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,]
چون ذکر سوی مقر می‌رفت راست ** رستخیز و غلغل از لشکر بخاست
Quo tempore penis ejus ad sedem suam recte ibat, tumultus ingens et clamor militum exortus est. [When (his) penis went straight toward (her) seat (buttocks), a commotion and outcry arose from the army.]
برجهید و کون‌برهنه سوی صف ** ذوالفقاری هم‌چو آتش او به کف
Exsiliit et nudo podice in aciem (currebat), grasping a (flashing) scimitar in his hand. [He jumped up (and ran) naked of buttocks to the (army) ranks, grasping a fiery (flashing) scimitar in his hand.]
دید شیر نر سیه از نیستان ** بر زده بر قلب لشکر ناگهان
He saw that a fierce black lion from the jungle had suddenly rushed upon the centre of the army;
تازیان چون دیو در جوش آمده ** هر طویله و خیمه اندر هم زده
(That) the Arab horses were demoniacally excited, (that) every stable and tent was in confusion;
شیر نر گنبذ همی‌کرد از لغز ** در هوا چون موج دریا بیست گز 3885
(And that) the fierce lion from the covert was bounding twenty ells into the air, like billows of the sea.
پهلوان مردانه بود و بی‌حذر ** پیش شیر آمد چو شیر مست نر
The captain was manful and intrepid: he advanced, like a furious lion, to meet the lion.
زد به شمشیر و سرش را بر شکافت ** زود سوی خیمه‌ی مه‌رو شتافت
He smote (it) with his sword and clove its head; (then) at once he hastened (back) to the tent of the beauty.
چونک خود را او بدان حوری نمود ** مردی او هم‌چنین بر پای بود
Ubi sese puellae formosissimae ostendit, penis ejus itidem erectus erat. [When he showed himself to the hourí (lovely woman), his (organ of) manhood was erect in the same manner (as before).]
با چنان شیری به چالش گشت جفت ** مردی او مانده بر پای و نخفت
Pugna congressus erat cum tali leone: penis ejus erectus manebat nec languore jacuerat. [He joined in battle with such a lion: (yet) his manhood remained erect and did not rest (go limp).]
آن بت شیرین‌لقای ماه‌رو ** در عجب در ماند از مردی او 3890
Illa diva, facie venusta lunae simili praedita, virilitatis ejus admiratione obstupuit. [That moon-faced idol, sweet of countenance, was amazed at his manhood.]
جفت شد با او به شهوت آن زمان ** متحد گشتند حالی آن دو جان
Protinus cum eo magna cupidine coivit: illae duae animae statim unitae evaserunt. [She joined with him (eagerly) in that moment with lust: those two souls immediately became united.]
ز اتصال این دو جان با همدگر ** می‌رسد از غیبشان جانی دگر
Through the union of these two souls with one another, there will come to them from the Unseen World another soul.
رو نماید از طریق زادنی ** گر نباشد از علوقش ره‌زنی
It will appear by the road of birth, if there be naught to waylay (prevent) its conception.
هر کجا دو کس به مهری یا به کین ** جمع آید ثالثی زاید یقین
Wherever two persons unite in a love or hate, a third will certainly be born;
لیک اندر غیب زاید آن صور ** چون روی آن سو ببینی در نظر 3895
But those forms are born in the Unseen World: when you go thither, you will see them in (clear) view.
آن نتایج از قرانات تو زاد ** هین مگرد از هر قرینی زود شاد
That progeny is born of your associations: beware, do not rejoice too soon in any associate.
منتظر می‌باش آن میقات را ** صدق دان الحاق ذریات را
Remain in expectation of the appointed time (of meeting): recognise the truth of the (Divine) promise that the offspring shall join (their parents);
کز عمل زاییده‌اند و از علل ** هر یکی را صورت و نطق و طلل
For they are born of action and causes: each one hath form and speech and dwelling-place.