That is like Joseph's (asking help) of a (fellow-) prisoner, a needy abject groundling.3400
آنچنان که یوسف از زندانیی ** با نیازی خاضعی سعدانیی
He besought him for help and said, “When you come out (of prison), your affairs will prosper with the king.
خواست یاری گفت چون بیرون روی ** پیش شه گردد امورت مستوی
Make mention of me before the throne of that mighty prince, that he may redeem (release) me also from this prison.”
یاد من کن پیش تخت آن عزیز ** تا مرا هم وا خرد زین حبس نیز
(But) how should a prisoner in captivity give release to another imprisoned man?
کی دهد زندانیی در اقتناص ** مرد زندانی دیگر را خلاص
All the people of this world are prisoners (waiting) in expectation of death in the abode that is passing away;
اهل دنیا جملگان زندانیند ** انتظار مرگ دار فانیند
Except, to be sure, in the rare case of one who is single (fardání), one whose body is in the prison (of this world) and his spirit like Saturn (in the seventh heaven).3405
جز مگر نادر یکی فردانیی ** تن بزندان جان او کیوانیی
Therefore, in retribution for having regarded him (the fellow-prisoner) as a helper, Joseph was left in prison for several years.
پس جزای آنک دید او را معین ** ماند یوسف حبس در بضع سنین
The Devil erased from his mind the recollection of Joseph and removed from his memory those words (which Joseph had spoken).
یاد یوسف دیو از عقلش سترد ** وز دلش دیو آن سخن از یاد برد
In consequence of the sin which proceeded from that man of goodly qualities (Joseph), he was left in prison for several years by the (Divine) Judge,
زین گنه کامد از آن نیکوخصال ** ماند در زندان ز داور چند سال
Who said, “What failure was shown by the Sun of justice that thou shouldst fall, like a bat, into the blackness (of night)?
که چه تقصیر آمد از خورشید داد ** تا تو چون خفاش افتی در سواد
Hark, what failure was shown by the sea and the cloud that thou shouldst seek help from the sand and the mirage?3410
هین چه تقصیر آمد از بحر و سحاب ** تا تو یاری خواهی از ریگ و سراب
If the vulgar are bats by nature and unreal (unspiritual), thou, at least, O Joseph, hast the eye of the falcon.
عام اگر خفاش طبعند و مجاز ** یوسفا داری تو آخر چشم باز
If a bat went into the blind and blue (the world of darkness and misery), (’tis no wonder, but) after all what ailed the falcon that had seen the Sultan?”
گر خفاشی رفت در کور و کبود ** باز سلطان دیده را باری چه بود
Therefore the (Divine) Master punished him for this sin, saying, “Do not make thy prop of rotten wood”;
پس ادب کردش بدین جرم اوستاد ** که مساز از چوب پوسیده عماد
But He caused Joseph to be engrossed with Him, to the end that his heart should not be pained by that imprisonment.
لیک یوسف را به خود مشغول کرد ** تا نیاید در دلش زان حبس درد
God gave him such intimate joy and rapture that neither the prison nor the mirk (of his dungeon) remained (visible) to him.3415
آنچنانش انس و مستی داد حق ** که نه زندان ماند پیشش نه غسق
There is no prison more frightful than the womb—noisome and dark and full of blood and unhealthy;
نیست زندانی وحشتر از رحم ** ناخوش و تاریک و پرخون و وخم
(Yet), when God has opened for you a window in His direction, your body (hidden) in the womb grows more (and more) every moment,
چون گشادت حق دریچه سوی خویش ** در رحم هر دم فزاید تنت بیش
And in that prison, from the immeasurable delight (which you feel therein), the senses blossom happily from the plant, your body.
اندر آن زندان ز ذوق بیقیاس ** خوش شکفت از غرس جسم تو حواس
’Tis grievous to you to go forth from the womb: you are fleeing from her (your mother's) pubes towards her back.
زان رحم بیرون شدن بر تو درشت ** میگریزی از زهارش سوی پشت
Know that the way of (spiritual) pleasure is from within, not from without: know that it is folly to seek palaces and castles.3420
راه لذت از درون دان نه از برون ** ابلهی دان جستن قصر و حصون
One man is enraptured and delighted in the nook of a mosque, while another is morose and disappointed in a garden.
آن یکی در کنج مسجد مست و شاد ** وآن دگر در باغ ترش و بیمراد
The palace (body) is nothing: ruin your body! The treasure lies in the ruin, O my prince.
قصر چیزی نیست ویران کن بدن ** گنج در ویرانیست ای میر من
Don't you see that at the wine-feast the drunkard becomes happy (only) when he becomes ruined (senseless)?
این نمیبینی که در بزم شراب ** مست آنگه خوش شود کو شد خراب
Although the (bodily) house is full of pictures, demolish it: seek the treasure, and with the treasure put it (the house) into good repair.
گرچه پر نقش است خانه بر کنش ** گنج جو و از گنج آبادان کنش