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
This is said as a parable for husband and wife, meaning, “O husband, do not dismiss thy wife unkindly.
شوی و زن را گفته شد بهر مثال ** که مکن ای شوی زن را بد گسیل
On thy wedding-night did not the bridesmaid place her (the wife's) hand in thy hand as a goodly trust?3955
آن شب گردک نه ینگا دست او ** خوش امانت داد اندر دست تو
For the evil or good which thou doest unto her, O man worthy of confidence, God will do (the same) unto thee.”
کانچ با او تو کنی ای معتمد ** از بد و نیکی خدا با تو کند
To resume, on this occasion this jurist was so beside himself that neither continence nor asceticism remained to him.
حاصل این‌جا این فقیه از بی‌خودی ** نه عفیفی ماندش و نه زاهدی
The jurist threw himself on the nymph: his fire caught hold of her cotton.
آن فقیه افتاد بر آن حورزاد ** آتش او اندر آن پنبه فتاد
Anima cum anima conjuncta est, corpora mutuo amplexu implicata tanquam duae aves abscissis capitibus tremebant. [Soul was joined to soul and (their) bodies strove (in mutual embrace), trembling like two decapitated birds.]
جان به جان پیوست و قالب‌ها چخید ** چون دو مرغ سربریده می‌طپید
What (to them) was the wine-party or the king or Arslán (the Turkish slave)? What (to them) was modesty or religion or fear and dread of (losing) their lives?3960
چه سقایه چه ملک چه ارسلان ** چه حیا چه دین چه بیم و خوف جان
Their eyes were contorted like (the letters) ‘ayn and ghayn: here neither Hasan nor Husayn is seen distinctly.
چشمشان افتاده اندر عین و غین ** نه حسن پیداست این‌جا نه حسین
It (the jurist's absence) became protracted, and how could he return (to the party)? The king's expectancy too passed beyond (all) bounds.
شد دراز و کو طریق بازگشت ** انتظار شاه هم از حد گذشت
The king came to see what had happened: he beheld there (what resembled) the commotion (on the Day) of Calamity.
شاه آمد تا ببیند واقعه ** دید آن‌جا زلزله‌ی القارعه
The jurist sprang up in terror and fled to the banquet-hall and hastily seized the wine-cup.
آن فقیه از بیم برجست و برفت ** سوی مجلس جام را بربود تفت
The king, full of fire and fury like Hell, was thirsting for the blood of the guilty pair.3965
شه چون دوزخ پر شرار و پر نکال ** تشنه‌ی خون دو جفت بدفعال
When the jurist saw his enraged and wrathful countenance, which had become bitter and murderous as a cup of poison,
چون فقیهش دید رخ پر خشم و قهر ** تلخ و خونی گشته هم‌چون جام زهر
He shouted to his cup-bearer, “O solicitous (attendant), why do you sit (there) dumbfounded? Give (him wine) and put him in good humour!”
بانگ زد بر ساقیش که ای گرم‌دار ** چه نشستی خیره ده در طبعش آر
The king laughed and said, “O sir, I am restored to my good humour: the girl is thine.
خنده آمد شاه را گفت ای کیا ** آمدم با طبع آن دختر ترا
I am the king: my business is (to show) justice and bounty: I drink of that which my munificence bestowed on my friend.
پادشاهم کار من عدلست و داد ** زان خورم که یار را جودم بداد
How should I give friend and kinsman for food and drink what I (myself) would not (eat and) drink as (gladly as) honey?3970
آنچ آن را من ننوشم هم‌چو نوش ** کی دهم در خورد یار و خویش و توش
I let my pages eat and drink of that which I eat and drink at my own private table.
زان خورانم من غلامان را که من ** می‌خورم بر خوان خاص خویشتن
I give my slaves the same food, cooked or raw, as I eat myself.
زان خورانم بندگان را از طعام ** که خورم من خود ز پخته یا ز خام
When I put on a robe of silk or satin, I clothe my retainers in the same (fabric), not in coarse woollen garments.
من چو پوشم از خز و اطلس لباس ** زان بپوشانم حشم را نه پلاس
I feel reverence for the all-accomplished Prophet, who said, ‘Clothe them in that wherewith ye clothe yourselves.’
شرم دارم از نبی ذو فنون ** البسوهم گفت مما تلبسون
Mustafá (Mohammed) gave his (spiritual) sons this injunction —Feed your dependents with what ye eat (yourselves).’”3975
مصطفی کرد این وصیت با بنون ** اطعموا الاذناب مما تاکلون
You have often restored others to a good disposition: you have made them ready and willing to show fortitude.
دیگران را بس به طبع آورده‌ای ** در صبوری چست و راغب کرده‌ای
(Now) manfully restore yourself too to (that) disposition: take the reason that meditates on fortitude as your guide.
هم به طبع‌آور بمردی خویش را ** پیشوا کن عقل صبراندیش را
When the guidance of fortitude becomes a wing for you, your spirit will soar to the zenith of the (Divine) Throne and Footstool.
چون قلاووزی صبرت پر شود ** جان به اوج عرش و کرسی بر شود
See, when fortitude became a Buráq for him, how it carried Mustafá (Mohammed) up to the top of the (celestial) spheres.
مصطفی بین که چو صبرش شد براق ** بر کشانیدش به بالای طباق
How, after full discussion and debate, the princes set out for the province of China towards their beloved and the object (of their desire), in order that they might be as near as possible to that object; (for) although the way to union is barred, ’tis praiseworthy to approach as near as is possible.
روان گشتن شاه‌زادگان بعد از تمام بحث و ماجرا به جانب ولایت چین سوی معشوق و مقصود تا به قدر امکان به مقصود نزدیک‌تر باشند اگر چه راه وصل مسدودست به قدر امکان نزدیک‌تر شدن محمودست الی آخره
They said this and immediately set out: O my friend, everything that was (to be gained) was (gained) at that moment.3980
این بگفتند و روان گشتند زود ** هر چه بود ای یار من آن لحظه بود
They chose fortitude (as their guide) and became true witnesses; then they set off towards the land of China.
صبر بگزیدند و صدیقین شدند ** بعد از آن سوی بلاد چین شدند
They left their parents and kingdom, they took the way to the hidden beloved.
والدین و ملک را بگذاشتند ** راه معشوق نهان بر داشتند
Like Ibráhím son of Adham, Love (banished them) from the throne (and) made them footless and headless and destitute.
هم‌چو ابراهیم ادهم از سریر ** عشقشان بی‌پا و سر کرد و فقیر
Either, like Abraham who was sent (as a prophet), one intoxicated (with love) cast himself into a fire,
یا چو ابراهیم مرسل سرخوشی ** خویش را افکند اندر آتشی
Or, like the much-enduring and glorious Ismá‘íl (Ishmael), offered a throat to Love and his dagger.3985
یا چو اسمعیل صبار مجید ** پیش عشق و خنجرش حلقی کشید
Story of Imra’u ’l-Qays, who was the king of the Arabs and exceedingly handsome: he was the Joseph of his time, and the Arab women were desperately in love with him, like Zalíkhá (with Joseph). He had the poetic genius (and composed the ode beginning)— “Halt, let us weep in memory of a beloved and a dwelling-place.” Since all the women desired him with (heart and) soul, one may well wonder what was the object of his love-songs and lamentations. Surely he knew that all these (beauteous forms) are copies of a (unique) picture which have been drawn (by the Artist) on frames of earth. At last there came to this Imra’u ’l-Qays such a (spiritual) experience that in the middle of the night he fled from his kingdom and children and concealed himself in the garb of a dervish and wandered from that clime to another clime in search of Him who transcends all climes: “He chooseth for His mercy whom He will”; and so forth.
حکایت امرء القیس کی پادشاه عرب بود و به صورت عظیم به جمال بود یوسف وقت خود بود و زنان عرب چون زلیخا مرده‌ی او و او شاعر طبع قفا نبک من ذکری حبیب و منزل چون همه زنان او را به جان می‌جستند ای عجب غزل او و ناله‌ی او بهر چه بود مگر دانست کی این‌ها همه تمثال صورتی‌اند کی بر تخته‌های خاک نقش کرده‌اند عاقبت این امرء القیس را حالی پیدا شد کی نیم‌شب از ملک و فرزند گریخت و خود را در دلقی پنهان کرد و از آن اقلیم به اقلیم دیگر رفت در طلب آن کس کی از اقلیم منزه است یختص برحمته من یشاء الی آخره
Imra’u ’l-Qays was weary of his empire: Love carried him away from the country of the Arabs,
امرء القیس از ممالک خشک‌لب ** هم کشیدش عشق از خطه‌ی عرب