Saadi: Golestan 1.11 (From Persian)

From the Golestan: Chapter 1, Story 11
By Sa'di
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

A dervish whose prayers never fail showed up in Baghdad. When the tyrant Al-Hajjaj caught wind of this,  he sent for the dervish and told him "pray for me."

The dervish began "O God take this man's life" 

"For God's sake" said Al-Hajjaj "what kind of prayer is that?"

The dervish replied "well, sire, it's a prayer for your own good. For everybody's good, really."

You with the upper hand
Who torment underlings,
How long do you suppose
You'll get your run of things? 
What is the point of you,
Your worldly sovereignty?
Better to put you out
Of people's misery.

Audio of me reciting the text in Persian


The Original:

درویشی مستجاب الدعوة در بغداد پدید آمد حجاج یوسف را خبر کردند بخواندش و گفت دعای خیری بر من کن.گفت خدایا جانش بستان. گفت از بهر خدای این چه دعاست. گفت این دعای خیرست ترا و جمله مسلمانان را

ای زبردست زیر دست آزار
گرم تا کی بماند این بازار
به چه کار آیدت جهانداری
مردنت به که مردم آزاری

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