Majicman Notes

گلی خوشبوی در حمام روزی

رسید از دست محبوبی به دستم

بدو گفتم که مشکی یا عبیری

که از بوی دلاویز تو مستم؟

بگفتا من گلی ناچیز بودم

ولیکن مدّتی با گُل نشستم

کمال همنشین در من اثر کرد

وگرنه من همان خاکم که هستم

سعدی

In public bath house, one day,

A friend handed me some scented shampooing clay,

I asked it. “Art though musk or ambergris?”

As I am intoxicated by the charming scent of thee. 

It replied, “ I was just some worthless clay,

But for a while in the society of roses I lay. 

The perfection of my company had an effect on me,

Otherwise, the same piece of dust that I am would be.”

Saadi 

Translated by Abdolmahmoud Rezvani