Quatrain 34 from Rubaiyat of Saadi Shirazi
دستارچهای کان بت دلبر داردگر بویی ازان باد صبا بردارد
بر مردهٔ صد ساله اگر برگذرددر حال ز خاک تیره سر بردارد
Description:
English Translation:
A turban that has touched my beloved's idol,
If but a breeze carries its scent,
Even if it passes over a hundred-year-old corpse,
It will raise the dead from the dark earth.
Analysis:
This quatrain by Saadi Shirazi is a passionate expression of love and devotion. The speaker is so captivated by their beloved that even an object that has come into contact with them, like a turban, holds immense power and can evoke strong emotions.
Line 1: دستارچهای کان بت دلبر دارد
"A turban that has touched my beloved's idol,"
The turban is described as having been in contact with an "idol," a term used to express the beloved's divine qualities in the speaker's eyes.
Line 2: گر بویی ازان باد صبا بردارد
"If but a breeze carries its scent,"
The speaker suggests that even a faint scent carried by the wind from the turban is enough to evoke strong emotions.
Line 3: بر مردهٔ صد ساله اگر برگذرد
"Even if it passes over a hundred-year-old corpse,"
This line emphasizes the powerful impact of the scent. The speaker suggests that the scent could even revive a dead person.
Line 4: در حال ز خاک تیره سر بردارد
"It will raise the dead from the dark earth."
This line further emphasizes the magical and almost divine qualities attributed to the scent of the beloved's belongings.
Themes explored in the quatrain:
Love and devotion: The speaker's intense love for their beloved is evident in their description of the turban as having almost miraculous powers.
The power of the beloved: The beloved is depicted as having a divine quality that can affect even inanimate objects.
The metaphorical use of scent: The scent of the turban is used as a metaphor for the powerful and enduring nature of love.