Hekayat 19 from Golestan of Saadi
English Translation for Hekayat
It is said that Nushirvan the Just was once hunting and they roasted some game, but there was no salt. A servant went to the village to fetch some. Nushirvan said, “Buy the salt at its price so that it does not become customary to take it for free and ruin the village.” They said, “What harm can come from this small amount?” He replied, “The foundation of oppression in the world was initially small; whoever came added to it until it reached its current extent.”
If the king eats an apple from the garden of a subject, His servants will uproot the entire tree.
If the king allows himself five eggs of oppression, His soldiers will skewer a thousand chickens.
متن حکایت
آورده‌اند که نوشین‌روانِ عادل را در شکارگاهی صَید کباب کردند و نمک نبود. غلامی به روستا رفت تا نمک آرد. نوشیروان گفت: نمک به قیمت بستان تا رسمی نشود و ده خراب نگردد. گفتند: از این قدر چه خَلَل آید؟ گفت: بنیادِ ظلم در جهان اوّل اندکی بوده‌است هرکه آمد بر او مَزیدی کرده تا بدین غایت رسیده.
اگر ز باغِ رعیّت مَلِک خورد سیبی
بر آورند غلامانِ او درخت از بیخ
به پنج بیضه که سلطان ستم روا دارد
زنند لشکریانش هزار مرغ به سیخ
