He bestows upon one face the radiance of a star, so that a king becomes the slave of a girl. در رخی بنهد شعاع اختری ** که شود شاهی غلام دختری
He bestows upon another face His own Light, so that at midnight it sees everything good and evil. بنهد اندر روی دیگر نور خود ** که ببیند نیم‌شب هر نیک و بد
Joseph and Moses fetched light from God into their cheeks and countenances and into their inmost bosoms. یوسف و موسی ز حق بردند نور ** در رخ و رخسار و در ذات الصدور
The face of Moses shot forth a flashing beam: he hung a veil in front of his face. روی موسی بارقی انگیخته ** پیش رو او توبره آویخته
The splendour of his face would have dazzled (men's) eyes as the emerald (blinds) the eyes of the deaf adder. 3060 نور رویش آن‌چنان بردی بصر ** که زمرد از دو دیده‌ی مار کر
He besought God that the veil might become a covering for that powerful Light. او ز حق در خواسته تا توبره ** گردد آن نور قوی را ساتره
He (God) said, “Hark, make a veil of thy felt raiment, for the garment of gnosis can be trusted (to keep it safe), توبره گفت از گلیمت ساز هین ** کان لباس عارفی آمد امین
Because that robe has become inured to the Light: the Light of the Spirit shines through its warp and woof. کان کسا از نور صبری یافتست ** نور جان در تار و پودش تافتست
Nothing will be a (safe) repository (for it) except a mantle like this: nothing else can endure Our Light. جز چنین خرقه نخواهد شد صوان ** نور ما را بر نتابد غیر آن
If Mt Qáf should come forward as a barrier (to it), the Light would rend it asunder like Mt Sinai.” 3065 کوه قاف ار پیش آید بهرسد ** هم‌چو کوه طور نورش بر درد
Through the (Divine) omnipotence the bodies of (holy) men have gained ability to support the unconditioned Light. از کمال قدرت ابدان رجال ** یافت اندر نور بی‌چون احتمال
His (God's) power makes a glass vessel the dwelling-place of that (Light) of which Sinai cannot bear (even) a mote. آنچ طورش بر نتابد ذره‌ای ** قدرتش جا سازد از قاروره‌ای
A lamp-niche and a lamp-glass have become the dwelling-place of the Light by which Mt Qáf and Mt Sinai are torn to pieces. گشت مشکات و زجاجی جای نور ** که همی‌درد ز نور آن قاف و طور
Know that their (the holy men's) bodies are the lamp-niche and their hearts the glass: this lamp illumines the empyrean and the heavens. جسمشان مشکات دان دلشان زجاج ** تافته بر عرش و افلاک این سراج
Their (the heavens') light is dazzled by this Light and vanishes like the stars in this radiance of morning. 3070 نورشان حیران این نور آمده ** چون ستاره زین ضحی فانی شده
Hence the Seal of the prophets has related (the saying) of the everlasting and eternal Lord— زین حکایت کرد آن ختم رسل ** از ملیک لا یزال و لم یزل
“I am not contained in the heavens or in the void or in the exalted intelligences and souls; که نگنجیدم در افلاک و خلا ** در عقول و در نفوس با علا
(But) I am contained, as a guest, in the true believer's heart, without qualification or definition or description, در دل مومن بگنجیدم چو ضیف ** بی ز چون و بی چگونه بی ز کیف
To the end that by the mediation of that heart (all) above and below may win from Me sovereignties and fortune. در دل مومن بگنجیدم چو ضیف ** بی ز چون و بی چگونه بی ز کیف
Without such a mirror neither Earth nor Time could bear the vision of My beauty. 3075 بی‌چنین آیینه از خوبی من ** برنتابد نه زمین و نه زمن
I caused the steed of (My) mercy to gallop over the two worlds: I fashioned a very spacious mirror. بر دو کون اسپ ترحم تاختیم ** پس عریض آیینه‌ای بر ساختیم
From this mirror (appear) at every moment fifty (spiritual) wedding-feasts: hearken to the mirror, but do not ask (Me) to describe it.” هر دمی زین آینه پنجاه عرس ** بشنو آیینه ولی شرحش مپرس
The gist (of the discourse) is this, that he (Moses) made a veil of his raiment, since he knew the penetrativeness of (the light of) that Moon. حاصل این کزلبس خویشش پرده ساخت ** که نفوذ آن قمر را می‌شناخت
Had the veil been (made) of anything except his raiment, it would have been torn to shreds, (even) if it had been (like) a solid mountain. گر بدی پرده ز غیر لبس او ** پاره گشتی گر بدی کوه دوتو
It (the Light) would penetrate through iron walls: what contrivance could the veil employ against the Light of God? 3080 ز آهنین دیوارها نافذ شدی ** توبره با نور حق چه فن زدی
That veil had become glowing: it was the mantle of a gnostic in the moment of ecstasy. گشته بود آن توبره صاحب تفی ** بود وقت شور خرقه‌ی عارفی
The fire is deposited (becomes immanent) in the tinder because it (the tinder) is already familiar with the fire. زان شود آتش رهین سوخته ** کوست با آتش ز پیش آموخته
And in sooth Safúrá, from desire and love for that Light of true guidance, sacrificed both her eyes. وز هوا و عشق آن نور رشاد ** خود صفورا هر دو دیده باد داد
At first she closed one eye and beheld the light of his (Moses') face (with the other); and that eye was lost. اولا بر بست یک چشم و بدید ** نور روی او و آن چشمش پرید
Afterwards she could no longer restrain herself and (therefore) she opened the other (eye) and spent it on that Moon. 3085 بعد از آن صبرش نماند و آن دگر ** بر گشاد و کرد خرج آن قمر
Even so the (spiritual) warrior (first) gives away his bread; (but) when the light of devotion strikes on him, he gives away his life. هم‌چنان مرد مجاهد نان دهد ** چون برو زد نور طاعت جان دهد
Then a woman said to her, “Art thou grieving for the jonquil-like eye that thou hast lost?” پس زنی گفتش ز چشم عبهری ** که ز دستت رفت حسرت می‌خوری
“I am grieving,” she replied, “(to think) would that I had a hundred thousand eyes to lavish (on that Moon)! گفت حسرت می‌خورم که صد هزار ** دیده بودی تا همی‌کردم نثار
The window, (which is) mine eye, has been ruined by the Moon; but the Moon is seated (there) like the (buried) treasure in the ruin. روزن چشمم ز مه ویران شدست ** لیک مه چون گنج در ویران نشست
How should the treasure let this ruin of mine have (any regretful) memory of my porch and house?” 3090 کی گذارد گنج کین ویرانه‌ام ** یاد آرد از رواق و خانه‌ام
The light of Joseph's face, when he was passing by, used to fall on the latticed windows of every villa, نور روی یوسفی وقت عبور ** می‌فتادی در شباک هر قصور
And the people within the house would say, “Joseph is taking a walk in this quarter and passing by”; پس بگفتندی درون خانه در ** یوسفست این سو به سیران و گذر
For they would see the radiance on the wall, and then the landlords (inmates) would understand (the cause of it). زانک بر دیوار دیدندی شعاع ** فهم کردندی پس اصحاب بقاع
The house that has its window in that direction is ennobled by that Joseph's walking for recreation. خانه‌ای را کش دریچه‌ست آن طرف ** دارد از سیران آن یوسف شرف
Hark, open a window towards Joseph and begin to delight yourself by looking at him through the aperture. 3095 هین دریچه سوی یوسف باز کن ** وز شکافش فرجه‌ای آغاز کن
The business of love is to make that window (in the heart), for the breast is illumined by the beauty of the Beloved. عشق‌ورزی آن دریچه کردنست ** کز جمال دوست سینه روشنست
Therefore gaze incessantly on the face of the Beloved! This is in your power. Hearken, O father! پس هماره روی معشوقه نگر ** این به دست تست بشنو ای پدر
Make a way for yourself into the innermost parts: banish the perception that is concerned with other (than God). راه کن در اندرونها خویش را ** دور کن ادراک غیراندیش را
You possess an elixir: treat your (vile) skin (with it), and by means of this art (alchemy) make your enemies your friends. کیمیا داری دوای پوست کن ** دشمنان را زین صناعت دوست کن
When you have become beauteous you will attain unto the Beauteous One who delivers the spirit from friendlessness. 3100 چون شدی زیبا بدان زیبا رسی ** که رهاند روح را از بی‌کسی
His moisture (grace) is nourishment for the garden of spirits; His breath revives him that has died of anguish. پرورش مر باغ جانها را نمش ** زنده کرده مرده‌ی غم را دمش
He does not (only) bestow (on you) the entire kingdom of the base world; He bestows a hundred thousand kingdoms of diverse kinds. نه همه ملک جهان دون دهد ** صد هزاران ملک گوناگون دهد
God gave him (Joseph), in addition to the kingdom of beauty, the kingdom of interpretation (of dreams) without his having studied and taken lessons (in that science). بر سر ملک جمالش داد حق ** ملکت تعبیر بی‌درس و سبق
The kingdom of beauty led him to prison; the kingdom of knowledge led him to Saturn. ملکت حسنش سوی زندان کشید ** ملکت علمش سوی کیوان کشید
Because of his knowledge and skill (in interpretation) the King (of Egypt) became his slave: the kingdom of knowledge is more praiseworthy than the kingdom of beauty. 3105 شه غلام او شد از علم و هنر ** ملک علم از ملک حسن استوده‌تر
Return to the Story of the man who incurred (great) debts and his coming to Tabríz in hope of (enjoying) the favour of the Inspector of Police. رجوع کردن به حکایت آن شخص وام کرده و آمدن او به امید عنایت آن محتسب سوی تبریز