پادشاهی مست اندر بزم خوش ** می‌گذشت آن یک فقیهی بر درش
(Whilst) a drunken king was feasting merrily, a certain jurist passed by his gate.
کرد اشارت کش درین مجلس کشید ** وان شراب لعل را با او چشید 3915
He gave directions, saying, “Bring him into this hall and give him a drink of the ruby wine.”
پس کشیدندش به شه بی‌اختیار ** شست در مجلس ترش چون زهر و مار
So they brought him to the king, (for) he had no choice (power to resist): he sat down in the hall, (looking) sour as poison and snakes.
عرضه کردش می نپذرفت او به خشم ** از شه و ساقی بگردانید چشم
(When) he (the cup-bearer) offered him wine, he angrily refused it and averted his eyes from the king and the cup-bearer,
که به عمر خود نخوردستم شراب ** خوشتر آید از شرابم زهر ناب
Saying, “I have never drunk wine in my life: rank poison would please me better than wine.
هین به جای می به من زهری دهید ** تا من از خویش و شما زین وا رهید
Hey, give me some poison instead of the wine, that I may be delivered from myself and ye from this (impoliteness).”
می نخورده عربده آغاز کرد ** گشته در مجلس گران چون مرگ و درد 3920
Without having drunk wine, he began to make a row and became as disagreeable to the company as death and (its) pangs.
هم‌چو اهل نفس و اهل آب و گل ** در جهان بنشسته با اصحاب دل
(This is) like (the behaviour of) carnal earthly-minded people in the world when they sit (associate) with spiritual folk.
حق ندارد خاصگان را در کمون ** از می احرار جز در یشربون
God keeps His elect (ever) drinking secretly the wine of the free.
عرضه می‌دارند بر محجوب جام ** حس نمی‌یابد از آن غیر کلام
They offer the cup to one who is veiled (uninitiated), (but his) perception apprehends naught thereof except the (literal) words.
رو همی گرداند از ارشادشان ** که نمی‌بیند به دیده دادشان
He averts his face from their guidance because he does not see their gift with his eye.
گر ز گوشش تا به حلقش ره بدی ** سر نصح اندر درونشان در شدی 3925
If there were a passage from his ear to his throat, the hidden meaning of their admonition would have entered his inward parts.
چون همه نارست جانش نیست نور ** که افکند در نار سوزان جز قشور
Inasmuch as his spirit is wholly fire, not light, who would throw anything but husks into a blazing fire?
مغز بیرون ماند و قشر گفت رفت ** کی شود از قشر معده گرم و زفت
The kernel remains outside and the husk, (consisting of mere) words, goes (in): how should the stomach be made warm and stout by husks?
نار دوزخ جز که قشر افشار نیست ** نار را با هیچ مغزی کار نیست
The Fire of Hell torments only the husks: the Fire has nothing to do with any kernel;
ور بود بر مغز ناری شعله‌زن ** بهر پختن دان نه بهر سوختن
And if a fire should dart its flames at the kernel, know that ’tis in order to cook it, not to burn it.
تا که باشد حق حکیم این قاعده ** مستمر دان در گذشته و نامده 3930
So long as God is the Wise, know that this law is perpetual (both) in the past and in the time that has not (yet) come.
مغز نغز و قشرها مغفور ازو ** مغز را پس چون بسوزد دور ازو
The pure kernels and (also) the husks are pardoned by Him: how, then, should He burn the kernel? Far (be it) from Him!
از عنایت گر بکوبد بر سرش ** اشتها آید شراب احمرش
If in His grace He beat the head of him (who resembles the husk), he (such an one) will feel an eager desire for the red wine;
ور نکوبد ماند او بسته‌دهان ** چون فقیه از شرب و بزم این شهان
And if He do not beat him, he will remain, like the jurist, with his mouth closed against the potations and festivity of these (spiritual) kings.
گفت شه با ساقیش ای نیک‌پی ** چه خموشی ده به طبعش آر هی
The king said to his cup-bearer, “O well-conducted (youth), why art thou silent? Give (it him) and put him in good humour.”
هست پنهان حاکمی بر هر خرد ** هرکه را خواهد به فن از سر برد 3935
Over every mind there is a hidden Ruler, (who) cunningly diverts from his purpose whomsoever He will.
آفتاب مشرق و تنویر او ** چون اسیران بسته در زنجیر او
The sun in the East and his radiance are bound like captives in His chain.
چرخ را چرخ اندر آرد در زمن ** چون بخواند در دماغش نیم فن
He causes the (celestial) sphere to revolve immediately when He chants half of a cunning spell in its brain.
عقل کو عقل دگر را سخره کرد ** مهره زو دارد ویست استاد نرد
The mind which dominates another mind has (obtains) the dice (of victory) from Him: He is the Master-player.
چند سیلی بر سرش زد گفت گیر ** در کشید از بیم سیلی آن زحیر
He (the cup-bearer) gave him (the jurist) several cuffs on the head, saying, “Take (the cup)!” The tormented man drained it in dread of (receiving further) blows.
مست گشت و شاد و خندان شد چو باغ ** در ندیمی و مضاحک رفت و لاغ 3940
He became tipsy and merry and smiling (gay) as a garden: he began to act like a boon-companion and tell ridiculous stories and make jokes.
شیرگیر و خوش شد انگشتک بزد ** سوی مبرز رفت تا میزک کند
He became pot-valiant and jolly and snapped his fingers: in latrinam ivit ut mingeret. [He became pot-valiant and jolly and snapped his fingers: he went to the latrine in order to urinate.]
یک کنیزک بود در مبرز چو ماه ** سخت زیبا و ز قرناقان شاه
Erat in latrina puella lunae similis, venustissima, una de regis ancillis. [A maiden as (lovely as) the (full) moon was in the latrine, very beautiful and one of the maidservants of the king.]
چون بدید او را دهانش باز ماند ** عقل رفت و تن ستم‌پرداز ماند
When he espied her, his mouth gaped in amazement, his reason fled and his body was ready for violence.
عمرها بوده عزب مشتاق و مست ** بر کنیزک در زمان در زد دو دست
Per aeva coelebs vixerat: extemplo cupidine et furore accensus puellae manus injecit. [He had been a bachelor (for) ages: passionate and drunk (with lust), he immediately grabbed the maidservant (with his) two hands.]
بس طپید آن دختر و نعره فراشت ** بر نیامد با وی و سودی نداشت 3945
Valde trepidavit puella et clamorem sustulit: ei non poterat resistere, operam perdidit. [The maiden trembled greatly and raised a clamor: she could not oppose him and (her resistance) had no benefit.]
زن به دست مرد در وقت لقا ** چون خمیر آمد به دست نانبا
Femina viro in manus tempore congressus tradita is like dough in the hands of a baker. [A woman in the hands of a man at the moment of (such an) encounter is like dough in the hands of a baker.]
بسرشد گاهیش نرم و گه درشت ** زو بر آرد چاق چاقی زیر مشت
He kneads it now gently, now roughly, and makes it groan under (the thumps of) his fist;
گاه پهنش واکشد بر تخته‌ای ** درهمش آرد گهی یک لخته‌ای
Now he draws it out flat on a board (rolling-pin), now for a bit he rolls it up;
گاه در وی ریزد آب و گه نمک ** از تنور و آتشش سازد محک
Now he pours water on it and now salt: he puts it to the ordeal of oven and fire.
این چنین پیچند مطلوب و طلوب ** اندرین لعبند مغلوب و غلوب 3950
Thus are the sought and the seeker intertwined: (both) the conquered and the conqueror are (engaged) in this sport.
این لعب تنها نه شو را با زنست ** هر عشیق و عاشقی را این فنست
This sport is not between husband and wife only: this is the practice of everything that is loved and loves.
از قدیم و حادث و عین و عرض ** پیچشی چون ویس و رامین مفترض
A mutual embracing, like (that of) Wís and Rámín, is obligatory (Divinely ordained) between eternal and non-eternal and between substance and accident;
لیک لعب هر یکی رنگی دگر ** پیچش هر یک ز فرهنگی دگر
But the sport is of a different character in each case: the embracing is for a different reason in each instance.
شوی و زن را گفته شد بهر مثال ** که مکن ای شوی زن را بد گسیل
This is said as a parable for husband and wife, meaning, “O husband, do not dismiss thy wife unkindly.
آن شب گردک نه ینگا دست او ** خوش امانت داد اندر دست تو 3955
On thy wedding-night did not the bridesmaid place her (the wife's) hand in thy hand as a goodly trust?
کانچ با او تو کنی ای معتمد ** از بد و نیکی خدا با تو کند
For the evil or good which thou doest unto her, O man worthy of confidence, God will do (the same) unto thee.”
حاصل این‌جا این فقیه از بی‌خودی ** نه عفیفی ماندش و نه زاهدی
To resume, on this occasion this jurist was so beside himself that neither continence nor asceticism remained to him.
آن فقیه افتاد بر آن حورزاد ** آتش او اندر آن پنبه فتاد
The jurist threw himself on the nymph: his fire caught hold of her cotton.
جان به جان پیوست و قالب‌ها چخید ** چون دو مرغ سربریده می‌طپید
Anima cum anima conjuncta est, corpora mutuo amplexu implicata tanquam duae aves abscissis capitibus tremebant. [Soul was joined to soul and (their) bodies strove (in mutual embrace), trembling like two decapitated birds.]
چه سقایه چه ملک چه ارسلان ** چه حیا چه دین چه بیم و خوف جان 3960
What (to them) was the wine-party or the king or Arslán (the Turkish slave)? What (to them) was modesty or religion or fear and dread of (losing) their lives?
چشمشان افتاده اندر عین و غین ** نه حسن پیداست این‌جا نه حسین
Their eyes were contorted like (the letters) ‘ayn and ghayn: here neither Hasan nor Husayn is seen distinctly.
شد دراز و کو طریق بازگشت ** انتظار شاه هم از حد گذشت
It (the jurist's absence) became protracted, and how could he return (to the party)? The king's expectancy too passed beyond (all) bounds.
شاه آمد تا ببیند واقعه ** دید آن‌جا زلزله‌ی القارعه
The king came to see what had happened: he beheld there (what resembled) the commotion (on the Day) of Calamity.