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2
3644-3668

  • قاصدی دانا ز دیوان ادب ** سوی هندستان روان کرد از طلب‏
  • From the Divan of culture he sent an intelligent envoy to India in search (of it).

  • سالها می‏گشت آن قاصد از او ** گرد هندستان برای جستجو 3645
  • For (many) years his envoy wandered about India in quest (of the tree).

  • شهر شهر از بهر این مطلوب گشت ** نه جزیره ماند و نه کوه و نه دشت‏
  • He roamed from town to town for this object: neither island nor mountain nor plain was left (unvisited).

  • هر که را پرسید کردش ریشخند ** کاین که جوید جز مگر مجنون بند
  • Every one whom he asked made a mock of him, saying, “Who would search after this, unless perhaps a madman in confinement?”

  • بس کسان صفعش زدند اندر مزاح ** بس کسان گفتند ای صاحب فلاح‏
  • Many slapped him jocosely; many said, “O fortunate man,

  • جستجوی چون تو زیرک سینه صاف ** کی تهی باشد کجا باشد گزاف‏
  • How should the enquiry of a clever and clear-minded person like you be devoid (of result)? How should it be vain?”

  • وین مراعاتش یکی صفعی دگر ** وین ز صفع آشکارا سخت‏تر 3650
  • And this (ironical) respect was to him another slap, and it was harder (to bear) than the visible slap.

  • می‏ستودندش به تسخر کای بزرگ ** در فلان اقلیم بس هول و سترگ‏
  • They extolled him sarcastically, saying, “O great sir, in such and such a very tremendous and huge country,

  • در فلان بیشه درختی هست سبز ** بس بلند و پهن و هر شاخیش گبز
  • In such and such a forest there is a green tree, very tall and broad, and every branch of it is big.”

  • قاصد شه بسته در جستن کمر ** می‏شنید از هر کسی نوعی خبر
  • The king's envoy, who had braced his belt for the quest, was hearing a different kind of report from every one;

  • بس سیاحت کرد آن جا سالها ** می‏فرستادش شهنشه مالها
  • There for years he travelled much, (whilst) the king kept sending money to him.

  • چون بسی دید اندر آن غربت تعب ** عاجز آمد آخر الامر از طلب‏ 3655
  • After he had suffered much fatigue in that foreign land, at last he became too exhausted to seek (any longer).

  • هیچ از مقصود اثر پیدا نشد ** ز آن غرض غیر خبر پیدا نشد
  • No trace of the object of pursuit was discovered: of what he wanted nothing appeared but the report.

  • رشته‏ی امید او بگسسته شد ** جسته‏ی او عاقبت ناجسته شد
  • The thread of his hope snapped, the thing he had sought became unsought in the end.

  • کرد عزم باز گشتن سوی شاه ** اشک می‏بارید و می‏برید راه‏
  • He resolved to return to the king, (and set out) shedding tears and traversing the way.

  • شرح کردن شیخ سر آن درخت را با آن طالب مقلد
  • How the Shaykh explained the hidden meaning of the tree to the seeker who was in the bondage of formalism.

  • بود شیخی عالمی قطبی کریم ** اندر آن منزل که آیس شد ندیم‏
  • There was a wise Shaykh, a noble Qutb, at the halting-place where the king's intimate fell into despair.

  • 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,

  • 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.”

  • 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.

  • 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.”

  • 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?”

  • گفت شاهنشاه کردم اختیار ** از برای جستن یک شاخسار 3665
  • He answered, “The Emperor chose me out to seek a certain branching tree,

  • 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.

  • 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.”

  • 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—