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
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
Dormiens cum (aliquis) simulacrum (amatae) in somnio videret, cum eo coivit et aqua (seminis) effusa est. [When the sleeper saw an image (of her) in a dream, he coupled with it and (seminal) fluid flowed from him.]
چون خیالی دید آن خفته به خواب ** جفت شد با آن و از وی رفت آب
Postquam somnium abscessit et ipse extemplo experrectus est, sensit illam pupam sibi jam vigilanti coram non adesse. [When the dream departed and he woke up at once, he saw that that doll was not (present) in wakefulness.]
چون برفت آن خواب و شد بیدار زود ** دید که آن لعبت به بیداری نبود
Dixit: “Eheu, aquam meam nihilo ingessi; eheu, dolosi illius (simulacri) dolum expertus sum.” [He said: “Alas! I have borne my fluid (sperm) for nothing. Alas! I have swallowed the coquetry of that artful schemer (image).]
گفت بر هیچ آب خود بردم دریغ ** عشوه‌ی آن عشوه‌ده خوردم دریغ
Fuit ille dux (nonnisi) corporis imperator, revera vir non fuit: virilatis semen in ejusmodi arena sevit. [That one was a captain of the body (only), he lacked (true) manliness: he sowed the seed of manliness in such (a place of) sand.]
پهلوان تن بد آن مردی نداشت ** تخم مردی در چنان ریگی بکاشت
The steed of his love tore up a hundred bridles: he (the captain) was shouting, “I care naught for death.3865
مرکب عشقش دریده صد لگام ** نعره می‌زد لا ابالی بالحمام
What should I care about the Caliph? (Since I am) in love, my life and death are the same to me.”
Prithee, do not sow with such ardour and heat: take counsel with a (spiritual) master.
این چنین سوزان و گرم آخر مکار ** مشورت کن با یکی خاوندگار
(But) where is counsel, where is reason, (when) the torrent of cupidity has extended its talons to destroy (them)?
مشورت کو عقل کو سیلاب آز ** در خرابی کرد ناخنها دراز
A barrier in front and a barrier behind; (but) he that is fascinated by a (lovely) cheek does not see (what is) before or behind.
بین ایدی سد و سوی خلف سد ** پیش و پس کم بیند آن مفتون خد
The black torrent comes to take his life, so that a fox may hurl a lion into the well (of destruction).3870
آمده در قصدجان سیل سیاه ** تا که روبه افکند شیری به چاه
Something (materially) non-existent causes a phantom to appear in a well, in order that it (the phantom) may cast into it lions (strong) as mountains.
از چهی بنموده معدومی خیال ** تا در اندازد اسودا کالجبال
Do not have any one intimate with thy womenfolk, for these two (the man and the woman) may be compared to cotton and sparks of fire.
هیچ‌کس را با زنان محرم مدار ** که مثال این دو پنبه‌ست و شرار
It needs a fire quenched by God's water, one that like Joseph holds fast (to God) in (the hour of) evil temptation,
آتشی باید بشسته ز آب حق ** هم‌چو یوسف معتصم اندر زهق
To withdraw itself (bravely) as lions from a charming Zalíkhá tall and slender as a cypress.
کز زلیخای لطیف سروقد ** هم‌چو شیران خویشتن را واکشد
He (the captain) turned back from Mawsil and went on his way till he encamped in a wooded meadowland.3875
بازگشت از موصل و می‌شد به راه ** تا فرود آمد به بیشه و مرج‌گاه
The fire of his love was blazing in such wise that he could not distinguish earth from heaven.
آتش عشقش فروزان آن چنان ** که نداند او زمین از آسمان
He sought to embrace that moon (beauty) in her tent: where (at that time) was his reason and his dread of the Caliph?
قصد آن مه کرد اندر خیمه او ** عقل کو و از خلیفه خوف کو
When lust beats the drum (of victory) in this vale, what is thy reason? A (worthless) radish and the son of a radish.
چون زند شهوت درین وادی دهل ** چیست عقل تو فجل ابن الفجل
To his fiery eye a hundred Caliphs seemed at that moment less than a gnat.
صد خلیفه گشته کمتر از مگس ** پیش چشم آتشینش آن نفس
Postquam ille feminarum cultor bracas exuit et inter crura mulieris recubavit, [When that adorer of women threw off (his) trousers and sat between the woman’s legs,]3880
چون برون انداخت شلوار و نشست ** در میان پای زن آن زن‌پرست
Quo tempore penis ejus ad sedem suam recte ibat, tumultus ingens et clamor militum exortus est. [When (his) penis went straight toward (her) seat (buttocks), a commotion and outcry arose from the army.]
چون ذکر سوی مقر می‌رفت راست ** رستخیز و غلغل از لشکر بخاست
Exsiliit et nudo podice in aciem (currebat), grasping a (flashing) scimitar in his hand. [He jumped up (and ran) naked of buttocks to the (army) ranks, grasping a fiery (flashing) scimitar in his hand.]
برجهید و کون‌برهنه سوی صف ** ذوالفقاری هم‌چو آتش او به کف
He saw that a fierce black lion from the jungle had suddenly rushed upon the centre of the army;
دید شیر نر سیه از نیستان ** بر زده بر قلب لشکر ناگهان
(That) the Arab horses were demoniacally excited, (that) every stable and tent was in confusion;
تازیان چون دیو در جوش آمده ** هر طویله و خیمه اندر هم زده