Hekayat 36 from Golestan of Saadi
English Translation for Hekayat
Two brothers, one served the Sultan, and the other earned his bread by the strength of his arm.
One day, the wealthy brother said to the dervish, “Why don’t you serve the Sultan to escape the hardship of labor?”
The dervish replied, “Why don’t you work to escape the humiliation of service? The wise have said: It is better to eat your own bread and sit than to wear a golden sword in service.”
To knead dough with burning hands
Is better than placing hands on the chest before an emir
The precious life was spent in this
Wondering what to eat in summer and what to wear in winter
O foolish stomach, be content with a piece of bread
So you do not have to bow in service.
متن حکایت
دو برادر یکی خدمت سلطان کردی و دیگر به زورِ بازو نان خوردی.
باری، این توانگر گفت درویش را که: چرا خدمت نکنی تا از مشقّتِ کار کردن برهی؟
گفت: تو چرا کار نکنی تا از مَذَلَّتِ خدمت رهایی یابی؟ که خردمندان گفته‌اند: نانِ خود خوردن و نشستن به که کمرشمشیرِ زرّین به‌خدمت بستن.
به دست آهک تفته کردن خمیر
به از دست بر سینه پیشِ امیر
عمرِ گرانمایه در این صرف شد
تا چه خورم صَیْف و چه پوشم شِتا
ای شکم خیره به نانی بساز
تا نکنی پشت به خدمت دو تا
