This comparison is poor and unsuccessful, but in the sensible (world) there was none better than this (to be found).
این مثال آمد رکیک و بی‌ورود ** لیک در محسوس ازین بهتر نبود
The death of the eldest prince, and how the middle brother came to his funeral—for the youngest was confined to his bed by illness; and how the King treated the middle brother with great affection, so that he too was crippled (captivated) by his kindness; (and how) he remained with the King, and a hundred thousand spoils (precious gifts), from the unseen and visible worlds, were conferred upon him by the fortune and favour of the King; with an exposition of some part thereof.
متوفی شدن بزرگین از شه‌زادگان و آمدن برادر میانین به جنازه‌ی برادر کی آن کوچکین صاحب‌فراش بود از رنجوری و نواختن پادشاه میانین را تا او هم لنگ احسان شد ماند پیش پادشاه صد هزار از غنایم غیبی و غنی بدو رسید از دولت و نظر آن شاه مع تقریر بعضه
The youngest (brother) was ill, and (so) the middle one came alone to the funeral of the eldest.
کوچکین رنجور بود و آن وسط ** بر جنازه‌ی آن بزرگ آمد فقط
(When) the King espied him, he said with a purpose, “Who is this?—for he is of that sea, and he too is a fish.”4635
شاه دیدش گفت قاصد کین کیست ** که از آن بحرست و این هم ماهیست
Then the announcer said, “He is a son of the same father: this brother is younger than that (deceased) brother.”
پس معرف گفت پور آن پدر ** این برادر زان برادر خردتر
The King greeted him affectionately, saying, “Thou art a keepsake (from thy brother to me)”; and by this enquiry (gracious attention) made him too his prey.
شه نوازیدش که هستی یادگار ** کرد او را هم بدان پرسش شکار
In consequence of the kindness shown (to him) by the King, that wretched man, (who was) roasted (in the fire of love), found in his body a soul other than the (animal) soul.
از نواز شاه آن زار حنیذ ** در تن خود غیر جان جانی بدیذ
He felt within his heart a sublime emotion which the Súfí does not experience during a hundred chilas.
در دل خود دید عالی غلغله ** که نیابد صوفی آن در صد چله
Court-yard and wall and mountain woven of stone seemed to split open before him like a laughing (bursting) pomegranate.4640
عرصه و دیوار و کوه سنگ‌بافت ** پیش او چون نار خندان می‌شکافت
One by one, the atoms (of the universe) were momently opening their doors to him, like tents, in a hundred diverse ways.
ذره ذره پیش او هم‌چون قباب ** دم به دم می‌کرد صدگون فتح باب
The door would become now the window, now the sunbeams; the earth would become now the wheat, now the bushel.
باب گه روزن شدی گاه شعاع ** خاک گه گندم شدی و گاه صاع
In (men's) eyes the heavens are very old and threadbare; in his eye ’twasa new creation at every moment.
در نظرها چرخ بس کهنه و قدید ** پیش چشمش هر دمی خلق جدید
When the beauteous spirit is delivered from the body, no doubt an eye like this will be conferred upon it by (Divine) destiny.
روح زیبا چونک وا رست از جسد ** از قضا بی شک چنین چشمش رسد
A hundred thousand mysteries were revealed to him: he beheld that which the eyes of the initiated behold.4645
صد هزاران غیب پیشش شد پدید ** آنچ چشم محرمان بیند بدید
He opened (the inward) eye (and gazed) on the (ideal) form of that which he had (only) read in books.
آنچ او اندر کتب بر خوانده بود ** چشم را در صورت آن بر گشود
From the dust of the mighty King's horse he obtained a precious collyrium for his eyesight.
از غبار مرکب آن شاه نر ** یافت او کحل عزیزی در بصر
In such a garden of flowers he was trailing his skirt, while every part of him was crying, “Is there any more?”
برچنین گلزار دامن می‌کشید ** جزو جزوش نعره زن هل من مزید
The flowers that grow from plants are (living but) a moment; the flowers that grow from Reason are (ever) fresh.