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.