سفره‌ی او پیش این از نان تهیست ** پیش یعقوبست پر کو مشتهیست
In the sight of this one (Joseph's brother) his (Joseph's) food-wallet is empty of bread; in the sight of Jacob it is full, for he is desiring eagerly.
روی ناشسته نبیند روی حور ** لا صلوة گفت الا بالطهور
None with face unwashed beholds the faces of the houris: he (the Prophet) said, “There is no ritual prayer without the ablution.”
عشق باشد لوت و پوت جانها ** جوع ازین رویست قوت جانها
Love is the meat and drink of souls; hunger, from this point of view, is the food of souls.
جوع یوسف بود آن یعقوب را ** بوی نانش می‌رسید از دور جا3035
Jacob had hunger for Joseph; (hence) the smell of the bread was reaching him from afar.
آنک بستد پیرهن را می‌شتافت ** بوی پیراهان یوسف می‌نیافت
He that took the shirt (of Joseph) was hastening (on his way) and was not perceiving the scent of Joseph's shirt,
و آنک صد فرسنگ زان سو بود او ** چونک بد یعقوب می‌بویید بو
While he that was a hundred leagues (distant) from that quarter was smelling the perfume, since he was Jacob.
ای بسا عالم ز دانش بی‌نصیب ** حافظ علمست آنکس نه حبیب
Oh, there is many a learned man that hath no profit of (his) knowledge: that person is one who commits knowledge to memory, not one who loves (it).
مستمع از وی همی‌یابد مشام ** گرچه باشد مستمع از جنس عام
From him the hearer (but not the learned man himself) perceives the scent (of knowledge), though the hearer be of the common sort,
زانک پیراهان بدستش عاریه‌ست ** چون بدست آن نخاسی جاریه‌ست3040
Because the shirt in his (the learned man's) hand is a borrowed thing, like a slave-girl in the hands of a slave-dealer.
جاریه پیش نخاسی سرسریست ** در کف او از برای مشتریست
The slave-girl is useless to the slave-dealer: she is in his hands (only) for the sake of the purchaser.