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
None but God was the confidant of their secret, their sighs were breathed to Heaven alone.
راز را غیر خدا محرم نبود ** آه را جز آسمان هم‌دم نبود
They were using certain mystical terms among themselves in order to convey information.
اصطلاحاتی میان هم‌دگر ** داشتندی بهر ایراد خبر
The vulgar have learned this birds' language and (by means of it) have acquired prestige and authority.4010
زین لسان الطیر عام آموختند ** طمطراق و سروری اندوختند
That terminology is (only) the image (imitation) of the bird's voice: the uninitiated man is ignorant of the (inward) state of the birds.
صورت آواز مرغست آن کلام ** غافلست از حال مرغان مرد خام
Where is the Solomon who knows the birds' song? The demon, though he seize the kingdom (of Solomon), is an alien.
کو سلیمانی که داند لحن طیر ** دیو گرچه ملک گیرد هست غیر
The demon in the likeness of Solomon stood (in Solomon's place): he knows how to deceive, but he does not possess (the knowledge denoted by the words) we have been taught.
دیو بر شبه سلیمان کرد ایست ** علم مکرش هست و علمناش نیست
Inasmuch as Solomon was rejoiced exceedingly by (the favour of) God, he had a birds' language (derived) from we have been taught.
چون سلیمان از خدا بشاش بود ** منطق الطیری ز علمناش بود
Understand that you are a bird of the (common) air because you have not beheld the esoteric birds.4015
تو از آن مرغ هوایی فهم کن ** که ندیدستی طیور من لدن
The home of the Símurghs is beyond (Mt) Qáf: it is not (like) a hand-loom (easily accessible) to any imagination,
جای سیمرغان بود آن سوی قاف ** هر خیالی را نباشد دست‌باف
But only to the imagination that beholds it by chance and then, after the vision, is parted (from it)—
جز خیالی را که دید آن اتفاق ** آنگهش بعدالعیان افتد فراق
Not a parting that involves severance, (but a parting) for a wise purpose; for that high estate is secure from every (real) parting.
نه فراق قطع بهر مصلحت ** که آمنست از هر فراق آن منقبت
In order to preserve the spiritual body the (Divine) Sun for a time withdraws (His beams) from the snow.
بهر استبقاء آن روحی جسد ** آفتاب از برف یک‌دم درکشد
Seek good for thy soul from them (who have attained unto God): beware, do not steal mystical expressions from their language.4020
بهر جان خویش جو زیشان صلاح ** هین مدزد از حرف ایشان اصطلاح
Zalíkhá had applied to Joseph the name of everything, from rue-seed to aloeswood.
آن زلیخا از سپندان تا به عود ** نام جمله چیز یوسف کرده بود
She concealed his name in (all other) names and made the inner meaning thereof known to (none but her) confidants.
نام او در نامها مکتوم کرد ** محرمان را سر آن معلوم کرد
When she said, “The wax is softened by the fire,” this meant, “My beloved is very fond of me.”
چون بگفتی موم ز آتش نرم شد ** این بدی کان یار با ما گرم شد
And if she said, “Look, the moon is risen”; or if she said, “The willow-bough is green (with new leaves)”;
ور بگفتی مه برآمد بنگرید ** ور بگفتی سبز شد آن شاخ بید
Or if she said, “The leaves are quivering mightily”; or if she said, “The rue-seed is burning merrily”;4025