- 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
- The captain deemed (what was really) a pit to be like a (safe) road: to him the sterile soil appeared goodly, (so) he sowed seed (in it). 3860
- پهلوان چه را چو ره پنداشته ** شورهاش خوش آمده حب کاشته