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.
گوش انگیزد خیال و آن خیال ** هست دلاله‌ی وصال آن جمال
The ear rouses a fancy, and that fancy is the go-between (that leads) to union with that Beauty.
جهد کن تا این خیال افزون شود ** تا دلاله رهبر مجنون شود
Endeavour that this fancy may increase, so that the go-between may become a guide for Majnún.
آن خلیفه گول هم یک چند نیز ** ریش گاوی کرد خوش با آن کنیز 3925
That foolish Caliph, too, was mightily infatuated for awhile with that girl.
ملک را تو ملک غرب و شرق گیر ** چون نمی‌ماند تو آن را برق گیر
Suppose the (monarch's) empire is the empire of the West and the East: since it will not remain, deem it to be (as fleeting as) a lightning-flash.
مملکت کان می‌نماند جاودان ** ای دلت خفته تو آن را خواب دان
O thou whose heart is slumbering (heedless), know that the kingdom that does not remain unto everlasting is (but) a dream.
تا چه خواهی کرد آن باد و بروت ** که بگیرد هم‌چو جلادی گلوت
Consider what thou wilt do with (all) that vanity and vainglory; for (ultimately) it will grip thy throat like an executioner.
هم درین عالم بدان که مامنیست ** از منافق کم شنو کو گفت نیست
Know that even in this world there is a safe refuge: do not listen to the hypocrite who says there is none.
حجت منکران آخرت و بیان ضعف آن حجت زیرا حجت ایشان به دین باز می‌گردد کی غیر این نمی‌بینیم
The argument of those who disbelieve in the after-life, and a demonstration of the weakness of that argument, since their argument amounts to “We do not see any other (world) than this.”
حجتش اینست گوید هر دمی ** گر بدی چیزی دگر هم دیدمی 3930
This is his (the hypocrite's) argument: he says at every moment, “If there were anything else, I should have seen it.”
گر نبیند کودکی احوال عقل ** عاقلی هرگز کند از عقل نقل
If a child does not see the various aspects of reason, will a rational person ever abandon reason?
ور نبیند عاقلی احوال عشق ** کم نگردد ماه نیکوفال عشق
And if a rational person does not see the various aspects of Love, (yet) the auspicious moon of Love does not wane.
حسن یوسف دیده‌ی اخوان ندید ** از دل یعقوب کی شد ناپدید
Joseph's beauty was not seen by the eyes of his brethren, (but) when did it (ever) disappear from the heart of Jacob?
مر عصا را چشم موسی چوب دید ** چشم غیبی افعی و آشوب دید
The (physical) eye of Moses regarded the staff (rod) as wood; the eye of the Invisible beheld (in it) a serpent and (cause of) panic.
چشم سر با چشم سر در جنگ بود ** غالب آمد چشم سر حجت نمود 3935
The eye of the head was in conflict with the eye of the heart: the eye of the heart prevailed (over the other) and displayed the proof.
چشم موسی دست خود را دست دید ** پیش چشم غیب نوری بد پدید
The (physical) eye of Moses regarded his hand as a hand, (but) to the eye of the Invisible it was a manifest light.
این سخن پایان ندارد در کمال ** پیش هر محروم باشد چون خیال
This matter hath no limit in perfection, (yet) it seems like a fancy to every one that is deprived (of the reality).
چون حقیقت پیش او فرج و گلوست ** کم بیان کن پیش او اسرار دوست
Since to him the reality is the pudendum and the gullet, do not expound the mysteries of the Beloved to him.
پیش ما فرج و گلو باشد خیال ** لاجرم هر دم نماید جان جمال
To us the pudendum and the gullet are a (mere) fancy; consequently the (Beloved) Soul displays His beauty (to us) at every moment. [To us the private parts and the gullet are a (mere) fancy; consequently the (Beloved) Soul displays His beauty (to us) at every moment.]
هر که را فرج و گلو آیین و خوست ** آن لکم دین ولی دین بهر اوست 3940
Any one whose custom and habit is (addiction to) the pudendum and the gullet, for him (the fit answer) is “Unto you (your) religion and unto me (my) religion.”
با چنان انکار کوته کن سخن ** احمدا کم گوی با گبر کهن
Cut short thy talk with such (incarnate) scepticism: do not converse, O Ahmad, with the ancient infidel.
آمدن خلیفه نزد آن خوب‌روی برای جماع
Venit Khalífa ad puellam formosam concubitus causa. [How the Caliph came next to that one of beautiful face for the sake of (sexual) intercourse.]
آن خلیفه کرد رای اجتماع ** سوی آن زن رفت از بهر جماع
Ille Khalífa concubitum sibi proposuit, illam feminam coitus causa adivit. [The Caliph decided on a meeting; he went to that woman for the sake of (sexual) intercourse.]
ذکر او کرد و ذکر بر پای کرد ** قصد خفت و خیز مهرافزای کرد
Eam recordatus penem erexit, animum intendit ut concubitu cum ea quae amorem augebat frueretur. [He remembered her and got (his) penis erect; he intended to (have) sexual intercourse with (that) love-increaser.]
چون میان پای آن خاتون نشست ** پس قضا آمد ره عیشش ببست
Cum inter crura mulieris recubavit, tum venit (Dei) decretum, ei viam voluptatis occlusit. [When he sat between the legs of the lady, then the Decree (of God) came (and) blocked the way to his pleasure.]
خشت و خشت موش در گوشش رسید ** خفت کیرش شهوتش کلی رمید 3945
Ad aures pervenit sonus tenuis quem mus facere solet: penis ejus languit, libido tota decessit; [The rustling of a mouse reached his ear: his penis rested (went limp), his lust completely fled; ]
وهم آن کز مار باشد این صریر ** که همی‌جنبد بتندی از حصیر
Putabat enim illum susurrum ab angue exortum esse qui sese e storea vehementer sublevaret. [His suspicion (was) that this grating sound was from a snake that was violently moving (out) from (beneath) the straw mat.]
خنده گرفتن آن کنیزک را از ضعف شهوت خلیفه و قوت شهوت آن امیر و فهم کردن خلیفه از خنده‌ی کنیزک
Puellam risus occupat propter libidinem Klalífae debilem et libidinem illius ducis validissimam. Khalífa puellae risum animadvertit. [How laughter took hold of the maidservant because of the weakness of the Caliph’s lust and the strength of the captain’s lust, and how the Caliph understood the maidservant’s laughter.]
زن بدید آن سستی او از شگفت ** آمد اندر قهقهه خنده‌ش گرفت
Femina languorem ejus vidit; rem mirando in cachinnos ivit: risus eam occupavit. [The woman saw his softness; from astonishment, she started to burst out laughing: laughter took hold of her.]
یادش آمد مردی آن پهلوان ** که بکشت او شیر و اندامش چنان
Venit in mentem virilatas ducis fortissimi qui leonem interfecit dum membrum (virile) ejus tale est. [She remembered the virility of the (courageous) Captain who killed the lion, with his (male) organ like that.]
غالب آمد خنده‌ی زن شد دراز ** جهد می‌کرد و نمی‌شد لب فراز
The woman's laughter overpowered (her) and was prolonged: she tried hard (to suppress it) but her lips would not shut.
سخت می‌خندید هم‌چون بنگیان ** غالب آمد خنده بر سود و زیان 3950
She kept laughing violently like beng-eaters: her laughter overpowered (all considerations of) gain or loss.
And if thou tell the truth, I will set thee free: I will not violate the duty I owe to God, I will make thee glad.”
هفت مصحف آن زمان برهم نهاد ** خورد سوگند و چنین تقریر داد
At the same moment he placed seven Qur’áns one on the top of another and swore an oath and thus confirmed (his promise).
فاش کردن آن کنیزک آن راز را با خلیفه از زخم شمشیر و اکراه خلیفه کی راست گو سبب این خنده را و گر نه بکشمت
How the girl disclosed the secret to the Caliph in fear of (having her head cut off by) a blow of the sword, and how she was forced (to speak) by the Caliph (who said), “Give a true account of the cause of thy laughter or else I will kill thee.”
زن چو عاجز شد بگفت احوال را ** مردی آن رستم صد زال را 3965
When the woman became (found herself) helpless, she related what had happened (concerning) the manliness of that Rustam who was the son of a hundred Záls.