And if a fire should dart its flames at the kernel, know that ’tis in order to cook it, not to burn it.
ور بود بر مغز ناری شعله‌زن ** بهر پختن دان نه بهر سوختن
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.3930
تا که باشد حق حکیم این قاعده ** مستمر دان در گذشته و نامده
The pure kernels and (also) the husks are pardoned by Him: how, then, should He burn the kernel? Far (be it) from Him!
مغز نغز و قشرها مغفور ازو ** مغز را پس چون بسوزد دور ازو
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;
از عنایت گر بکوبد بر سرش ** اشتها آید شراب احمرش
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.
ور نکوبد ماند او بسته‌دهان ** چون فقیه از شرب و بزم این شهان
The king said to his cup-bearer, “O well-conducted (youth), why art thou silent? Give (it him) and put him in good humour.”
گفت شه با ساقیش ای نیک‌پی ** چه خموشی ده به طبعش آر هی
Over every mind there is a hidden Ruler, (who) cunningly diverts from his purpose whomsoever He will.3935
هست پنهان حاکمی بر هر خرد ** هرکه را خواهد به فن از سر برد
The sun in the East and his radiance are bound like captives in His chain.
آفتاب مشرق و تنویر او ** چون اسیران بسته در زنجیر او
He causes the (celestial) sphere to revolve immediately when He chants half of a cunning spell in its brain.
چرخ را چرخ اندر آرد در زمن ** چون بخواند در دماغش نیم فن
The mind which dominates another mind has (obtains) the dice (of victory) from Him: He is the Master-player.
عقل کو عقل دگر را سخره کرد ** مهره زو دارد ویست استاد نرد
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.
چند سیلی بر سرش زد گفت گیر ** در کشید از بیم سیلی آن زحیر
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.3940
مست گشت و شاد و خندان شد چو باغ ** در ندیمی و مضاحک رفت و لاغ
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.]
شیرگیر و خوش شد انگشتک بزد ** سوی مبرز رفت تا میزک کند
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.]
یک کنیزک بود در مبرز چو ماه ** سخت زیبا و ز قرناقان شاه
When he espied her, his mouth gaped in amazement, his reason fled and his body was ready for violence.
چون بدید او را دهانش باز ماند ** عقل رفت و تن ستم‌پرداز ماند
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.]
عمرها بوده عزب مشتاق و مست ** بر کنیزک در زمان در زد دو دست
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.]3945
بس طپید آن دختر و نعره فراشت ** بر نیامد با وی و سودی نداشت
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.]
زن به دست مرد در وقت لقا ** چون خمیر آمد به دست نانبا
He kneads it now gently, now roughly, and makes it groan under (the thumps of) his fist;
بسرشد گاهیش نرم و گه درشت ** زو بر آرد چاق چاقی زیر مشت
Now he draws it out flat on a board (rolling-pin), now for a bit he rolls it up;
گاه پهنش واکشد بر تخته‌ای ** درهمش آرد گهی یک لخته‌ای
Now he pours water on it and now salt: he puts it to the ordeal of oven and fire.
گاه در وی ریزد آب و گه نمک ** از تنور و آتشش سازد محک
Thus are the sought and the seeker intertwined: (both) the conquered and the conqueror are (engaged) in this sport. 3950
این چنین پیچند مطلوب و طلوب ** اندرین لعبند مغلوب و غلوب
This sport is not between husband and wife only: this is the practice of everything that is loved and loves.
این لعب تنها نه شو را با زنست ** هر عشیق و عاشقی را این فنست
A mutual embracing, like (that of) Wís and Rámín, is obligatory (Divinely ordained) between eternal and non-eternal and between substance and accident;
از قدیم و حادث و عین و عرض ** پیچشی چون ویس و رامین مفترض
But the sport is of a different character in each case: the embracing is for a different reason in each instance.
لیک لعب هر یکی رنگی دگر ** پیچش هر یک ز فرهنگی دگر