It is a scroll of such a shape and such a colour: then (as soon as possible) read it in privacy, O sorrowful one.
رقعه‌ای شکلش چنین رنگش چنین ** بس بخوان آن را به خلوت ای حزین
When you steal it from the stationer, my lad, then go out of the crowd and the noise and turmoil,
چون بدزدی آن ز وراق ای پسر ** پس برون رو ز انبهی و شور و شر
And read it by yourself in some lonely place: beware, do not seek any partnership in reading it.
تو بخوان آن را به خود در خلوتی ** هین مجو در خواندن آن شرکتی
But even if it (the secret) be divulged, do not be anxious, for none but you will get (so much as) half a barley-corn thereof.
ور شود آن فاش هم غمگین مشو ** که نیابد غیر تو زان نیم جو
And if it (the affair) be long drawn out, beware and take heed! Make (the text) do not ye despair your litany at every moment.”1915
ور کشد آن دیر هان زنهار تو ** ورد خود کن دم به دم لاتقنطوا
The (heavenly) announcer of the good news said this and put his hand on his (the fakir's) heart, saying, “Go, endure the toil.”
این بگفت و دست خود آن مژده‌ور ** بر دل او زد که رو زحمت ببر
When the youth came back to himself after the absence, on account of his joy he could not be contained in the world.
چون به خویش آمد ز غیبت آن جوان ** می‌نگنجید از فرح اندر جهان
Had it not been for the tender care and protection and favour of God, his gallbladder would have burst from agitation.
زهره‌ی او بر دریدی از قلق ** گر نبودی رفق و حفظ و لطف حق
One (cause of) joy was this, that after (having passed through) six hundred veils his ear had heard the answer (to his prayer) from the (Divine) Presence.
یک فرح آن کز پس شصد حجاب ** گوش او بشنید از حضرت جواب
When his auditory sense had pierced through the veils, he raised his head aloft and passed beyond the skies,1920
از حجب چون حس سمعش در گذشت ** شد سرافراز و ز گردون بر گذشت
(Thinking) that maybe, by taking the lesson to heart, his sense of sight would also find a passage through the veil of the Unseen,
که بود کان حس چشمش ز اعتبار ** زان حجاب غیب هم یابد گذار
And that when (both) his senses had passed through the veil, his vision and allocution (from God) would then be continuous.
چون گذاره شد حواسش از حجاب ** پس پیاپی گرددش دید و خطاب
(So) he came to the stationer's shop and (for some time) was laying his hand here and there on his (the stationer's) models for writing.
جانب دکان وراق آمد او ** دست می‌برد او به مشقش سو به سو
Suddenly that piece of script, with the distinctive marks which the heavenly voice had mentioned, caught his eye.
پیش چشمش آمد آن مکتوب زود ** با علاماتی که هاتف گفته بود
He slipped it under his arm and said, “Good-bye, Khwája: I will come back presently, O master.”1925
در بغل زد گفت خواجه خیر باد ** این زمان وا می‌رسم ای اوستاد
He went into a solitary nook and read it and remained lost in bewilderment and amazement,
رفت کنج خلوتی و آن را بخواند ** وز تحیر واله و حیران بماند
(Wondering) how a priceless treasure-scroll of this sort had fallen and been left among the (stationer's) papers.
که بدین سان گنج‌نامه‌ی بی‌بها ** چون فتاده ماند اندر مشقها
(Then) again the thought darted into his mind, that God is the guardian for everything,
باز اندر خاطرش این فکر جست ** کز پی هر چیز یزدان حافظست
(And) how should the Guardian, in (His) circumspection, let any one recklessly carry off anything?
کی گذارد حافظ اندر اکتناف ** که کسی چیزی رباید از گزاف
Though the desert be filled with gold and (silver) money, not a single mite can be taken away without God's approval;1930
گر بیابان پر شود زر و نقود ** بی رضای حق جوی نتوان ربود
And though you read a hundred volumes without a pause, you will not remember a single point (of argument) without the Divine decree;
ور بخوانی صد صحف بی سکته‌ای ** بی قدر یادت نماند نکته‌ای
But if you serve God and do not read a single book, you will learn rare sciences from your (own) bosom.
ور کنی خدمت نخوانی یک کتاب ** علمهای نادره یابی ز جیب
The hand of Moses was spreading from his bosom a radiance that surpassed the moon in the sky,
شد ز جیب آن کف موسی ضو فشان ** کان فزون آمد ز ماه آسمان
Saying (implicitly), “That which thou wert seeking from the terrible celestial sphere hath uprisen, O Moses, from thy own bosom,
کانک می‌جستی ز چرخ با نهیب ** سر بر آوردستت ای موسی ز جیب
In order that thou mayst know that the lofty heavens are the reflexion of the perceptive (rational) faculties of Man.”1935
تا بدانی که آسمانهای سمی ** هست عکس مدرکات آدمی
Is it not (the case) that the hand of the Glorious God created Reason first (of all), before (the creation of) the two worlds?
نی که اول دست برد آن مجید ** از دو عالم پیشتر عقل آفرید
This discourse is clear (to some) and exceedingly recondite (to others), for the fly is not intimate with the ‘Anqá.
این سخن پیدا و پنهانست بس ** که نباشد محرم عنقا مگس
O son, return once more to the tale: bring the tale of the treasure and the fakir to an end.
باز سوی قصه باز آ ای پسر ** قصه‌ی گنج و فقیر آور به سر
Conclusion of the Story of the fakir and (a description of) the signs indicating the position of the treasure.
تمامی قصه‌ی آن فقیر و نشان جای آن گنج
This is what was written in the scroll—“Know that outside of the town a treasure is buried.
اندر آن رقعه نبشته بود این ** که برون شهر گنجی دان دفین
(Go to) such-and-such a domed building in which there is a martyr's shrine, with its back to the town and its gate towards the desert.1940
آن فلان قبه که در وی مشهدست ** پشت او در شهر و در در فدفدست
Turn your back to it and face the qibla (Mecca) and then let loose an arrow from your bow.
پشت با وی کن تو رو در قبله آر ** وانگهان از قوس تیری بر گذار
When you have shot the arrow from your bow, O fortunate one, dig up the place where your arrow fell.”
چون فکندی تیر از قوس ای سعاد ** بر کن آن موضع که تیرت اوفتاد
Thereupon the youth fetched a strongbow and let fly an arrow into the expanse of (aerial) space,
پس کمان سخت آورد آن فتی ** تیر پرانید در صحن فضا
And quickly and with great joy brought a pick-axe and mattock and dug up the spot where his arrow had fallen;
زو تبر آورد و بیل او شاد شاد ** کند آن موضع که تیرش اوفتاد
(But) both he and the mattock and pick-axe were worn out (in vain efforts), and he found not even a trace of the hidden treasure.1945
کند شد هم او و هم بیل و تبر ** خود ندید از گنج پنهانی اثر
Every day in like fashion he was shooting arrows, but never getting to know the situation of the treasure.
هم‌چنین هر روز تیر انداختی ** لیک جای گنج را نشناختی
Since he made this his continual practice, a whispered rumour arose in the city and (among) the people.
چونک این را پیشه کرد او بر دوام ** فجفجی در شهر افتاد و عوام
How the news of this treasure became known and reached the ears of the king.
فاش شدن خبر این گنج و رسیدن به گوش پادشاه
Then the party (of informers) who lay in ambush gave information of this to the king,
پس خبر کردند سلطان را ازین ** آن گروهی که بدند اندر کمین
And submitted the matter (to him) secretly, saying that such-and-such an one had found a treasure-scroll.
عرضه کردند آن سخن را زیردست ** که فلانی گنج‌نامه یافتست
When this person (the fakir) heard that it had come to (the knowledge of) the king, he saw no remedy but resignation and acquiescence;1950
چون شنید این شخص کین با شه رسید ** جز که تسلیم و رضا چاره ندید
(So), ere he should suffer (torture on) the rack by order of the Emperor, that person laid the note (of the treasure) before him,
پیش از آنک اشکنجه بیند زان قباد ** رقعه را آن شخص پیش او نهاد
Saying, “(Ever) since I found this scroll, I have seen no treasure but (only) infinite trouble.
گفت تا این رقعه را یابیده‌ام ** گنج نه و رنج بی‌حد دیده‌ام
Not even a single mite of treasure has been discovered, but I have writhed very much, like a snake.
خود نشد یک حبه از گنج آشکار ** لیک پیچیدم بسی من هم‌چو مار
During a (whole) month I have been in bitter distress like this, for loss or gain (accruing) from this (treasure-scroll) is forbidden to me.
مدت ماهی چنینم تلخ‌کام ** که زیان و سود این بر من حرام
Maybe thy fortune will disclose (to thee) this mine (of riches), O king (who art) victorious in war and the conqueror of fortresses.”1955
بوک بختت بر کند زین کان غطا ** ای شه پیروزجنگ و دزگشا
For six long months and more the king shot arrows and dug pits (where the arrows fell).
مدت شش ماه و افزون پادشاه ** تیر می‌انداخت و برمی‌کند چاه
Wherever an energetic drawer of the strongbow was (to be found), he (the king) gave (him) arrows to shoot and searched for the treasure in every direction.
هرکجا سخته کمانی بود چست ** تیر داد انداخت و هر سو گنج جست
(The result was) nothing but vexation and grief and futilities: as (in the case of) the ‘Anqá, the name (of the treasure) was known to all, but the essence (reality) was non-existent.
غیر تشویش و غم و طامات نی ** هم‌چو عنقا نام فاش و ذات نی
How the king despaired of finding the treasure and became weary of searching for it.
نومید شدن آن پادشاه از یافتن آن گنج و ملول شدن او از طلب آن
When he met with obstacles (to success) in (all) the breadth and length (of his enterprise), the king became sick at heart and weary.
چونک تعویق آمد اندر عرض و طول ** شاه شد زان گنج دل سیر و ملول
(After) the king (had) dug pits in the deserts, yard by yard, he threw the scroll wrathfully before him (the fakir).1960
دشتها را گز گز آن شه چاه کند ** رقعه را از خشم پیش او فکند