Reading: Rudaki, “The cheerful spring came” (آمد بهار خرم), “Ju-ye Mulyan’s scent” (بوی جوی مولیان)
Listening: In this short video lecture, Rashid Kakavand, a scholar, lecturer and expert on Persian literature and poetry, discusses the life and the works of Rudaki, widely regarded as the “Father of Persian poetry”.
Subject of Conversation: The origins of the Persian literature (آغاز ادبیات فارسی)
Each student will be given the opportunity to present her/his ideas on the origins of the Persian literature. The students will be encouraged to discuss their personal views as to which circumstances created the ground for the rise of the Persian literature. Original ideas as well as the correct and abundant use of the Persian words and expressions will be taken into account while assessing the success of each student.
Homework:
- Do the reading assignment at home and prepare the vocabulary.
- Please watch the video lecture and try to answer the following questions: a. What role did Rudaki play in the formation of Persian poetry? b. What is the story behind Rudaki composing the qasideh “Bu-ye ju-ye Mulyan”?
- Prepare for the next day’s discussion.
Vocabulary (Poem 1):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| طیب | tayib | fragrance |
| نزهت | nozhat | joy, delight |
| شاید (< شایستن) | šāyad | it is fitting; it is possible |
| بدین | bedin | this, at this |
| گه (= گاه) | gah (= gāh) | time, moment |
| گیتی | giti | world, universe |
| بدیل یافتن | badil yāftan | turn into |
| شباب | šabāb | youth |
| از پی | az pey-e | after, following |
| مشیب | mašib | old |
| چرخ | čarx | sky |
| بزرگوار | bozorgvār | great |
| تیره | tire | black, dark |
| صبا | sabā | breeze, zephyr |
| نقیب | naqib | leader |
| نفاط | naffāt | fire-thrower |
| تندر | tondar | thunder |
| خیل | xeyl | a large group (of people) |
| مهیب | mohib | frightening, terrifying |
| گرید (< گریستن) | geryad | is weeping |
| کئیب | ka’ib | sorrowful |
| دمد (< دمیدن) | damad (< damidan) | appears |
| حصاری | hesāri | prisoner |
| رقیب | raqib | warden (here); Modern P. competitor |
| یک چند روزگار | yek-čand ruzegār | for some period of time |
| دردمند | dardmand | full of pain |
| به | beh | well |
| مشکبوی (مشک + بوی) | moškbuy | musc-scented |
| نو به نو | now be now | again and again (lit. new to new) |
| حله | holé | robe, dress |
| قشیب | qašib | new |
| جویک | juyak | small canal, rivulet |
| قضیب | qazib | whip |
| کشت | kešt | meadow |
| حنا | hanā | henna (a dye) |
| خضیب | xazib | imbued, coloured |
| شاخسار | šāxsār | full of branches; abounding in trees; a garden |
| مجیب شدن | mojib šode | to answer |
| صلصل | solsol | a bird (common cuckoo, Lat. Cuculus canorus) |
| به … بر بودن | be … bar budan | sit on something |
| خواجه | xāje | lord, master |
| مهتر | mehtar | prince |
| حسیب | hasib | honorable, venerable |
| باده | bāde | wine |
| نصیب | nasib | fate, fortune; share |
| ساقی | sāqi | cupbearer; the person who serves the wine |
| می | mey | wine |
| ریژ | riž | desire |
| فر و زیب | farr o zib | glory and beauty |
Vocabulary (Poem 2):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| بوی | buy | scent |
| جوی | ǰuy | rivulet, stream |
| ریگ | rig | sand |
| پرنیان | parniyān | silk |
| جیحون | ǰeyhun | Amu Darya, Oxus |
| نشاط | nešāt | cheerfulness, vitality |
| خنگ | xeng | white (horse) |
| دیر زی! | dir zi | Live long! |
| میر | mir | prince |
| زی | zi | to, toward |
| شادمان | šādemān | happy |
| بوستان | bustān | garden |
| مدح | madh | panegyric |