I once observed an ascetic so consumed by the love of a certain youth that he had neither the strength to endure his absence nor the power to speak in his presence. Despite the torrent of blame poured upon him and the threats of punishment he faced, he refused to abandon his devotion. He would say:
I shall not let go of your mantle’s hem, Though you strike me with a blade of keenest edge.
Beyond you, I have no shelter and no refuge; Though you flee from me, I shall follow in your path.
Once, I rebuked him and said: “What has become of your precious intellect, that it should be conquered by such a lowly obsession?”
He drifted into deep thought for a moment and then replied:
“When the Sultan of Passion arrives, no room remains for the strength of Piety.”
What does the benefit of pure robe for a man, When his body till the neck falls into the mire?
***
1. “The Mantle’s Hem” (ذيل الثياب) In Arabic text, we noted that Saadi used the phrase “I won’t leave the tail of your clothes.” In English poetic tradition, this is translated as “the mantle’s hem.”. It is a powerful image of total surrender. It suggests that even if the beloved is walking away, the lover is on the ground, holding on to the very edge of their garment.
2. The Metaphor of the Sultan Note how Saadi uses the word “Sultan” (السلطان) to describe Passion. This isn’t accidental. A Sultan has absolute authority. Just as a common citizen cannot argue with a King’s decree, the “Reason” or “Mind” of a person cannot argue when Love takes the throne.
3. The “Muddy Robe” (ثوب في الوحل) This is the “cherry on top” of the story. The ascetic is asking: “If a man is walking through a swamp and falls, do you blame the man or the mud?” He is arguing that love is an accident of destiny. Once the “pure robe” of his reputation is stained, there is no point in pretending he is still a clean ascetic. He has accepted his fate.
4. A Parallel from Arabic Literature This mirrors the famous sentiment often attributed to Majnun Layla, who was constantly blamed for his madness. He would respond that blame is like wind—it only makes the fire of love burn hotter. As the Arabic proverb says:
“ليس على المُحِبِّ مَلامَة”
(There is no blame upon the one who loves.)
Arabic Translation
رأيتُ (سعدي رأى) زاهداً قد طغى عليه مَحَبةُ شَخصٍ، لا قوة له للصبر على فراقهِ، ولا قدرة على الكلامِ إذا غاب عنه، مهما رأى من اللومِ (سمع لوماً/ تم توبيخه) وفرضت عليه غرامةٍ كعقوبة له، لم يترك حالته التي فيها من المحبةِ لذلكَ الشخصِ، حيث قال
لن أتخلى عنكَ (وعن محبتكَ)/ سعدي أستخدم (لن أترك ذيل ثيابكَ)
ولو ضَربتني بسيفٍ حادٍ
بَعدكَ، لا ملاذ لي ولا ملجأ
حتى لو هربتَ، أتبعكَ
مَرةً، وَبختهُ (سعدي وبخَ الزاهد) وقُلتُ لهُ: ماذا جرى لعقلكَ النفيس، حتى غَلب عليه الفكرُ الخَسيس؟
ذهب بتفكيرهِ بعيداً للحظةٍ وقال
متى ما جاء سلطانُ الهوى، لن يبقى
مكانٌ لقوةِ و رجاحةِ التقوى
ما فائدة طهارة الثوبِ لزَيدٍ من الناسِ
وهو غارقٌ حتى عنقهِ في الوحلِ؟
Persian text
پارسایی را دیدم به محبّتِ شخصی گرفتار، نه طاقتِ صبر و نه یارایِ گفتار، چندان که ملامت دیدی و غَرامت کشیدی، ترکِ تَصابی نگفتی و گفتی:
کوته نکنم ز دامنت دست
ور خود بزنی به تیغِ تیزم
بعد از تو مَلاذ و مَلْجَائی نیست
هم در تو گریزم، ار گریزم
باری، ملامتش کردم و گفتم: عقلِ نفیست را چه شد تا نفسِ خسیس غالب آمد؟ زمانی به فکرت فرو رفت و گفت
هر کجا سلطانِ عشق آمد، نماند
قوّتِ بازویِ تقویٰ را محل
پاکدامن چون زِیَد بیچارهای
اوفتاده تا گریبان در وَحَل؟
