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
So that he came and worked as a brick-maker at Tabúk. The king was told that a royal personage,
تا بیامد خشت می‌زد در تبوک ** با ملک گفتند شاهی از ملوک
Imra’u ’l-Qays (by name), having fallen a prey to Love, had come thither and was making bricks by (his own) labour.
امرء القیس آمدست این‌جا به کد ** در شکار عشق و خشتی می‌زند
The king rose up and went to him at night and said to him, “O king of beauteous countenance,
آن ملک برخاست شب شد پیش او ** گفته او را ای ملیک خوب‌رو
Thou art the Joseph of the age. Two empires have become entirely subject to thee—(one), of the territories (under thy sway), and (the other), of Beauty.3990
یوسف وقتی دو ملکت شد کمال ** مر ترا رام از بلاد و از جمال
Men are enslaved by thy sword, while women are the chattels of thy cloudless moon.
گشته مردان بندگان از تیغ تو ** وان زنان ملک مه بی‌میغ تو
(If) thou wilt dwell with me, ’twill be my fortune: by union with thee my soul will be made (equal to) a hundred (enraptured) souls.
پیش ما باشی تو بخت ما بود ** جان ما از وصل تو صد جان شود
Both I (myself) and my kingdom are thine to hold as thine own, O thou who in high aspiration hast abandoned kingdoms!”
هم من و هم ملک من مملوک تو ** ای به همت ملک‌ها متروک تو
He reasoned with him for a long time, and he (Imra’u ’l-Qays) kept silence, (till) suddenly he unveiled the mystery.
فلسفه گفتش بسی و او خموش ** ناگهان وا کرد از سر روی‌پوش
Think what (secrets) of love and passion he (must have) whispered into his ear! Immediately he made him a crazy wanderer like himself.3995
تا چه گفتش او به گوش از عشق و درد ** هم‌چو خود در حال سرگردانش کرد
He (the king of Tabúk) took his hand and accompanied him: he too renounced his throne and (royal) belt.
دست او بگرفت و با او یار شد ** او هم از تخت و کمر بیزار شد
These two kings went to distant lands: not once (only) has Love committed this crime.
تا بلاد دور رفتند این دو شه ** عشق یک کرت نکردست این گنه
It (Love) is honey for the grown-up and milk for children: for every boat it is (like) the last bale (which causes the boat to founder).
بر بزرگان شهد و بر طفلانست شیر ** او بهر کشتی بود من الاخیر
Besides these two, many kings, (kings) beyond number, hath Love torn from their kingdoms and families.
غیر این دو بس ملوک بی‌شمار ** عشقشان از ملک بربود و تبار
The souls of these three princes also were roaming around China in every direction, like birds picking up grain.4000
جان این سه شه‌بچه هم گرد چین ** هم‌چو مرغان گشته هر سو دانه‌چین
They durst not open their lips to utter the thoughts hidden (in their hearts), because it was a perilous and grave secret.
زهره نی تا لب گشایند از ضمیر ** زانک رازی با خطر بود و خطیر
A hundred thousand heads (go) for a farthing at the moment (when) Love strings his bow in anger.
صد هزاران سر بپولی آن زمان ** عشق خشم آلوده زه کرده کمان
Even without anger, at the time when he is well-pleased, Love is always accustomed to kill recklessly.
عشق خود بی‌خشم در وقت خوشی ** خوی دارد دم به دم خیره‌کشی
This is (his habit) at the moment when he is contented: how shall I describe (what he does) when he is angered?
این بود آن لحظه کو خشنود شد ** من چه گویم چونک خشم‌آلود شد
But may the soul's pasture be the ransom for his (Love's) lion who is killed by this Love and his scimitar!4005
لیک مرج جان فدای شیر او ** کش کشد این عشق و این شمشیر او
(’Tis) a killing better than a thousand lives: (all) sovereignties are mortally enamoured of this servitude.
کشتنی به از هزاران زندگی ** سلطنت‌ها مرده‌ی این بندگی
They (the princes) were telling each other their secrets allusively in low tones with a hundred fears and precautions.
با کنایت رازها با هم‌دگر ** پست گفتندی به صد خوف و حذر