O thou who hast felt the delight of (obeying) my command and hast loyally devoted thy life for the sake of my command,
ای به دیده لذت امر مرا ** جان سپرده بهر امرم در وفا
Now hearken to the tale of the savour and relish of (obeying) the (Divine) command (as related) in the (following) spiritual exposition thereof.”
داستان ذوق امر و چاشنیش ** بشنو اکنون در بیان معنویش
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.
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
One day the King hastened to the Diwán: in the Diwán he found all the courtiers (assembled).4035
شاه روزی جانب دیوان شتافت ** جمله ارکان را در آن دیوان بیافت
He produced a radiant pearl and immediately put it in the palm of the Vizier.
گوهری بیرون کشید او مستنیر ** پس نهادش زود در کف وزیر
“How about this pearl?” he asked, “and what is it worth?” He replied, “ is worth more than a hundred ass-loads of gold.”
گفت چونست و چه ارزد این گهر ** گفت به ارزد ز صد خروار زر
He said, “Break it!” “How should I break it?” he replied: “I am a well-wisher to thy treasury and riches.