are supplied in the English only when the allusion is clear from the wording.
2.04–2.07 The poem honors Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, and ʿAlī. The cave companion is Abū Bakr; the “gate to the city of knowledge” refers to ʿAlī.
3.04–3.05 Abū Yūsuf and Muḥammad are named among the associates of Abū Ḥanīfa. The line about al-Shāfiʿī names Idrīs, his father, along with Mālik and Zufar.
4.04, 4.08 The reference to being seized by the forelocks is a shortened scriptural allusion. Lā taqnaṭū means “Do not despair.” The Persian line introduces it as divine speech.
5.09 The poem says that people sleep until death awakens them. This volume does not attach an unverified prophetic attribution to that saying.
8.01 Vaḥīd may be read as an address meaning “singular one”; the translation keeps the address without assigning a personal name.
Next volume begins with Section 9, On the Conduct of Kings, at global couplet 104.
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