- 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
- They extolled him sarcastically, saying, “O great sir, in such and such a very tremendous and huge country,
- میستودندش به تسخر کای بزرگ ** در فلان اقلیم بس هول و سترگ
- In such and such a forest there is a green tree, very tall and broad, and every branch of it is big.”
- در فلان بیشه درختی هست سبز ** بس بلند و پهن و هر شاخیش گبز
- The king's envoy, who had braced his belt for the quest, was hearing a different kind of report from every one;
- قاصد شه بسته در جستن کمر ** میشنید از هر کسی نوعی خبر
- There for years he travelled much, (whilst) the king kept sending money to him.
- بس سیاحت کرد آن جا سالها ** میفرستادش شهنشه مالها
- After he had suffered much fatigue in that foreign land, at last he became too exhausted to seek (any longer). 3655
- چون بسی دید اندر آن غربت تعب ** عاجز آمد آخر الامر از طلب
- No trace of the object of pursuit was discovered: of what he wanted nothing appeared but the report.
- هیچ از مقصود اثر پیدا نشد ** ز آن غرض غیر خبر پیدا نشد
- The thread of his hope snapped, the thing he had sought became unsought in the end.
- رشتهی امید او بگسسته شد ** جستهی او عاقبت ناجسته شد
- He resolved to return to the king, (and set out) shedding tears and traversing the way.
- کرد عزم باز گشتن سوی شاه ** اشک میبارید و میبرید راه
- How the Shaykh explained the hidden meaning of the tree to the seeker who was in the bondage of formalism.
- شرح کردن شیخ سر آن درخت را با آن طالب مقلد
- There was a wise Shaykh, a noble Qutb, at the halting-place where the king's intimate fell into despair.
- بود شیخی عالمی قطبی کریم ** اندر آن منزل که آیس شد ندیم
- He (the envoy) said, “Being without hope, I will go to him, and set out on the road (again) from his threshold, 3660
- گفت من نومید پیش او روم ** ز آستان او به راه اندر شوم
- In order that his prayer (blessing) may accompany me, since I have no hope of (winning) my heart's desire.”
- تا دعای او بود همراه من ** چون که نومیدم من از دل خواه من
- With tearful eyes he went to the Shaykh: he was raining tears, like a cloud.
- رفت پیش شیخ با چشم پر آب ** اشک میبارید مانند سحاب
- “O Shaykh,” he cried, “it is the time for mercy and pity; I am in despair: now is the time for kindness.”
- گفت شیخا وقت رحم و رقت است ** ناامیدم وقت لطف این ساعت است
- 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