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.
ای ایاز اکنون نگویی کین گهر
چند میارزد بدین تاب و هنر
“Now, O Ayáz, wilt not thou say how much a pearl of this splendour and excellence is worth?”
گفت افزون زانچ تانم گفت من
گفت اکنون زود خردش در شکن
He replied, “More than I am able to say.” He (the King) said, “Now break it immediately into small fragments.”
سنگها در آستین بودش شتاب
خرد کردش پیش او بود آن صواب
He (Ayáz)’had (two) stones in his sleeve: he quickly reduced it to dust, (for) that seemed to him the right course.
ز اتفاق طالع با دولتش
دست داد آن لحظه نادر حکمتش
یا به خواب این دیده بود آن پر صفا
کرده بود اندر بغل دو سنگ را
Or (perhaps) that entirely sincere man had dreamed of this and put the two stones under his arm,
همچو یوسف که درون قعر چاه
کشف شد پایان کارش از اله
Like Joseph to whom at the bottom of the well his ultimate fortunes was revealed by God.
هر که را فتح و ظفر پیغام داد
پیش او یک شد مراد و بیمراد
To whomsoever He (God) has announced victory and triumph —to him success and unsuccess are one.
هر که پایندان وی شد وصل یار
او چه ترسد از شکست و کارزار
To whomsoever the favour of the Friend has become a surety —what fear should he have of defeat and (painful) combat
چون یقین گشتش که خواهد کرد مات
فوت اسپ و پیل هستش ترهات
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
گر برد اسپش هر آنک اسپجوست
اسپ رو گو نه که پیش آهنگ اوست
مرد را با اسپ کی خویشی بود
عشق اسپش از پی پیشی بود
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).
بهر صورتها مکش چندین زحیر
بیصداع صورتی معنی بگیر
Do not endure all this anguish for the sake of (mere) forms: grasp the reality without(suffering)headache on account of a form.
هست زاهد را غم پایان کار
تا چه باشد حال او روز شمار
The ascetic feels anxiety concerning his latter end: (he considers) what will be his plight on the Day of Reckoning;
عارفان ز آغاز گشته هوشمند
از غم و احوال آخر فارغاند
(But) the gnostics, having become conscious of the beginning, are free from anxiety and (care for) the ultimate conditions.
بود عارف را همین خوف و رجا
سابقهدانیش خورد آن هر دو را
(Formerly) the gnostic had the same fear and hope (as the ascetic), (but) his knowledge of the past devoured both those (feelings).
دید کو سابق زراعت کرد ماش
او همیداند چه خواهد بود چاش
He perceived that in the past he had sown pulse: he knows what the produce will be.
عارفست و باز رست از خوف و بیم
های هو را کرد تیغ حق دو نیم
بود او را بیم و اومید از خدا
خوف فانی شد عیان گشت آن رجا
He is a gnostic and has been delivered from fear and dread: the sword of God has cut lamentation asunder
چون شکست او گوهر خاص آن زمان
زان امیران خاست صد بانگ و فغان
When he (Ayáz) broke that choice pearl, thereupon from the Amirs arose a hundred clamours and outcries—
کین چه بیباکیست والله کافرست
هر که این پر نور گوهر را شکست
“What recklessness is this! By God, whoever has broken this luminous pearl is an infidel”—
وآن جماعت جمله از جهل و عما
دَر شکسته دُرِّ امر شاه را
And (yet) the whole company (of Amirs) in their ignorance and blindness had broken the pearl of the King’s command.
قیمتی گوهر نتیجهٔ مهر و ود
بر چنان خاطر چرا پوشیده شد
فارسی متن کا ماخذ: گنجور
