(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
(And that) the fierce lion from the covert was bounding twenty ells into the air, like billows of the sea.3885
شیر نر گنبذ همی‌کرد از لغز ** در هوا چون موج دریا بیست گز
The captain was manful and intrepid: he advanced, like a furious lion, to meet the lion.
پهلوان مردانه بود و بی‌حذر ** پیش شیر آمد چو شیر مست نر
He smote (it) with his sword and clove its head; (then) at once he hastened (back) to the tent of the beauty.
زد به شمشیر و سرش را بر شکافت ** زود سوی خیمه‌ی مه‌رو شتافت
Ubi sese puellae formosissimae ostendit, penis ejus itidem erectus erat. [When he showed himself to the hourí (lovely woman), his (organ of) manhood was erect in the same manner (as before).]
چونک خود را او بدان حوری نمود ** مردی او هم‌چنین بر پای بود
Pugna congressus erat cum tali leone: penis ejus erectus manebat nec languore jacuerat. [He joined in battle with such a lion: (yet) his manhood remained erect and did not rest (go limp).]
با چنان شیری به چالش گشت جفت ** مردی او مانده بر پای و نخفت
Illa diva, facie venusta lunae simili praedita, virilitatis ejus admiratione obstupuit. [That moon-faced idol, sweet of countenance, was amazed at his manhood.]3890
آن بت شیرین‌لقای ماه‌رو ** در عجب در ماند از مردی او
Protinus cum eo magna cupidine coivit: illae duae animae statim unitae evaserunt. [She joined with him (eagerly) in that moment with lust: those two souls immediately became united.]
جفت شد با او به شهوت آن زمان ** متحد گشتند حالی آن دو جان
Through the union of these two souls with one another, there will come to them from the Unseen World another soul.
ز اتصال این دو جان با همدگر ** می‌رسد از غیبشان جانی دگر
It will appear by the road of birth, if there be naught to waylay (prevent) its conception.
رو نماید از طریق زادنی ** گر نباشد از علوقش ره‌زنی
Wherever two persons unite in a love or hate, a third will certainly be born;
هر کجا دو کس به مهری یا به کین ** جمع آید ثالثی زاید یقین
But those forms are born in the Unseen World: when you go thither, you will see them in (clear) view.3895
لیک اندر غیب زاید آن صور ** چون روی آن سو ببینی در نظر
That progeny is born of your associations: beware, do not rejoice too soon in any associate.
آن نتایج از قرانات تو زاد ** هین مگرد از هر قرینی زود شاد
Remain in expectation of the appointed time (of meeting): recognise the truth of the (Divine) promise that the offspring shall join (their parents);
منتظر می‌باش آن میقات را ** صدق دان الحاق ذریات را
For they are born of action and causes: each one hath form and speech and dwelling-place.
کز عمل زاییده‌اند و از علل ** هر یکی را صورت و نطق و طلل
Their cry is coming (to you) from those delightful bowers— “O thou who hast forgotten us, hark, come with all speed!”
The soul (spiritual result) of (every) man and woman is waiting (for them) in the Unseen: why are you delaying? Step forward at once (on the way).3900
منتظر در غیب جان مرد و زن ** مول مولت چیست زوتر گام زن
He (the captain) lost his way and, (beguiled) by that false dawn, fell like a gnat into the pot of buttermilk.
راه گم کرد او از آن صبح دروغ ** چون مگس افتاد اندر دیگ دوغ
How that military chief repented of the sin which he had committed and adjured the girl not to tell the Caliph anything of what had happened.
پشیمان شدن آن سرلشکر از آن خیانت کی کرد و سوگند دادن او آن کنیزک را کی به خلیفه باز نگوید از آنچ رفت
He was absorbed in that (love-affair) for a while, (but) afterwards he repented of that grievous crime,
چند روزی هم بر آن بد بعد از آن ** شد پشیمان او از آن جرم گران
And adjured her, saying, “O thou whose face is like the sun, do not give the Caliph any hint of what has passed.”
داد سوگندش کای خورشیدرو ** با خلیفه زینچ شد رمزی مگو
When the Caliph saw her he became distraught (with love), and then too his secret was exposed to all.
چون ندید او را خلیفه مست گشت ** پس ز بام افتاد او را نیز طشت
He saw (her to be) a hundred times as beautiful as he (the informer) had described her: how in sooth should seeing be like hearing?3905
دید صد چندان که وصفش کرده بود ** کی بود خود دیده مانند شنود
Description is a picture (drawn) for the eye of intelligence: know that the (sensible) form belongs to the eye, not to the ear.
وصف تصویرست بهر چشم هوش ** صورت آن چشم دان نه زان گوش
A certain man asked an eloquent person, “What are truth and falsehood, O man of goodly discourse?”
کرد مردی از سخن‌دانی سال ** حق و باطل چیست ای نیکو مقال
He took hold of his ear and said, “This is false: the eye is true and possesses certainty.”
گوش را بگرفت و گفت این باطلست ** چشم حقست و یقینش حاصلست
The former is relatively false as compared with the latter: most sayings are relative, O trusty one.
آن به نسبت باطل آمد پیش این ** نسبتست اغلب سخنها ای امین
If the bat screens itself from the sun, (yet) it is not screened from the fancy (idea) of the sun.3910
ز آفتاب ار کرد خفاش احتجاب ** نیست محجوب از خیال آفتاب
Even the fancy (idea) of it (the sun) puts fear into it (the bat): that fancy leads it towards the darkness.
خوف او را خود خیالش می‌دهد ** آن خیالش سوی ظلمت می‌کشد
That fancy (idea) of the light terrifies it and causes it to become attached to the night of gloom.
آن خیال نور می‌ترساندش ** بر شب ظلمات می‌چفساندش
’Tis from the fancy (idea) and the picture (thou hast formed) of thy enemy that thou hast become attached to thy comrade and friend.
از خیال دشمن و تصویر اوست ** که تو بر چفسیده‌ای بر یار و دوست
O Moses, the revelation given to thee illumined the mountain, (but) the fancy conceiving (mountain) could not endure thy real experience (of the revelation).
موسیا کشفت لمع بر که فراشت ** آن مخیل تاب تحقیقت نداشت
Hark, be not deluded by (the belief) that thou art able to conceive the fancy (idea) thereof and by this means canst attain (to the reality).3915
هین مشو غره بدانک قابلی ** مر خیالش را و زین ره واصلی
No one was ever terrified by the (mere) fancy (idea) of war: there is no bravery before (actual) war. Know this, and ’tis enough.
از خیال حرب نهراسید کس ** لا شجاعه قبل حرب این دان و بس
(Possessed) with the fancy (idea) of war, the poltroon makes, in his thoughts, a hundred heroic attacks (on the enemy).
بر خیال حرب خیز اندر فکر ** می‌کند چون رستمان صد کر و فر