- He (the Shaykh) said, “Say plainly what is the cause of thy despair: what is thy object? what hast thou in view?”
- گفت وا گو کز چه نومیدیستت ** چیست مطلوب تو رو با چیستت
- He answered, “The Emperor chose me out to seek a certain branching tree, 3665
- گفت شاهنشاه کردم اختیار ** از برای جستن یک شاخسار
- For there is a tree, unique in (all) the quarters (of the world): its fruit is (of) the substance of the Water of Life.
- که درختی هست نادر در جهات ** میوهی او مایهی آب حیات
- I have sought (it) for years and seen no sign (of it) except the gibes and ridicule of these merry men.”
- سالها جستم ندیدم یک نشان ** جز که طنز و تسخر این سر خوشان
- The Shaykh laughed and said to him, “O simpleton, this is the tree of knowledge in the sage—
- شیخ خندید و بگفتش ای سلیم ** این درخت علم باشد در علیم
- Very high and very grand and very far-spreading: (it is) a Water of Life from the all-encompassing Sea (of God).
- بس بلند و بس شگرف و بس بسیط ** آب حیوانی ز دریای محیط
- Thou hast gone after the form, O ignorant man: hence thou art without fruit and produce from the bough of reality. 3670
- تو به صورت رفتهای ای بیخبر ** ز آن ز شاخ معنیی بیبار و بر
- Sometimes it is named ‘tree,’ sometimes ‘sun’; sometimes it is named ‘sea,’ sometimes ‘cloud.’
- گه درختش نام شد گه آفتاب ** گاه بحرش نام گشت و گه سحاب
- (It is) that one (thing) from which a hundred thousand effects arise: its least effects are everlasting life.
- آن یکی کش صد هزار آثار خاست ** کمترین آثار او عمر بقاست
- Although (in essence) it is single, it hath a thousand effects: innumerable names befit (may be properly applied to) that one (thing).
- گر چه فرد است او اثر دارد هزار ** این یکی را نام شاید بیشمار