(He was) well acquainted with the burning and flaming (passion) of those who came to his court, (but) in his wisdom he had ignored them and kept silence.
واقف از سوز و لهیب آن وفود ** مصلحت آن بد که خشک آورده بود
That exalted (monarch) was in the midst (depths) of their souls, but he had purposely feigned to be unfamiliar (with them).
در میان جانشان بود آن سمی ** لک قاصد کرده خود را اعجمی
The form (appearance) of the fire is beneath the kettle; the spirit (reality) of the fire is in the soul of the kettle.
صورت آتش بود پایان دیگ ** معنی آتش بود در جان دیگ
Its form is outside and its spirit inside: the spirit (real nature) of the soul's Beloved is (in the soul) like blood in the veins.4400
صورتش بیرون و معنیش اندرون ** معنی معشوق جان در رگ چو خون
The prince knelt before the King, (while) ten announcers gave a description of his state.
شاه‌زاده پیش شه زانو زده ** ده معرف شارح حالش شده
Although the King knew it all long ago, yet the announcer was performing the duties of his office.
گرچه شه عارف بد از کل پیش پیش ** لیک می‌کردی معرف کار خویش
O sincere man, a single atom of the light of (mystic) knowledge within (thee) is better than a hundred announcers.
در درون یک ذره نور عارفی ** به بود از صد معرف ای صفی
To confine one's attention to the announcer is a mark of being debarred (from access to real knowledge) and of (being preoccupied with) conjecture and (mere) opinion.
گوش را رهن معرف داشتن ** آیت محجوبیست و حزر و ظن
He whose scout is his inward eye—his eye will behold with the very acme of clairvoyance.4405
آنک او را چشم دل شد دیدبان ** دید خواهد چشم او عین العیان
His soul is not content with traditional authority; nay, his feeling of (absolute) certainty comes from the inward eye.
با تواتر نیست قانع جان او ** بل ز چشم دل رسد ایقان او
Then the announcer opened his lips to describe his (the eldest brother's) plight in the presence of the elect King.
پس معرف پیش شاه منتجب ** در بیان حال او بگشود لب
He said, “O King, he is fallen a prey to thy beneficence: show kingly favour (to him), for he has no means of escape.
گفت شاها صید احسان توست ** پادشاهی کن که بی بیرون شوست
He has clutched the saddle-strap of this empire: stroke his distraught head with thy (royal) hand!”
دست در فتراک این دولت زدست ** بر سر سرمست او بر مال دست
The King replied, “This youth will obtain (from me) every high dignity and sovereignty that he seeks.4410
گفت شه هر منصبی و ملکتی ** که التماسش هست یابد این فتی
I will bestow on him here (and now) twenty times as many kingdoms as he has relinquished, and myself into the bargain.”
بیست چندان ملک کو شد زان بری ** بخشمش اینجا و ما خود بر سری
He (the announcer) said, “Since thy royal majesty sowed in him the seed of love, how could it leave (in him) any passion except passion for thee?
گفت تا شاهیت در وی عشق کاشت ** جز هوای تو هوایی کی گذاشت
’Tis so agreeable to him to be thy slave that kingship has become cold comfort to his heart.
بندگی تش چنان درخورد شد ** که شهی اندر دل او سرد شد
He has gambled away kingship and princedom: for thy sake he has put up with living in exile.
شاهی و شه‌زادگی در باختست ** از پی تو در غریبی ساختست
He is a Súfí: he has flung away his mantle in ecstasy: how should he turn again to his mantle?4415
صوفیست انداخت خرقه وجد در ** کی رود او بر سر خرقه دگر
To hanker for the given away mantle and repent (of having given it) is as much as to say, ‘I have been swindled:
میل سوی خرقه‌ی داده و ندم ** آنچنان باشد که من مغبون شدم
Put the mantle back here, O comrade, for that (ecstasy) was not worth it, that is, (not worth) this (mantle).’
باز ده آن خرقه این سو ای قرین ** که نمی‌ارزید آن یعنی بدین
Far be it from a lover that such a thought should occur to him; and if it do, dust ought to be (sprinkled) on his head.
دور از عاشق که این فکر آیدش ** ور بیاید خاک بر سر بایدش
Love is worth a hundred mantles like that of the body, which contains a (principle of) life and sensation and reason;
عشق ارزد صد چو خرقه کالبد ** که حیاتی دارد و حس و خرد
Especially the mantle of worldly dominion, which is cut short (exiguous): a pennyworth of intoxication with it is (results in) headache.4420
خاصه خرقه‌ی ملک دنیا کابترست ** پنج دانگ مستیش درد سرست
Worldly dominion is lawful (only) to those who indulge the body: we (lovers) are devoted to the everlasting kingdom of Love.
ملک دنیا تن‌پرستان را حلال ** ما غلام ملک عشق بی‌زوال