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 طلب3655
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 شوم3660
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 شاخسار3665
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—
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).
تو به صورت رفتهای ای بیخبر ** ز آن ز شاخ معنیی بیبار و بر3670
Thou hast gone after the form, O ignorant man: hence thou art without fruit and produce from the bough of reality.
گه درختش نام شد گه آفتاب ** گاه بحرش نام گشت و گه سحاب
Sometimes it is named ‘tree,’ sometimes ‘sun’; sometimes it is named ‘sea,’ sometimes ‘cloud.’
آن یکی کش صد هزار آثار خاست ** کمترین آثار او عمر بقاست
(It is) that one (thing) from which a hundred thousand effects arise: its least effects are everlasting life.
گر چه فرد است او اثر دارد هزار ** این یکی را نام شاید بیشمار
Although (in essence) it is single, it hath a thousand effects: innumerable names befit (may be properly applied to) that one (thing).
آن یکی شخص ترا باشد پدر ** در حق شخصی دگر باشد پسر
One person may be father in relation to thee; in regard to another individual he may be son.
در حق دیگر بود قهر و عدو ** در حق دیگر بود لطف و نکو3675
In regard to another he may be wrath and a foe; in regard to another he may be graciousness and a friend.
صد هزاران نام و او یک آدمی ** صاحب هر وصفش از وصفی عمی
(He hath) hundreds of thousands of names, (but) he is one man: the owner of every quality belonging to him is blind to (incapable of) giving any (true) description (of him).
هر که جوید نام اگر صاحب ثقه است ** همچو تو نومید و اندر تفرقه است
Whoever seeks the (mere) name, if he is entrusted (with a confidential mission) he is hopeless and in distraction, even as thou art.
تو چه بر چفسی بر این نام درخت ** تا بمانی تلخ کام و شور بخت
Why dost thou stick to the name ‘tree,’ so that thou art left bitterly disappointed and ill-fortuned?