All the fifty or sixty Amirs, one by one, spoke like this in imitation of the Vizier.
این چنین گفتند پنجه شصت امیر ** جمله یک یک هم به تقلید وزیر
Though imitation is the pillar of the (present) world, (yet) every imitator is disgraced on being put to the trial.
گرچه تقلدست استون جهان ** هست رسوا هر مقلد ز امتحان
How the pearl, (passing) from hand to hand, came round at last to Ayáz; and (concerning) the sagacity of Ayáz, and how he did not act in conformity with them and was not beguiled by the King’s giving them goods and riches and increasing their robes of honour and salaries and praising the intelligence of those erring men; for one ought not to regard the imitator as a Moslem: he may be a Moslem, but it rarely happens that he holds fast to his faith and comes off safely from the trials (to which he is exposed)—for he lacks the steadfastness of the clairvoyant——except (in the case of) those whom God preserves; because the Truth is one, and its contrary is very deceptive and like unto it (in appearance). Since the imitator does not know the contrary (so as to distinguish it from the Truth), on that account he cannot have known the Truth; but when, notwithstanding his ignorance, God preserves him by favour, that ignorance does him no harm.
رسیدن گوهر از دست به دست آخر دور به ایاز و کیاست ایاز و مقلد ناشدن او ایشان را و مغرور ناشدن او به گال و مال دادن شاه و خلعتها و جامگیها افزون کردن و مدح عقل مخطان کردن به مکر و امتحان که کی روا باشد مقلد را مسلمان داشتن مسلمان باشد اما نادر باشد کی مقلد ازین امتحانها به سلامت بیرون آید کی ثبات بینایان ندارد الا من عصم الله زیرا حق یکیست و آن را ضد بسیار غلط‌افکن و مشابه حق مقلد چون آن ضد را نشناسد از آن رو حق را نشناخته باشد اما حق با آن ناشناخت او چو او را به عنایت نگاه دارد آن ناشناخت او را زیان ندارد
“Now, O Ayáz, wilt not thou say how much a pearl of this splendour and excellence is worth?”
ای ایاز اکنون نگویی کین گهر ** چند می‌ارزد بدین تاب و هنر
He replied, “More than I am able to say.” He (the King) said, “Now break it immediately into small fragments.”4055
گفت افزون زانچ تانم گفت من ** گفت اکنون زود خردش در شکن
He (Ayáz)’had (two) stones in his sleeve: he quickly reduced it to dust, (for) that seemed to him the right course.
سنگها در آستین بودش شتاب ** خرد کردش پیش او بود آن صواب
Or (perhaps) that entirely sincere man had dreamed of this and put the two stones under his arm,
یا به خواب این دیده بود آن پر صفا ** کرده بود اندر بغل دو سنگ را
Like Joseph to whom at the bottom of the well his ultimate fortunes was revealed by God.
هم‌چو یوسف که درون قعر چاه ** کشف شد پایان کارش از اله
To whomsoever He (God) has announced victory and triumph —to him success and unsuccess are one.
هر که را فتح و ظفر پیغام داد ** پیش او یک شد مراد و بی‌مراد
To whomsoever the favour of the Friend has become a surety —what fear should he have of defeat and (painful) combat4060
هر که پایندان وی شد وصل یار ** او چه ترسد از شکست و کارزار
When it has become certain to him that he will checkmate (his Opponent), the loss of his horse (knight) and elephant (bishop) is a trifle to him
چون یقین گشتش که خواهد کرد مات ** فوت اسپ و پیل هستش ترهات
If his horse be taken by any one who desires to take the horse, let the horse go; (for) is not he (by God’s help), the winner?
گر برد اسپش هر آنک اسپ‌جوست ** اسپ رو گو نه که پیش آهنگ اوست
How should there be an affinity between a man and a horse? His love for the horse is (only) for the purpose of getting in front (of others).
مرد را با اسپ کی خویشی بود ** عشق اسپش از پی پیشی بود
Do not endure all this anguish for the sake of (mere) forms: grasp the reality without (suffering) headache on account of a form.
بهر صورتها مکش چندین زحیر ** بی‌صداع صورتی معنی بگیر
The ascetic feels anxiety concerning his latter end: (he considers) what will be his plight on the Day of Reckoning;4065
هست زاهد را غم پایان کار ** تا چه باشد حال او روز شمار
(But) the gnostics, having become conscious of the beginning, are free from anxiety and (care for) the ultimate conditions.
عارفان ز آغاز گشته هوشمند ** از غم و احوال آخر فارغ‌اند
(Formerly) the gnostic had the same fear and hope (as the ascetic), (but) his knowledge of the past devoured both those (feelings).
بود عارف را همین خوف و رجا ** سابقه‌دانیش خورد آن هر دو را
He perceived that in the past he had sown pulse: he knows what the produce will be.
دید کو سابق زراعت کرد ماش ** او همی‌داند چه خواهد بود چاش
He is a gnostic and has been delivered from fear and dread: the sword of God has cut lamentation asunder
عارفست و باز رست از خوف و بیم ** های هو را کرد تیغ حق دو نیم
(Formerly) he had from God (feelings of) fear and hope: the fear has passed away and the hope has come into clear view.4070
بود او را بیم و اومید از خدا ** خوف فانی شد عیان گشت آن رجا
When he (Ayáz) broke that choice pearl, thereupon from the Amirs arose a hundred clamours and outcries—
چون شکست او گوهر خاص آن زمان ** زان امیران خاست صد بانگ و فغان
“What recklessness is this! By God, whoever has broken this luminous pearl is an infidel”—
کین چه بی‌باکیست والله کافرست ** هر که این پر نور گوهر را شکست
And (yet) the whole company (of Amirs) in their ignorance and blindness had broken the pearl of the King’s command.
وآن جماعت جمله از جهل و عما ** در شکسته در امر شاه را
The precious pearl, the product of love and affection—why was it (ever) veiled from hearts like those?
قیمتی گوهر نتیجه‌ی مهر و ود ** بر چنان خاطر چرا پوشیده شد
How the Amirs reviled Ayáz, saying, “Why did he break it?” and how Ayáz answered them.
تشنیع زدن امرا بر ایاز کی چرا شکستش و جواب دادن ایاز ایشان را
Ayáz said, “O renowned princes, is the King’s command more precious or the pearl?4075
گفت ایاز ای مهتران نامور ** امر شه بهتر به قیمت یا گهر
In your eyes is the command of the sovereign or this goodly pearl superior? For God’s sake (tell me that)!
امر سلطان به بود پیش شما ** یا که این نیکو گهر بهر خدا