The sword is that (same) sword, the man is not that (same) man; but this appearance (of identity) is a cause of bewilderment to you.
تیغ آن تیغست مرد آن مرد نیست ** لیک این صورت ترا حیران کنیست
When the soul is transformed, this sword, namely, the body, remains in the hand of (is wielded by) the action of the Beneficent (God).
نفس چون مبدل شود این تیغ تن ** باشد اندر دست صنع ذوالمنن
The one (whose fleshly soul is dead) is a man whose food is entirely (Divine) love; the other is a man hollow as dust.3830
آن یکی مردیست قوتش جمله درد ** این دگر مردی میان‌تی هم‌چو گرد
How an informer described a girl and exhibited the picture of her on paper, and how the Caliph of Egypt fell in love with it and sent an Amír with a mighty army to the gates of Mawsil (Mosul) and made great slaughter and devastation for the purpose (of obtaining the girl).
صفت کردن مرد غماز و نمودن صورت کنیزک مصور در کاغذ و عاشق شدن خلیفه‌ی مصر بر آن صورت و فرستادن خلیفه امیری را با سپاه گران بدر موصل و قتل و ویرانی بسیار کردن بهر این غرض
An informer said to the Caliph of Egypt, “The King of Mawsil is wedded to a houri.
مر خلیفه‌ی مصر را غماز گفت ** که شه موصل به حوری گشت جفت
He holds in his arms a girl like whom there is no (other) beauty in the world.
یک کنیزک دارد او اندر کنار ** که به عالم نیست مانندش نگار
She does not admit of description, for her loveliness is beyond (all) limits: here is her portrait on paper.”
در بیان ناید که حسنش بی‌حدست ** نقش او اینست که اندر کاغذست
When the Emperor saw the portrait on the paper, he became distraught and the cup dropped from his hand.
نقش در کاغذ چو دید آن کیقباد ** خیره گشت و جام از دستش فتاد
Immediately he despatched to Mawsil a captain with a very mighty army,3835
پهلوانی را فرستاد آن زمان ** سوی موصل با سپاه بس گران
Saying, “If he will not give up that moon (beauty) to thee, rase his court and palace to the ground;
که اگر ندهد به تو آن ماه را ** برکن از بن آن در و درگاه را
But if he give her up, leave him alone and bring the moon (hither), that on the earth I may embrace the moon.”
ور دهد ترکش کن و مه را بیار ** تا کشم من بر زمین مه در کنار
The captain set out towards Mawsil with his retinue and with thousands of heroes and drums and banners.
پهلوان شد سوی موصل با حشم ** با هزاران رستم و طبل و علم
(With an army) like innumerable locusts (gathered) round the crops, he resolved to destroy the inhabitants of the city.
چون ملخها بی‌عدد بر گرد کشت ** قاصد اهلاک اهل شهر گشت
On every side he brought into hostile action a mangonel (ballista) like Mount Qáf.3840
هر نواحی منجنیقی از نبرد ** هم‌چو کوه قاف او بر کار کرد
Wounds (were inflicted) by arrows and by stones from the mangonel; swords (flashed) amidst the dust, like lightning from a lightning-cloud.
زخم تیر و سنگهای منجنیق ** تیغها در گرد چون برق از بریق
During a (whole) week he wrought such carnage in hot fight: stone towers became unsteady as soft wax.
هفته‌ای کرد این چنین خون‌ریز گرم ** برج سنگین سست شد چون موم نرم
The King of Mawsil saw the terrible combat: then (at last) he sent an envoy from within (the city) to him (the captain),
شاه موصل دید پیگار مهول ** پس فرستاد از درون پیشش رسول
To say, “What do you wish (to obtain) by shedding the blood of true believers? They are being killed in this grievous war.
که چه می‌خواهی ز خون مؤمنان ** کشته می‌گردند زین حرب گران
If your object is to gain possession of the city of Mawsil, look now, it is achieved without (any more) bloodshed like this.3845
گر مرادت ملک شهر موصلست ** بی‌چنین خون‌ریز اینت حاصلست
I will go forth from the city: here it is for you, enter in, lest the blood of the oppressed lay hold of you (and demand vengeance);
من روم بیرون شهر اینک در آ ** تا نگیرد خون مظلومان ترا
And if your object is riches and gold and jewels, this is even more easy than to take possession of the city.”
ور مرادت مال و زر و گوهرست ** این ز ملک شهر خود آسان‌ترست
How the lord of Mawsil surrendered the girl to the Caliph in order that there might be no more shedding of Moslem blood.
ایثار کردن صاحب موصل آن کنیزک را بدین خلیفه تا خون‌ریز مسلمانان بیشتر نشود
When the envoy came to the captain, he (the captain) gave him the paper on which the features (of the girl) were depicted,
چون رسول آمد به پیش پهلوان ** داد کاغذ اندرو نقش و نشان
(Saying), “Look on the paper: this (is what) I require. Hark, give (her up), or else (I will take her by force, for) I am the conqueror.”
بنگر اندر کاغذ این را طالبم ** هین بده ورنه کنون من غالبم
On the return of the envoy, that manly King said, “Take no account of a (mere) form, lead her away at once.3850
چون رسول آمد بگفت آن شاه نر ** صورتی کم گیر زود این را ببر
I am not an idolater in the epoch of the true Faith: ’tis more fit that the idol should be in the hands of the idolater.”
من نیم در عهد ایمان بت‌پرست ** بت بر آن بت‌پرست اولیترست
When the envoy brought her (to him), the captain straightway fell in love with her beauty.
چونک آوردش رسول آن پهلوان ** گشت عاشق بر جمالش آن زمان