داستان ذوق امر و چاشنیش ** بشنو اکنون در بیان معنویش
Now hearken to the tale of the savour and relish of (obeying) the (Divine) command (as related) in the (following) spiritual exposition thereof.”
دادن شاه گوهر را میان دیوان و مجمع به دست وزیر کی این چند ارزد و مبالغه کردن وزیر در قیمت او و فرمودن شاه او را کی اکنون این را بشکن و گفت وزیر کی این را چون بشکنم الی آخر القصه
How the King (Mahmud), in the midst of (the company present in) the Diwán and assembly-place, put a pearl in the hand of the Vizier and asked him what it was worth; and how the Vizier gave an extremely high estimate of its value; and when the King commanded hi to break it, answered, “How should I break it?” and so forth.
شاه روزی جانب دیوان شتافت ** جمله ارکان را در آن دیوان بیافت 4035
One day the King hastened to the Diwán: in the Diwán he found all the courtiers (assembled).
گوهری بیرون کشید او مستنیر ** پس نهادش زود در کف وزیر
He produced a radiant pearl and immediately put it in the palm of the Vizier.
گفت چونست و چه ارزد این گهر ** گفت به ارزد ز صد خروار زر
“How about this pearl?” he asked, “and what is it worth?” He replied, “ is worth more than a hundred ass-loads of gold.”
He said, “Break it!” “How should I break it?” he replied: “I am a well-wisher to thy treasury and riches.
چون روا دارم که مثل این گهر ** که نیاید در بها گردد هدر
How should I deem it allowable that a priceless pearl like this should go to waste?”
گفت شاباش و بدادش خلعتی ** گوهر از وی بستد آن شاه و فتی 4040
“Well said!” exclaimed the King and presented him with a dress of honour; the generous King took the pearl from him,
کرد ایثار وزیر آن شاه جود ** هر لباس و حله کو پوشیده بود
(But) the munificent monarch bestowed on the Vizier every garment and robe that he wore.
ساعتیشان کرد مشغول سخن ** از قضیه تازه و راز کهن
For a while he engaged them (the courtiers) in conversation concerning new event and old mystery.
بعد از آن دادش به دست حاجبی ** که چه ارزد این به پیش طالبی
Afterwards he put it (the pearl) into the hand of a chamberlain, saying, "What is it worth to a would-be purchaser?"
گفت ارزد این به نیمه‌ی مملکت ** کش نگهدارا خدا از مهلکت
He replied, “It is worth half a kingdom: may God preserve it from destruction!”
گفت بشکن گفت ای خورشیدتیغ ** بس دریغست این شکستن را دریغ 4045
“Break it,” said he. “O thou whose sword is like the sun he replied, “alas, ‘tis a great pity to break it.
قیمتش بگذار بین تاب و لمع ** که شدست این نور روز او را تبع
Let alone its value, mark its splendour and brilliancies: this (shining) daylight has become second to it.
دست کی جنبد مرا در کسر او ** که خزینه‌ی شاه را باشم عدو
How should my hand make a movement to break it? How should I be an enemy to the King’s treasure-house?”
شاه خلعت داد ادرارش فزود ** پس دهان در مدح عقل او گشود
The King gave him a robe of honour and increased his stipend, and then opened his mouth in praise of his (the chamberlain’s) intelligence;
بعد یک ساعت به دست میر داد ** در را آن امتحان کن باز داد
After a short time he who was making the trial again handed the pearl to the Minister of Justice (Mir-i dád).
او همین گفت و همه میران همین ** هر یکی را خلعتی داد او ثمین 4050
He said the same, and all the (other) Amirs said the same: he (the King) bestowed a costly robe of honour on every one (of them). .
جامگیهاشان همی‌افزود شاه ** آن خسیسان را ببرد از ره به جاه
The King was raising their salaries, (but in truth) he brought those base wretches from the Way (of salvation) to the pit (of perdition).
این چنین گفتند پنجه شصت امیر ** جمله یک یک هم به تقلید وزیر
All the fifty or sixty Amirs, one by one, spoke like this in imitation of the Vizier.
گرچه تقلدست استون جهان ** هست رسوا هر مقلد ز امتحان
Though imitation is the pillar of the (present) world, (yet) every imitator is disgraced on being put to the trial.
رسیدن گوهر از دست به دست آخر دور به ایاز و کیاست ایاز و مقلد ناشدن او ایشان را و مغرور ناشدن او به گال و مال دادن شاه و خلعتها و جامگیها افزون کردن و مدح عقل مخطان کردن به مکر و امتحان که کی روا باشد مقلد را مسلمان داشتن مسلمان باشد اما نادر باشد کی مقلد ازین امتحانها به سلامت بیرون آید کی ثبات بینایان ندارد الا من عصم الله زیرا حق یکیست و آن را ضد بسیار غلط‌افکن و مشابه حق مقلد چون آن ضد را نشناسد از آن رو حق را نشناخته باشد اما حق با آن ناشناخت او چو او را به عنایت نگاه دارد آن ناشناخت او را زیان ندارد
How the pearl, (passing) from hand to hand, came round at last to Ayáz; and (concerning) the sagacity of Ayáz, and how he did not act in conformity with them and was not beguiled by the King’s giving them goods and riches and increasing their robes of honour and salaries and praising the intelligence of those erring men; for one ought not to regard the imitator as a Moslem: he may be a Moslem, but it rarely happens that he holds fast to his faith and comes off safely from the trials (to which he is exposed)—for he lacks the steadfastness of the clairvoyant——except (in the case of) those whom God preserves; because the Truth is one, and its contrary is very deceptive and like unto it (in appearance). Since the imitator does not know the contrary (so as to distinguish it from the Truth), on that account he cannot have known the Truth; but when, notwithstanding his ignorance, God preserves him by favour, that ignorance does him no harm.
ای ایاز اکنون نگویی کین گهر ** چند می‌ارزد بدین تاب و هنر
“Now, O Ayáz, wilt not thou say how much a pearl of this splendour and excellence is worth?”
گفت افزون زانچ تانم گفت من ** گفت اکنون زود خردش در شکن 4055
He replied, “More than I am able to say.” He (the King) said, “Now break it immediately into small fragments.”
سنگها در آستین بودش شتاب ** خرد کردش پیش او بود آن صواب
He (Ayáz)’had (two) stones in his sleeve: he quickly reduced it to dust, (for) that seemed to him the right course.
یا به خواب این دیده بود آن پر صفا ** کرده بود اندر بغل دو سنگ را
Or (perhaps) that entirely sincere man had dreamed of this and put the two stones under his arm,
هم‌چو یوسف که درون قعر چاه ** کشف شد پایان کارش از اله
Like Joseph to whom at the bottom of the well his ultimate fortunes was revealed by God.