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?
در گذر از نام و بنگر در صفات ** تا صفاتت ره نماید سوی ذات
Pass on from the name and look at the attributes, in order that the attributes may show thee the way to the essence.”
اختلاف خلق از نام اوفتاد ** چون به معنی رفت آرام اوفتاد3680
The disagreement of mankind is caused by names: peace ensues when they advance to the reality (denoted by the name).
منازعت چهار کس جهت انگور که هر یکی به نام دیگر فهم کرده بود آن را
How four persons quarrelled about grapes, which were known to each of them by a different name.
چار کس را داد مردی یک درم ** آن یکی گفت این به انگوری دهم
A certain man gave a dirhem to four persons: one of them (a Persian) said, “I will spend this on angúr.”
آن یکی دیگر عرب بد گفت لا ** من عنب خواهم نه انگور ای دغا
The second one was an Arab: he said, “No, I want ‘inab, not angúr, O rascal!”
آن یکی ترکی بدو گفت ای گزم ** من نمیخواهم عنب خواهم ازم
The third was a Turk; and he said, “This (money) is mine: I don't want ‘inab, I want uzum.”
آن یکی رومی بگفت این قیل را ** ترک کن خواهیم استافیل را
The fourth, a Greek, said, “Stop this talk: I want istáfíl.”
در تنازع آن نفر جنگی شدند ** که ز سر نامها غافل بدند3685
These people began fighting in contention with one another, because they were unaware of the hidden meaning of the names.