(Thus) I was going, beside myself and dumbfounded and deranged, till I fell down from making haste and speed.
می‌شدم بی خویش و مدهوش و خراب ** تا بیفتادم ز تعجیل و شتاب
In this (state), senseless and witless, I lay fallen awhile upon the dust of the earth.
ساعتی بی‌هوش و بی‌عقل اندرین ** اوفتادم بر سر خاک زمین
Then I came back to my senses and rose up: you would say that in my faring I had neither head nor foot.2000
باز با هوش آمدم برخاستم ** در روش گویی نه سر نه پاستم
How those candles appeared to the eye as seven men.
نمودن آن شمعها در نظر هفت مرد
The seven candles appeared to the eye as seven men: their light was mounting to the azure vault.
هفت شمع اندر نظر شد هفت مرد ** نورشان می‌شد به سقف لاژورد
Beside those lights the daylight was (murky as) dregs: by their intensity they were obliterating (all other) lights.
پیش آن انوار نور روز درد ** از صلابت نورها را می‌سترد
How those candles now became seven trees.
باز شدن آن شمعها هفت درخت
Then each man assumed the shape of a tree: my eye was happy in their greenery.
باز هر یک مرد شد شکل درخت ** چشمم از سبزی ایشان نیکبخت
On account of the denseness of the leaves no boughs were visible; the leaves too had become scant (had almost vanished) on account of the plenteous fruit.
زانبهی برگ پیدا نیست شاخ ** برگ هم گم گشته از میوه‌ی فراخ
Every tree had thrown its boughs above the Sidra: what of the Sidra? They had reached beyond the Void.2005
هر درختی شاخ بر سدره زده ** سدره چه بود از خلا بیرون شده
The root of each (tree) had gone (down) into the bottom of the earth: assuredly it was lower than the Ox and the Fish.
بیخ هر یک رفته در قعر زمین ** زیرتر از گاو و ماهی بد یقین
Their roots were more smiling of face than the boughs: the intellect (was turned) upside down (confused and bewildered) by their shapes.
بیخشان از شاخ خندان‌روی‌تر ** عقل از آن اشکالشان زیر و زبر
From the fruit that was bursting forcibly flashes of light would spurt forth, like juice.
میوه‌ای که بر شکافیدی ز زور ** همچو آب از میوه جستی برق نور
How those trees were invisible to the people.
مخفی بودن آن درختان ازچشم خلق
More wondrous (than all else) was this, that hundreds of thousands of people were passing through the desert and plain beside them,
این عجب‌تر که بریشان می‌گذشت ** صد هزاران خلق از صحرا و دشت
Hazarding their lives (ready to sacrifice everything) in desire for shade, and making a parasol out of a woollen garment,2010
ز آرزوی سایه جان می‌باختند ** از گلیمی سایه‌بان می‌ساختند
And not seeing the shade of those (trees) at all. A hundred spittings on (such) distorted eyes!
سایه‌ی آن را نمی‌دیدند هیچ ** صد تفو بر دیده‌های پیچ پیچ
The wrath of God had sealed their eyes, so that he (such a one) should not see the moon, (but) should see (only) Suhá.
ختم کرده قهر حق بر دیده‌ها ** که نبیند ماه را بیند سها
He sees a mote, (but) not the sun; yet he is not despairing of the grace and loving kindness of God.
ذره‌ای را بیند و خورشید نه ** لیک از لطف و کرم نومید نه
The caravans are without food, and (yet) these fruits are dropping ripe (beside them): O God, what magic is this?
کاروانها بی نوا وین میوه‌ها ** پخته می‌ریزد چه سحرست ای خدا
With parched throats the people, having fallen pell-mell to plunder, were gathering the rotten apples,2015
سیب پوسیده همی‌چیدند خلق ** درهم افتاده بیغما خشک‌حلق
(While) every leaf and bud of those boughs said continually, ‘Oh, would that my people knew!’
گفته هر برگ و شکوفه آن غصون ** دم بدم یا لیت قوم یعلمون
From the direction of every tree was coming the cry, ‘Come towards us, O ye folk of evil fortune,’
بانگ می‌آمد ز سوی هر درخت ** سوی ما آیید خلق شوربخت
(While) from (the Divine) jealousy there was coming to the trees the cry, ‘We have bandaged their eyes;nay, there is no refuge.’
بانگ می‌آمد ز غیرت بر شجر ** چشمشان بستیم کلا لا وزر
If any one had said to them ‘Go in this direction, that ye may be made happy by these trees,’
گر کسی می‌گفتشان کین سو روید ** تا ازین اشجار مستسعد شوید
They all would have said, ‘By Divine destiny this poor intoxicated wretch has become mad:2020
جمله می‌گفتند کین مسکین مست ** از قضاء الله دیوانه شدست
Through long melancholy and through austerities the brain of this poor wretch has turned putrid, like an onion.’
مغز این مسکین ز سودای دراز ** وز ریاضت گشت فاسد چون پیاز
He would have remained in astonishment, saying, ‘O Lord, what is the matter? What is this veil (blindness) and misguidance that is upon the people?’
او عجب می‌ماند یا رب حال چیست ** خلق را این پرده و اضلال چیست