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.
آن فقیه از بیم برجست و برفت ** سوی مجلس جام را بربود تفت
The jurist sprang up in terror and fled to the banquet-hall and hastily seized the wine-cup.
شه چون دوزخ پر شرار و پر نکال ** تشنه‌ی خون دو جفت بدفعال 3965
The king, full of fire and fury like Hell, was thirsting for the blood of the guilty pair.
چون فقیهش دید رخ پر خشم و قهر ** تلخ و خونی گشته هم‌چون جام زهر
When the jurist saw his enraged and wrathful countenance, which had become bitter and murderous as a cup of poison,
بانگ زد بر ساقیش که ای گرم‌دار ** چه نشستی خیره ده در طبعش آر
He shouted to his cup-bearer, “O solicitous (attendant), why do you sit (there) dumbfounded? Give (him wine) and put him in good humour!”
خنده آمد شاه را گفت ای کیا ** آمدم با طبع آن دختر ترا
The king laughed and said, “O sir, I am restored to my good humour: the girl is thine.
پادشاهم کار من عدلست و داد ** زان خورم که یار را جودم بداد
I am the king: my business is (to show) justice and bounty: I drink of that which my munificence bestowed on my friend.
آنچ آن را من ننوشم هم‌چو نوش ** کی دهم در خورد یار و خویش و توش 3970
How should I give friend and kinsman for food and drink what I (myself) would not (eat and) drink as (gladly as) honey?
زان خورانم من غلامان را که من ** می‌خورم بر خوان خاص خویشتن
I let my pages eat and drink of that which I eat and drink at my own private table.
زان خورانم بندگان را از طعام ** که خورم من خود ز پخته یا ز خام
I give my slaves the same food, cooked or raw, as I eat myself.
من چو پوشم از خز و اطلس لباس ** زان بپوشانم حشم را نه پلاس
When I put on a robe of silk or satin, I clothe my retainers in the same (fabric), not in coarse woollen garments.
شرم دارم از نبی ذو فنون ** البسوهم گفت مما تلبسون
I feel reverence for the all-accomplished Prophet, who said, ‘Clothe them in that wherewith ye clothe yourselves.’
مصطفی کرد این وصیت با بنون ** اطعموا الاذناب مما تاکلون 3975
Mustafá (Mohammed) gave his (spiritual) sons this injunction —Feed your dependents with what ye eat (yourselves).’”
دیگران را بس به طبع آورده‌ای ** در صبوری چست و راغب کرده‌ای
You have often restored others to a good disposition: you have made them ready and willing to show fortitude.
هم به طبع‌آور بمردی خویش را ** پیشوا کن عقل صبراندیش را
(Now) manfully restore yourself too to (that) disposition: take the reason that meditates on fortitude as your guide.
چون قلاووزی صبرت پر شود ** جان به اوج عرش و کرسی بر شود
When the guidance of fortitude becomes a wing for you, your spirit will soar to the zenith of the (Divine) Throne and Footstool.
مصطفی بین که چو صبرش شد براق ** بر کشانیدش به بالای طباق
See, when fortitude became a Buráq for him, how it carried Mustafá (Mohammed) up to the top of the (celestial) spheres.
روان گشتن شاه‌زادگان بعد از تمام بحث و ماجرا به جانب ولایت چین سوی معشوق و مقصود تا به قدر امکان به مقصود نزدیک‌تر باشند اگر چه راه وصل مسدودست به قدر امکان نزدیک‌تر شدن محمودست الی آخره
How, after full discussion and debate, the princes set out for the province of China towards their beloved and the object (of their desire), in order that they might be as near as possible to that object; (for) although the way to union is barred, ’tis praiseworthy to approach as near as is possible.
این بگفتند و روان گشتند زود ** هر چه بود ای یار من آن لحظه بود 3980
They said this and immediately set out: O my friend, everything that was (to be gained) was (gained) at that moment.
صبر بگزیدند و صدیقین شدند ** بعد از آن سوی بلاد چین شدند
They chose fortitude (as their guide) and became true witnesses; then they set off towards the land of China.
والدین و ملک را بگذاشتند ** راه معشوق نهان بر داشتند
They left their parents and kingdom, they took the way to the hidden beloved.
هم‌چو ابراهیم ادهم از سریر ** عشقشان بی‌پا و سر کرد و فقیر
Like Ibráhím son of Adham, Love (banished them) from the throne (and) made them footless and headless and destitute.
یا چو ابراهیم مرسل سرخوشی ** خویش را افکند اندر آتشی
Either, like Abraham who was sent (as a prophet), one intoxicated (with love) cast himself into a fire,
یا چو اسمعیل صبار مجید ** پیش عشق و خنجرش حلقی کشید 3985
Or, like the much-enduring and glorious Ismá‘íl (Ishmael), offered a throat to Love and his dagger.
حکایت امرء القیس کی پادشاه عرب بود و به صورت عظیم به جمال بود یوسف وقت خود بود و زنان عرب چون زلیخا مرده‌ی او و او شاعر طبع قفا نبک من ذکری حبیب و منزل چون همه زنان او را به جان می‌جستند ای عجب غزل او و ناله‌ی او بهر چه بود مگر دانست کی این‌ها همه تمثال صورتی‌اند کی بر تخته‌های خاک نقش کرده‌اند عاقبت این امرء القیس را حالی پیدا شد کی نیم‌شب از ملک و فرزند گریخت و خود را در دلقی پنهان کرد و از آن اقلیم به اقلیم دیگر رفت در طلب آن کس کی از اقلیم منزه است یختص برحمته من یشاء الی آخره
Story of Imra’u ’l-Qays, who was the king of the Arabs and exceedingly handsome: he was the Joseph of his time, and the Arab women were desperately in love with him, like Zalíkhá (with Joseph). He had the poetic genius (and composed the ode beginning)— “Halt, let us weep in memory of a beloved and a dwelling-place.” Since all the women desired him with (heart and) soul, one may well wonder what was the object of his love-songs and lamentations. Surely he knew that all these (beauteous forms) are copies of a (unique) picture which have been drawn (by the Artist) on frames of earth. At last there came to this Imra’u ’l-Qays such a (spiritual) experience that in the middle of the night he fled from his kingdom and children and concealed himself in the garb of a dervish and wandered from that clime to another clime in search of Him who transcends all climes: “He chooseth for His mercy whom He will”; and so forth.
امرء القیس از ممالک خشک‌لب ** هم کشیدش عشق از خطه‌ی عرب
Imra’u ’l-Qays was weary of his empire: Love carried him away from the country of the Arabs,
تا بیامد خشت می‌زد در تبوک ** با ملک گفتند شاهی از ملوک
So that he came and worked as a brick-maker at Tabúk. The king was told that a royal personage,
امرء القیس آمدست این‌جا به کد ** در شکار عشق و خشتی می‌زند
Imra’u ’l-Qays (by name), having fallen a prey to Love, had come thither and was making bricks by (his own) labour.
آن ملک برخاست شب شد پیش او ** گفته او را ای ملیک خوب‌رو
The king rose up and went to him at night and said to him, “O king of beauteous countenance,
یوسف وقتی دو ملکت شد کمال ** مر ترا رام از بلاد و از جمال 3990
Thou art the Joseph of the age. Two empires have become entirely subject to thee—(one), of the territories (under thy sway), and (the other), of Beauty.
گشته مردان بندگان از تیغ تو ** وان زنان ملک مه بی‌میغ تو
Men are enslaved by thy sword, while women are the chattels of thy cloudless moon.
پیش ما باشی تو بخت ما بود ** جان ما از وصل تو صد جان شود
(If) thou wilt dwell with me, ’twill be my fortune: by union with thee my soul will be made (equal to) a hundred (enraptured) souls.
هم من و هم ملک من مملوک تو ** ای به همت ملک‌ها متروک تو
Both I (myself) and my kingdom are thine to hold as thine own, O thou who in high aspiration hast abandoned kingdoms!”
فلسفه گفتش بسی و او خموش ** ناگهان وا کرد از سر روی‌پوش
He reasoned with him for a long time, and he (Imra’u ’l-Qays) kept silence, (till) suddenly he unveiled the mystery.
تا چه گفتش او به گوش از عشق و درد ** هم‌چو خود در حال سرگردانش کرد 3995
Think what (secrets) of love and passion he (must have) whispered into his ear! Immediately he made him a crazy wanderer like himself.
دست او بگرفت و با او یار شد ** او هم از تخت و کمر بیزار شد
He (the king of Tabúk) took his hand and accompanied him: he too renounced his throne and (royal) belt.
تا بلاد دور رفتند این دو شه ** عشق یک کرت نکردست این گنه
These two kings went to distant lands: not once (only) has Love committed this crime.
بر بزرگان شهد و بر طفلانست شیر ** او بهر کشتی بود من الاخیر
It (Love) is honey for the grown-up and milk for children: for every boat it is (like) the last bale (which causes the boat to founder).
غیر این دو بس ملوک بی‌شمار ** عشقشان از ملک بربود و تبار
Besides these two, many kings, (kings) beyond number, hath Love torn from their kingdoms and families.