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در بیان ناید که حسنش بی‌حدست ** نقش او اینست که اندر کاغذست
- She does not admit of description, for her loveliness is beyond (all) limits: here is her portrait on paper.”
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نقش در کاغذ چو دید آن کیقباد ** خیره گشت و جام از دستش فتاد
- When the Emperor saw the portrait on the paper, he became distraught and the cup dropped from his hand.
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پهلوانی را فرستاد آن زمان ** سوی موصل با سپاه بس گران 3835
- Immediately he despatched to Mawsil a captain with a very mighty army,
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که اگر ندهد به تو آن ماه را ** برکن از بن آن در و درگاه را
- Saying, “If he will not give up that moon (beauty) to thee, rase his court and palace to the ground;
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ور دهد ترکش کن و مه را بیار ** تا کشم من بر زمین مه در کنار
- But if he give her up, leave him alone and bring the moon (hither), that on the earth I may embrace the moon.”
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پهلوان شد سوی موصل با حشم ** با هزاران رستم و طبل و علم
- The captain set out towards Mawsil with his retinue and with thousands of heroes and drums and banners.
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چون ملخها بی‌عدد بر گرد کشت ** قاصد اهلاک اهل شهر گشت
- (With an army) like innumerable locusts (gathered) round the crops, he resolved to destroy the inhabitants of the city.
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هر نواحی منجنیقی از نبرد ** هم‌چو کوه قاف او بر کار کرد 3840
- On every side he brought into hostile action a mangonel (ballista) like Mount Qáf.
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زخم تیر و سنگهای منجنیق ** تیغها در گرد چون برق از بریق
- Wounds (were inflicted) by arrows and by stones from the mangonel; swords (flashed) amidst the dust, like lightning from a lightning-cloud.
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هفته‌ای کرد این چنین خون‌ریز گرم ** برج سنگین سست شد چون موم نرم
- During a (whole) week he wrought such carnage in hot fight: stone towers became unsteady as soft wax.
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شاه موصل دید پیگار مهول ** پس فرستاد از درون پیشش رسول
- The King of Mawsil saw the terrible combat: then (at last) he sent an envoy from within (the city) to him (the captain),
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که چه می‌خواهی ز خون مؤمنان ** کشته می‌گردند زین حرب گران
- To say, “What do you wish (to obtain) by shedding the blood of true believers? They are being killed in this grievous war.
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گر مرادت ملک شهر موصلست ** بی‌چنین خون‌ریز اینت حاصلست 3845
- If your object is to gain possession of the city of Mawsil, look now, it is achieved without (any more) bloodshed like this.
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من روم بیرون شهر اینک در آ ** تا نگیرد خون مظلومان ترا
- I will go forth from the city: here it is for you, enter in, lest the blood of the oppressed lay hold of you (and demand vengeance);
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ور مرادت مال و زر و گوهرست ** این ز ملک شهر خود آسان‌ترست
- And if your object is riches and gold and jewels, this is even more easy than to take possession of the city.”
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ایثار کردن صاحب موصل آن کنیزک را بدین خلیفه تا خون‌ریز مسلمانان بیشتر نشود
- How the lord of Mawsil surrendered the girl to the Caliph in order that there might be no more shedding of Moslem blood.
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چون رسول آمد به پیش پهلوان ** داد کاغذ اندرو نقش و نشان
- When the envoy came to the captain, he (the captain) gave him the paper on which the features (of the girl) were depicted,
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بنگر اندر کاغذ این را طالبم ** هین بده ورنه کنون من غالبم
- (Saying), “Look on the paper: this (is what) I require. Hark, give (her up), or else (I will take her by force, for) I am the conqueror.”
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چون رسول آمد بگفت آن شاه نر ** صورتی کم گیر زود این را ببر 3850
- On the return of the envoy, that manly King said, “Take no account of a (mere) form, lead her away at once.
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من نیم در عهد ایمان بت‌پرست ** بت بر آن بت‌پرست اولیترست
- I am not an idolater in the epoch of the true Faith: ’tis more fit that the idol should be in the hands of the idolater.”
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چونک آوردش رسول آن پهلوان ** گشت عاشق بر جمالش آن زمان
- When the envoy brought her (to him), the captain straightway fell in love with her beauty.
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عشق بحری آسمان بر وی کفی ** چون زلیخا در هوای یوسفی
- Love is an (infinite) ocean, on which the heavens are (but) a flake of foam: (they are distraught) like Zalíkhá in desire for a Joseph.
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دور گردونها ز موج عشق دان ** گر نبودی عشق بفسردی جهان
- Know that the wheeling heavens are turned by waves of Love: were it not for Love, the world would be frozen (inanimate).
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کی جمادی محو گشتی در نبات ** کی فدای روح گشتی نامیات 3855
- How would an inorganic thing disappear (by change) into a plant? How would vegetive things sacrifice themselves to become (endowed with) spirit?
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روح کی گشتی فدای آن دمی ** کز نسیمش حامله شد مریمی
- How would the spirit sacrifice itself for the sake of that Breath by the waft whereof a Mary was made pregnant?
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هر یکی بر جا ترنجیدی چو یخ ** کی بدی پران و جویان چون ملخ
- Each one (of them) would be (as) stiff and immovable as ice: how should they be flying and seeking like locusts?