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.
سفره‌ی او پیش این از نان تهیست ** پیش یعقوبست پر کو مشتهیست
None with face unwashed beholds the faces of the houris: he (the Prophet) said, “There is no ritual prayer without the ablution.”
روی ناشسته نبیند روی حور ** لا صلوة گفت الا بالطهور
Love is the meat and drink of souls; hunger, from this point of view, is the food of souls.
عشق باشد لوت و پوت جانها ** جوع ازین رویست قوت جانها
Jacob had hunger for Joseph; (hence) the smell of the bread was reaching him from afar.3035
جوع یوسف بود آن یعقوب را ** بوی نانش می‌رسید از دور جا
He that took the shirt (of Joseph) was hastening (on his way) and was not perceiving the scent of Joseph's shirt,
آنک بستد پیرهن را می‌شتافت ** بوی پیراهان یوسف می‌نیافت
While he that was a hundred leagues (distant) from that quarter was smelling the perfume, since he was Jacob.
و آنک صد فرسنگ زان سو بود او ** چونک بد یعقوب می‌بویید بو
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).
ای بسا عالم ز دانش بی‌نصیب ** حافظ علمست آنکس نه حبیب
From him the hearer (but not the learned man himself) perceives the scent (of knowledge), though the hearer be of the common sort,
مستمع از وی همی‌یابد مشام ** گرچه باشد مستمع از جنس عام
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.3040
زانک پیراهان بدستش عاریه‌ست ** چون بدست آن نخاسی جاریه‌ست
The slave-girl is useless to the slave-dealer: she is in his hands (only) for the sake of the purchaser.
جاریه پیش نخاسی سرسریست ** در کف او از برای مشتریست