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
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
One person may be father in relation to thee; in regard to another individual he may be son.
آن یکی شخص ترا باشد پدر ** در حق شخصی دگر باشد پسر
In regard to another he may be wrath and a foe; in regard to another he may be graciousness and a friend.3675
در حق دیگر بود قهر و عدو ** در حق دیگر بود لطف و نکو
(He hath) hundreds of thousands of names, (but) he is one man: the owner of every quality belonging to him is blind to (incapable of) giving any (true) description (of him).
صد هزاران نام و او یک آدمی ** صاحب هر وصفش از وصفی عمی
Whoever seeks the (mere) name, if he is entrusted (with a confidential mission) he is hopeless and in distraction, even as thou art.
هر که جوید نام اگر صاحب ثقه است ** همچو تو نومید و اندر تفرقه است
Why dost thou stick to the name ‘tree,’ so that thou art left bitterly disappointed and ill-fortuned?
تو چه بر چفسی بر این نام درخت ** تا بمانی تلخ کام و شور بخت
Pass on from the name and look at the attributes, in order that the attributes may show thee the way to the essence.”
در گذر از نام و بنگر در صفات ** تا صفاتت ره نماید سوی ذات
The disagreement of mankind is caused by names: peace ensues when they advance to the reality (denoted by the name).3680
اختلاف خلق از نام اوفتاد ** چون به معنی رفت آرام اوفتاد
How four persons quarrelled about grapes, which were known to each of them by a different name.
منازعت چهار کس جهت انگور که هر یکی به نام دیگر فهم کرده بود آن را
A certain man gave a dirhem to four persons: one of them (a Persian) said, “I will spend this on angúr.”
چار کس را داد مردی یک درم ** آن یکی گفت این به انگوری دهم
The second one was an Arab: he said, “No, I want ‘inab, not angúr, O rascal!”
آن یکی دیگر عرب بد گفت لا ** من عنب خواهم نه انگور ای دغا
The third was a Turk; and he said, “This (money) is mine: I don't want ‘inab, I want uzum.”
آن یکی ترکی بدو گفت ای گزم ** من نمیخواهم عنب خواهم ازم