- 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 
 
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Love is an (infinite) ocean, on which the heavens are (but) a flake of foam: (they are distraught) like Zalíkhá in desire for a Joseph.
- عشق بحری آسمان بر وی کفی  ** چون زلیخا در هوای یوسفی 
 
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Know that the wheeling heavens are turned by waves of Love: were it not for Love, the world would be frozen (inanimate).
- دور گردونها ز موج عشق دان  ** گر نبودی عشق بفسردی جهان 
 
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
                 
	         
	         
	         
	         
	         
		 
		 
		    
		    - How would an inorganic thing disappear (by change) into a plant? How would vegetive things sacrifice themselves to become (endowed with) spirit?   3855
- کی جمادی محو گشتی در نبات  ** کی فدای روح گشتی نامیات 
 
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - How would the spirit sacrifice itself for the sake of that Breath by the waft whereof a Mary was made pregnant?
- روح کی گشتی فدای آن دمی  ** کز نسیمش حامله شد مریمی 
 
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Each one (of them) would be (as) stiff and immovable as ice: how should they be flying and seeking like locusts?
- هر یکی بر جا ترنجیدی چو یخ  ** کی بدی پران و جویان چون ملخ 
 
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Every mote is in love with that Perfection and hastening upward like a sapling.
- ذره ذره عاشقان آن کمال  ** میشتابد در علو همچون نهال 
 
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Their haste is (saying implicitly) “Glory to God!” They are purifying the body for the sake of the spirit.
- سبح لله هست اشتابشان  ** تنقیهی تن میکنند از بهر جان