جام زهر
Persian
Etymology
Referencing a 1988 speech by Ruhollah Khomeini regarding Iran's agreement that year to end the Iran–Iraq War, having made no gains despite extensive casualties:
- و بدا به حال من که هنوز ماندهام و جام زهرآلود قبول قطعنامه را سر کشیدهام، و در برابر عظمت و فداکاری این ملت بزرگ احساس شرمساری میکنم […]
- va badâ be hâl-e man ke hanuz mânde-am va jâm-e zahrâlud-e qabul-e qat'nâme râ sar kešide-am, va dar barâbar-e 'azamat o fedâkâri-ye in mellat-e bozorg ehsâs-e šarmsâri mi-konam […]
- And woe to me that I am still alive and have quaffed the poison-filled chalice of accepting the resolution, and I feel shame facing the grandeur and the sacrifices of this great nation […]
Pronunciation
- (Iranian Persian) IPA(key): /d͡ʒɒːme zæhɾ/
Noun
جامِ زَهر • (jâm-e zahr)
- (Iran, politics) "poisoned chalice"; difficult decision which goes against one's beliefs or ideology, but must be made nonetheless