Poem

دفتر پنجم - بخش ۱۶۴ - صفت کردن مرد غماز و نمودن صورت کنیزک مصور در کاغذ و عاشق شدن خلیفهٔ مصر بر آن صورت و فرستادن خلیفه امیری را با سپاه گران بدر موصل و قتل و ویرانی بسیار کردن بهر این غرض / Book Five - Section 164 - How the informer described, and showed on paper the portrait of, the painted handmaiden; and how the Caliph of Egypt fell in love with that portrait and sent a commander with a mighty army to the gate of Mosul, causing great slaughter and devastation for this purpose

Original content

مر خلیفه مصر را غماز گفت
که شه موصل به حوری گشت جفت

یک کنیزک دارد او اندر کنار
که به عالم نیست مانندش نگار

در بیان ناید که حسنش بی حدست
نقش او اینست که اندر کاغذست

نقش در کاغذ چو دید آن کیقباد
خیره گشت و جام از دستش فتاد

پهلوانی را فرستاد آن زمان
سوی موصل با سپاه بس گران

که اگر ندهد به تو آن ماه را
برکن از بن آن در و درگاه را

ور دهد ترکش کن و مه را بیار
تا کشم من بر زمین مه در کنار

پهلوان شد سوی موصل با حشم
با هزاران رستم و طبل و علم

چون ملخها بی عدد بر گرد کشت
قاصد اهلاک اهل شهر گشت

هر نواحی منجنیقی از نبرد
هم چو کوه قاف او بر کار کرد

زخم تیر و سنگهای منجنیق
تیغها در گرد چون برق از بریق

هفته ای کرد این چنین خون ریز گرم
برج سنگین سست شد چون موم نرم

شاه موصل دید پیگار مهول
پس فرستاد از درون پیشش رسول

که چه می خواهی ز خون مؤمنان
کشته می گردند زین حرب گران

گر مرادت ملک شهر موصلست
بی چنین خون ریز اینت حاصلست

من روم بیرون شهر اینک در آ
تا نگیرد خون مظلومان ترا

ور مرادت مال و زر و گوهرست
این ز ملک شهر خود آسان ترست

English translation

An informer told the Caliph of Egypt: 'The King of Mosul has wedded a houri. He holds a handmaiden in his embrace, whose beauty has no equal in the world. It cannot be expressed in words, for her beauty is limitless; this is her portrait, which is on paper.' When that sovereign saw the portrait on the paper, he was bewildered, and the cup fell from his hand. He immediately sent a champion toward Mosul with an exceedingly great army, (Commanding him:) 'If he does not surrender that moon to you, uproot that gate and court from its very foundation! But if he gives her up, leave him be and bring the moon, so that I may embrace the moon here on earth.' The champion departed for Mosul with his retinue, with thousands of heroes, drums, and banners. Countless like locusts around a field, he set out to destroy the people of the city. In every quarter, he set up a catapult of war, huge as Mount Qaf, ready for action. The blows of arrows and stones from catapults, and swords in the dust flashing like lightning. For a week he waged such fierce bloodshed, until the stone tower became as soft as warm wax. The King of Mosul saw the terrifying battle, and so he sent a messenger from within to him, Saying: 'What do you want from the blood of the believers? They are being killed in this heavy war. If your desire is the sovereignty of the city of Mosul, it is yours without such bloodshed. I am leaving the city; enter now, so that the blood of the innocent may not seize you. And if your desire is wealth, gold, and jewels, this is even easier than taking the city's kingdom.'

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Updated 2026-06-13

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