- A learned man (once) said, for the sake of (telling) a story, “In India there is a certain tree:
- گفت دانایی برای داستان ** که درختی هست در هندوستان
- Whoso takes and eats of its fruit, he grows not old nor ever dies.”
- هر کسی کز میوهی او خورد و برد ** نه شود او پیر نه هرگز بمرد
- A king heard this (tale) from a veracious person: he became a lover of the tree and its fruit.
- پادشاهی این شنید از صادقی ** بر درخت و میوهاش شد عاشقی
- From the Divan of culture he sent an intelligent envoy to India in search (of it).
- قاصدی دانا ز دیوان ادب ** سوی هندستان روان کرد از طلب
- For (many) years his envoy wandered about India in quest (of the tree). 3645
- سالها میگشت آن قاصد از او ** گرد هندستان برای جستجو
- He roamed from town to town for this object: neither island nor mountain nor plain was left (unvisited).
- شهر شهر از بهر این مطلوب گشت ** نه جزیره ماند و نه کوه و نه دشت
- Every one whom he asked made a mock of him, saying, “Who would search after this, unless perhaps a madman in confinement?”
- هر که را پرسید کردش ریشخند ** کاین که جوید جز مگر مجنون بند
- Many slapped him jocosely; many said, “O fortunate man,
- بس کسان صفعش زدند اندر مزاح ** بس کسان گفتند ای صاحب فلاح
- How should the enquiry of a clever and clear-minded person like you be devoid (of result)? How should it be vain?”
- جستجوی چون تو زیرک سینه صاف ** کی تهی باشد کجا باشد گزاف
- And this (ironical) respect was to him another slap, and it was harder (to bear) than the visible slap. 3650
- وین مراعاتش یکی صفعی دگر ** وین ز صفع آشکارا سختتر