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.
Their cry is coming (to you) from those delightful bowers— “O thou who hast forgotten us, hark, come with all speed!”
منتظر در غیب جان مرد و زن ** مول مولت چیست زوتر گام زن 3900
The soul (spiritual result) of (every) man and woman is waiting (for them) in the Unseen: why are you delaying? Step forward at once (on the way).
راه گم کرد او از آن صبح دروغ ** چون مگس افتاد اندر دیگ دوغ
He (the captain) lost his way and, (beguiled) by that false dawn, fell like a gnat into the pot of buttermilk.
پشیمان شدن آن سرلشکر از آن خیانت کی کرد و سوگند دادن او آن کنیزک را کی به خلیفه باز نگوید از آنچ رفت
How that military chief repented of the sin which he had committed and adjured the girl not to tell the Caliph anything of what had happened.
چند روزی هم بر آن بد بعد از آن ** شد پشیمان او از آن جرم گران
He was absorbed in that (love-affair) for a while, (but) afterwards he repented of that grievous crime,
داد سوگندش کای خورشیدرو ** با خلیفه زینچ شد رمزی مگو
And adjured her, saying, “O thou whose face is like the sun, do not give the Caliph any hint of what has passed.”
چون ندید او را خلیفه مست گشت ** پس ز بام افتاد او را نیز طشت
When the Caliph saw her he became distraught (with love), and then too his secret was exposed to all.
دید صد چندان که وصفش کرده بود ** کی بود خود دیده مانند شنود 3905
He saw (her to be) a hundred times as beautiful as he (the informer) had described her: how in sooth should seeing be like hearing?
وصف تصویرست بهر چشم هوش ** صورت آن چشم دان نه زان گوش
Description is a picture (drawn) for the eye of intelligence: know that the (sensible) form belongs to the eye, not to the ear.
کرد مردی از سخن‌دانی سال ** حق و باطل چیست ای نیکو مقال
A certain man asked an eloquent person, “What are truth and falsehood, O man of goodly discourse?”
گوش را بگرفت و گفت این باطلست ** چشم حقست و یقینش حاصلست
He took hold of his ear and said, “This is false: the eye is true and possesses certainty.”
آن به نسبت باطل آمد پیش این ** نسبتست اغلب سخنها ای امین
The former is relatively false as compared with the latter: most sayings are relative, O trusty one.
ز آفتاب ار کرد خفاش احتجاب ** نیست محجوب از خیال آفتاب 3910
If the bat screens itself from the sun, (yet) it is not screened from the fancy (idea) of the sun.
خوف او را خود خیالش می‌دهد ** آن خیالش سوی ظلمت می‌کشد
Even the fancy (idea) of it (the sun) puts fear into it (the bat): that fancy leads it towards the darkness.
آن خیال نور می‌ترساندش ** بر شب ظلمات می‌چفساندش
That fancy (idea) of the light terrifies it and causes it to become attached to the night of gloom.
از خیال دشمن و تصویر اوست ** که تو بر چفسیده‌ای بر یار و دوست
’Tis from the fancy (idea) and the picture (thou hast formed) of thy enemy that thou hast become attached to thy comrade and friend.
موسیا کشفت لمع بر که فراشت ** آن مخیل تاب تحقیقت نداشت
O Moses, the revelation given to thee illumined the mountain, (but) the fancy conceiving (mountain) could not endure thy real experience (of the revelation).
هین مشو غره بدانک قابلی ** مر خیالش را و زین ره واصلی 3915
Hark, be not deluded by (the belief) that thou art able to conceive the fancy (idea) thereof and by this means canst attain (to the reality).
از خیال حرب نهراسید کس ** لا شجاعه قبل حرب این دان و بس
No one was ever terrified by the (mere) fancy (idea) of war: there is no bravery before (actual) war. Know this, and ’tis enough.
بر خیال حرب خیز اندر فکر ** می‌کند چون رستمان صد کر و فر
(Possessed) with the fancy (idea) of war, the poltroon makes, in his thoughts, a hundred heroic attacks (on the enemy).
نقش رستم که آن به حمامی بود ** قرن حمله فکر هر خامی بود
The antagonist (conceived) in the mind of every raw (weakling) is the picture of Rustam that may be (found) in a bath-house.
این خیال سمع چون مبصر شود ** حیز چه بود رستمی مضطر شود
When this fancy (idea) derived from hearing becomes (actually) visible, what of the poltroon? (Even) a Rustam (hero) is compelled (to submit).
جهد کن کز گوش در چشمت رود ** آنچ که آن باطل بدست آن حق شود 3920
Endeavour that it (the fancy) may pass from thine ear into thine eye, and that what has (hitherto) been unreal may become real.
زان سپس گوشت شود هم طبع چشم ** گوهری گردد دو گوش هم‌چو یشم
After that, thine ear will become connatural with thine eye: the two ears, (gross) as wool, will become of pure substance (and subtle);
بلک جمله تن چو آیینه شود ** جمله چشم و گوهر سینه شود
Nay, thy whole body will become like a mirror: it will become all eye and pure spiritual substance.