مر خلیفه‌ی مصر را غماز گفت ** که شه موصل به حوری گشت جفت
An informer said to the Caliph of Egypt, “The King of Mawsil is wedded to a houri.
یک کنیزک دارد او اندر کنار ** که به عالم نیست مانندش نگار
He holds in his arms a girl like whom there is no (other) beauty in the world.
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.”
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.
پهلوانی را فرستاد آن زمان ** سوی موصل با سپاه بس گران 3835
Immediately he despatched to Mawsil a captain with a very mighty army,
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;
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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),
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.
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.
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);
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.”
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.
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,
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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).
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?
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?
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?
ذره ذره عاشقان آن کمال ** می‌شتابد در علو هم‌چون نهال
Every mote is in love with that Perfection and hastening upward like a sapling.
سبح لله هست اشتابشان ** تنقیه‌ی تن می‌کنند از بهر جان
Their haste is (saying implicitly) “Glory to God!” They are purifying the body for the sake of the spirit.
پهلوان چه را چو ره پنداشته ** شوره‌اش خوش آمده حب کاشته 3860
The captain deemed (what was really) a pit to be like a (safe) road: to him the sterile soil appeared goodly, (so) he sowed seed (in it).
چون خیالی دید آن خفته به خواب ** جفت شد با آن و از وی رفت آب
Dormiens cum (aliquis) simulacrum (amatae) in somnio videret, cum eo coivit et aqua (seminis) effusa est. [When the sleeper saw an image (of her) in a dream, he coupled with it and (seminal) fluid flowed from him.]
چون برفت آن خواب و شد بیدار زود ** دید که آن لعبت به بیداری نبود
Postquam somnium abscessit et ipse extemplo experrectus est, sensit illam pupam sibi jam vigilanti coram non adesse. [When the dream departed and he woke up at once, he saw that that doll was not (present) in wakefulness.]
گفت بر هیچ آب خود بردم دریغ ** عشوه‌ی آن عشوه‌ده خوردم دریغ
Dixit: “Eheu, aquam meam nihilo ingessi; eheu, dolosi illius (simulacri) dolum expertus sum.” [He said: “Alas! I have borne my fluid (sperm) for nothing. Alas! I have swallowed the coquetry of that artful schemer (image).]
پهلوان تن بد آن مردی نداشت ** تخم مردی در چنان ریگی بکاشت
Fuit ille dux (nonnisi) corporis imperator, revera vir non fuit: virilatis semen in ejusmodi arena sevit. [That one was a captain of the body (only), he lacked (true) manliness: he sowed the seed of manliness in such (a place of) sand.]
مرکب عشقش دریده صد لگام ** نعره می‌زد لا ابالی بالحمام 3865
The steed of his love tore up a hundred bridles: he (the captain) was shouting, “I care naught for death.
What should I care about the Caliph? (Since I am) in love, my life and death are the same to me.”
این چنین سوزان و گرم آخر مکار ** مشورت کن با یکی خاوندگار
Prithee, do not sow with such ardour and heat: take counsel with a (spiritual) master.
مشورت کو عقل کو سیلاب آز ** در خرابی کرد ناخنها دراز
(But) where is counsel, where is reason, (when) the torrent of cupidity has extended its talons to destroy (them)?
بین ایدی سد و سوی خلف سد ** پیش و پس کم بیند آن مفتون خد
A barrier in front and a barrier behind; (but) he that is fascinated by a (lovely) cheek does not see (what is) before or behind.
آمده در قصدجان سیل سیاه ** تا که روبه افکند شیری به چاه 3870
The black torrent comes to take his life, so that a fox may hurl a lion into the well (of destruction).
از چهی بنموده معدومی خیال ** تا در اندازد اسودا کالجبال
Something (materially) non-existent causes a phantom to appear in a well, in order that it (the phantom) may cast into it lions (strong) as mountains.
هیچ‌کس را با زنان محرم مدار ** که مثال این دو پنبه‌ست و شرار
Do not have any one intimate with thy womenfolk, for these two (the man and the woman) may be compared to cotton and sparks of fire.
آتشی باید بشسته ز آب حق ** هم‌چو یوسف معتصم اندر زهق
It needs a fire quenched by God's water, one that like Joseph holds fast (to God) in (the hour of) evil temptation,
کز زلیخای لطیف سروقد ** هم‌چو شیران خویشتن را واکشد
To withdraw itself (bravely) as lions from a charming Zalíkhá tall and slender as a cypress.
بازگشت از موصل و می‌شد به راه ** تا فرود آمد به بیشه و مرج‌گاه 3875
He (the captain) turned back from Mawsil and went on his way till he encamped in a wooded meadowland.
آتش عشقش فروزان آن چنان ** که نداند او زمین از آسمان
The fire of his love was blazing in such wise that he could not distinguish earth from heaven.
قصد آن مه کرد اندر خیمه او ** عقل کو و از خلیفه خوف کو
He sought to embrace that moon (beauty) in her tent: where (at that time) was his reason and his dread of the Caliph?
چون زند شهوت درین وادی دهل ** چیست عقل تو فجل ابن الفجل
When lust beats the drum (of victory) in this vale, what is thy reason? A (worthless) radish and the son of a radish.
صد خلیفه گشته کمتر از مگس ** پیش چشم آتشینش آن نفس
To his fiery eye a hundred Caliphs seemed at that moment less than a gnat.
چون برون انداخت شلوار و نشست ** در میان پای زن آن زن‌پرست 3880
Postquam ille feminarum cultor bracas exuit et inter crura mulieris recubavit, [When that adorer of women threw off (his) trousers and sat between the woman’s legs,]