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 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?
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.
مشت بر هم میزدند از ابلهی ** پر بدند از جهل و از دانش تهی
In their folly they smote each other with their fists: they were full of ignorance and empty of knowledge.
صاحب سری عزیزی صد زبان ** گر بدی آن جا بدادی صلحشان
If a master of the esoteric had been there, a revered and many-languaged man, he would have pacified them;
پس بگفتی او که من زین یک درم ** آرزوی جملهتان را میخرم
And then he would have said, “With this one dirhem I will give all of you what ye wish.
چون که بسپارید دل را بیدغل ** این درمتان میکند چندین عمل
When without deceit ye surrender your hearts (to me), this dirhem will do all this for you.
یک درمتان میشود چار المراد ** چار دشمن میشود یک ز اتحاد3690
Your one dirhem will become four—the result desired: four enemies will become one through unanimity.
گفت هر یک تان دهد جنگ و فراق ** گفت من آرد شما را اتفاق
What each one of you says produces strife and separation; what I say brings you agreement.
پس شما خاموش باشید أنصتوا ** تا زبان تان من شوم در گفتوگو
Therefore be ye mute, keep silence, that I may be your tongue in speech and talk.”
گر سخنتان مینماید یک نمط ** در اثر مایهی نزاع است و سخط
(Even) if your words appear uniform (seem to express an agreement), in effect they are the source of contention and anger.
سرکه را گر گرم کردی ز آتش آن ** چون خوری سردی فزاید بیگمان3695
If you have made vinegar hot by means of fire, (still) when you drink it, it will undoubtedly increase the coldness (of your constitution),
ز انکه آن گرمی او دهلیزی است ** طبع اصلش سردی است و تیزی است
Because that (artificially produced) heat of it is exotic: its fundamental nature is coldness and tartness.
ور بود یخ بسته دوشاب ای پسر ** چون خوری گرمی فزاید در جگر
And (on the other hand), though grape-syrup be frozen, my son, it will add heat to the liver when you drink it.
پس ریای شیخ به ز اخلاص ماست ** کز بصیرت باشد آن وین از عماست
Hence the Shaykh's hypocrisy is better than our sincerity, for the former arises from (spiritual) insight, while the latter arises from (spiritual) blindness.