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گفت من نومید پیش او روم ** ز آستان او به راه اندر شوم 3660
- He (the envoy) said, “Being without hope, I will go to him, and set out on the road (again) from his threshold,
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تا دعای او بود همراه من ** چون که نومیدم من از دل خواه من
- In order that his prayer (blessing) may accompany me, since I have no hope of (winning) my heart's desire.”
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رفت پیش شیخ با چشم پر آب ** اشک میبارید مانند سحاب
- With tearful eyes he went to the Shaykh: he was raining tears, like a cloud.
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گفت شیخا وقت رحم و رقت است ** ناامیدم وقت لطف این ساعت است
- “O Shaykh,” he cried, “it is the time for mercy and pity; I am in despair: now is the time for kindness.”
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گفت وا گو کز چه نومیدیستت ** چیست مطلوب تو رو با چیستت
- He (the Shaykh) said, “Say plainly what is the cause of thy despair: what is thy object? what hast thou in view?”
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گفت شاهنشاه کردم اختیار ** از برای جستن یک شاخسار 3665
- He answered, “The Emperor chose me out to seek a certain branching tree,
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که درختی هست نادر در جهات ** میوهی او مایهی آب حیات
- For there is a tree, unique in (all) the quarters (of the world): its fruit is (of) the substance of the Water of Life.
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سالها جستم ندیدم یک نشان ** جز که طنز و تسخر این سر خوشان
- I have sought (it) for years and seen no sign (of it) except the gibes and ridicule of these merry men.”
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شیخ خندید و بگفتش ای سلیم ** این درخت علم باشد در علیم
- The Shaykh laughed and said to him, “O simpleton, this is the tree of knowledge in the sage—
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بس بلند و بس شگرف و بس بسیط ** آب حیوانی ز دریای محیط
- Very high and very grand and very far-spreading: (it is) a Water of Life from the all-encompassing Sea (of God).