رقعه‌ای شکلش چنین رنگش چنین ** بس بخوان آن را به خلوت ای حزین
It is a scroll of such a shape and such a colour: then (as soon as possible) read it in privacy, O sorrowful one.
چون بدزدی آن ز وراق ای پسر ** پس برون رو ز انبهی و شور و شر
When you steal it from the stationer, my lad, then go out of the crowd and the noise and turmoil,
تو بخوان آن را به خود در خلوتی ** هین مجو در خواندن آن شرکتی
And read it by yourself in some lonely place: beware, do not seek any partnership in reading it.
ور شود آن فاش هم غمگین مشو ** که نیابد غیر تو زان نیم جو
But even if it (the secret) be divulged, do not be anxious, for none but you will get (so much as) half a barley-corn thereof.
ور کشد آن دیر هان زنهار تو ** ورد خود کن دم به دم لاتقنطوا 1915
And if it (the affair) be long drawn out, beware and take heed! Make (the text) do not ye despair your litany at every moment.”
این بگفت و دست خود آن مژده‌ور ** بر دل او زد که رو زحمت ببر
The (heavenly) announcer of the good news said this and put his hand on his (the fakir's) heart, saying, “Go, endure the toil.”
چون به خویش آمد ز غیبت آن جوان ** می‌نگنجید از فرح اندر جهان
When the youth came back to himself after the absence, on account of his joy he could not be contained in the world.
زهره‌ی او بر دریدی از قلق ** گر نبودی رفق و حفظ و لطف حق
Had it not been for the tender care and protection and favour of God, his gallbladder would have burst from agitation.
یک فرح آن کز پس شصد حجاب ** گوش او بشنید از حضرت جواب
One (cause of) joy was this, that after (having passed through) six hundred veils his ear had heard the answer (to his prayer) from the (Divine) Presence.
از حجب چون حس سمعش در گذشت ** شد سرافراز و ز گردون بر گذشت 1920
When his auditory sense had pierced through the veils, he raised his head aloft and passed beyond the skies,
که بود کان حس چشمش ز اعتبار ** زان حجاب غیب هم یابد گذار
(Thinking) that maybe, by taking the lesson to heart, his sense of sight would also find a passage through the veil of the Unseen,
چون گذاره شد حواسش از حجاب ** پس پیاپی گرددش دید و خطاب
And that when (both) his senses had passed through the veil, his vision and allocution (from God) would then be continuous.
جانب دکان وراق آمد او ** دست می‌برد او به مشقش سو به سو
(So) he came to the stationer's shop and (for some time) was laying his hand here and there on his (the stationer's) models for writing.
پیش چشمش آمد آن مکتوب زود ** با علاماتی که هاتف گفته بود
Suddenly that piece of script, with the distinctive marks which the heavenly voice had mentioned, caught his eye.
در بغل زد گفت خواجه خیر باد ** این زمان وا می‌رسم ای اوستاد 1925
He slipped it under his arm and said, “Good-bye, Khwája: I will come back presently, O master.”
رفت کنج خلوتی و آن را بخواند ** وز تحیر واله و حیران بماند
He went into a solitary nook and read it and remained lost in bewilderment and amazement,
که بدین سان گنج‌نامه‌ی بی‌بها ** چون فتاده ماند اندر مشقها
(Wondering) how a priceless treasure-scroll of this sort had fallen and been left among the (stationer's) papers.
باز اندر خاطرش این فکر جست ** کز پی هر چیز یزدان حافظست
(Then) again the thought darted into his mind, that God is the guardian for everything,
کی گذارد حافظ اندر اکتناف ** که کسی چیزی رباید از گزاف
(And) how should the Guardian, in (His) circumspection, let any one recklessly carry off anything?
گر بیابان پر شود زر و نقود ** بی رضای حق جوی نتوان ربود 1930
Though the desert be filled with gold and (silver) money, not a single mite can be taken away without God's approval;
ور بخوانی صد صحف بی سکته‌ای ** بی قدر یادت نماند نکته‌ای
And though you read a hundred volumes without a pause, you will not remember a single point (of argument) without the Divine decree;
ور کنی خدمت نخوانی یک کتاب ** علمهای نادره یابی ز جیب
But if you serve God and do not read a single book, you will learn rare sciences from your (own) bosom.
شد ز جیب آن کف موسی ضو فشان ** کان فزون آمد ز ماه آسمان
The hand of Moses was spreading from his bosom a radiance that surpassed the moon in the sky,
کانک می‌جستی ز چرخ با نهیب ** سر بر آوردستت ای موسی ز جیب
Saying (implicitly), “That which thou wert seeking from the terrible celestial sphere hath uprisen, O Moses, from thy own bosom,
تا بدانی که آسمانهای سمی ** هست عکس مدرکات آدمی 1935
In order that thou mayst know that the lofty heavens are the reflexion of the perceptive (rational) faculties of Man.”
نی که اول دست برد آن مجید ** از دو عالم پیشتر عقل آفرید
Is it not (the case) that the hand of the Glorious God created Reason first (of all), before (the creation of) the two worlds?
این سخن پیدا و پنهانست بس ** که نباشد محرم عنقا مگس
This discourse is clear (to some) and exceedingly recondite (to others), for the fly is not intimate with the ‘Anqá.
باز سوی قصه باز آ ای پسر ** قصه‌ی گنج و فقیر آور به سر
O son, return once more to the tale: bring the tale of the treasure and the fakir to an end.
تمامی قصه‌ی آن فقیر و نشان جای آن گنج
Conclusion of the Story of the fakir and (a description of) the signs indicating the position of the treasure.
اندر آن رقعه نبشته بود این ** که برون شهر گنجی دان دفین
This is what was written in the scroll—“Know that outside of the town a treasure is buried.
آن فلان قبه که در وی مشهدست ** پشت او در شهر و در در فدفدست 1940
(Go to) such-and-such a domed building in which there is a martyr's shrine, with its back to the town and its gate towards the desert.
پشت با وی کن تو رو در قبله آر ** وانگهان از قوس تیری بر گذار
Turn your back to it and face the qibla (Mecca) and then let loose an arrow from your bow.
چون فکندی تیر از قوس ای سعاد ** بر کن آن موضع که تیرت اوفتاد
When you have shot the arrow from your bow, O fortunate one, dig up the place where your arrow fell.”
پس کمان سخت آورد آن فتی ** تیر پرانید در صحن فضا
Thereupon the youth fetched a strongbow and let fly an arrow into the expanse of (aerial) space,
زو تبر آورد و بیل او شاد شاد ** کند آن موضع که تیرش اوفتاد
And quickly and with great joy brought a pick-axe and mattock and dug up the spot where his arrow had fallen;
کند شد هم او و هم بیل و تبر ** خود ندید از گنج پنهانی اثر 1945
(But) both he and the mattock and pick-axe were worn out (in vain efforts), and he found not even a trace of the hidden treasure.
هم‌چنین هر روز تیر انداختی ** لیک جای گنج را نشناختی
Every day in like fashion he was shooting arrows, but never getting to know the situation of the treasure.
چونک این را پیشه کرد او بر دوام ** فجفجی در شهر افتاد و عوام
Since he made this his continual practice, a whispered rumour arose in the city and (among) the people.
فاش شدن خبر این گنج و رسیدن به گوش پادشاه
How the news of this treasure became known and reached the ears of the king.
پس خبر کردند سلطان را ازین ** آن گروهی که بدند اندر کمین
Then the party (of informers) who lay in ambush gave information of this to the king,
عرضه کردند آن سخن را زیردست ** که فلانی گنج‌نامه یافتست
And submitted the matter (to him) secretly, saying that such-and-such an one had found a treasure-scroll.
چون شنید این شخص کین با شه رسید ** جز که تسلیم و رضا چاره ندید 1950
When this person (the fakir) heard that it had come to (the knowledge of) the king, he saw no remedy but resignation and acquiescence;
پیش از آنک اشکنجه بیند زان قباد ** رقعه را آن شخص پیش او نهاد
(So), ere he should suffer (torture on) the rack by order of the Emperor, that person laid the note (of the treasure) before him,
گفت تا این رقعه را یابیده‌ام ** گنج نه و رنج بی‌حد دیده‌ام
Saying, “(Ever) since I found this scroll, I have seen no treasure but (only) infinite trouble.
خود نشد یک حبه از گنج آشکار ** لیک پیچیدم بسی من هم‌چو مار
Not even a single mite of treasure has been discovered, but I have writhed very much, like a snake.
مدت ماهی چنینم تلخ‌کام ** که زیان و سود این بر من حرام
During a (whole) month I have been in bitter distress like this, for loss or gain (accruing) from this (treasure-scroll) is forbidden to me.
بوک بختت بر کند زین کان غطا ** ای شه پیروزجنگ و دزگشا 1955
Maybe thy fortune will disclose (to thee) this mine (of riches), O king (who art) victorious in war and the conqueror of fortresses.”
مدت شش ماه و افزون پادشاه ** تیر می‌انداخت و برمی‌کند چاه
For six long months and more the king shot arrows and dug pits (where the arrows fell).
هرکجا سخته کمانی بود چست ** تیر داد انداخت و هر سو گنج جست
Wherever an energetic drawer of the strongbow was (to be found), he (the king) gave (him) arrows to shoot and searched for the treasure in every direction.
غیر تشویش و غم و طامات نی ** هم‌چو عنقا نام فاش و ذات نی
(The result was) nothing but vexation and grief and futilities: as (in the case of) the ‘Anqá, the name (of the treasure) was known to all, but the essence (reality) was non-existent.
نومید شدن آن پادشاه از یافتن آن گنج و ملول شدن او از طلب آن
How the king despaired of finding the treasure and became weary of searching for it.
چونک تعویق آمد اندر عرض و طول ** شاه شد زان گنج دل سیر و ملول
When he met with obstacles (to success) in (all) the breadth and length (of his enterprise), the king became sick at heart and weary.
دشتها را گز گز آن شه چاه کند ** رقعه را از خشم پیش او فکند 1960
(After) the king (had) dug pits in the deserts, yard by yard, he threw the scroll wrathfully before him (the fakir).