Number 23

RubāʿīIraqi style
English

Number 23

Whoever knew both the heights of joy and the depths of sorrow sold away his whole existence for a single sip of wine. Like the narcissus flower, the one who truly sees makes a place for that intoxication in his own eyes.
Explanation: The narcissus is a classic Persian symbol for the eye, so the wise seer 'holds' the wine's intoxication within his own vision.

Original · Persian

شمارهٔ ۲۳

هر کو بشناخت مستی و پستی را بفروخت بیک جرعۀ می هستی را
مانندۀ نرگس آنکه صاحب نظرست بر دیدۀ خود جای کند مستی را