(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
’Tis a house filled with pictures of imagination and fancy, and these forms (ideas) are as a veil over the treasure of union (with God).3425
خانهی پر نقش تصویر و خیال ** وین صور چون پرده بر گنج وصال
’Tis the radiance of the Treasure and the splendours of the (spiritual) gold that cause the forms (ideas) to surge up in this breast.
پرتو گنجست و تابشهای زر ** که درین سینه همیجوشد صور
’Tis from the purity and translucence of the noble Water that the particles of foam have veiled the face of the Water.
هم ز لطف و عکس آب با شرف ** پرده شد بر روی آب اجزای کف
’Tis from the purity and (ceaseless) agitation of the precious Spirit that the bodily figure has veiled the face of the Spirit.
هم ز لطف و جوش جان با ثمن ** پردهای بر روی جان شد شخص تن
Hearken, then, to the adage that issued from the mouths (of men)—“this which is (cast) upon us, O brother, is (derived) from us.”
پس مثل بشنو که در افواه خاست ** که اینچ بر ماست ای برادر هم ز ماست
Because of this veil, these thirsty ones who are (so) fond of the foam have got out of reach of the pure Water.3430
زین حجاب این تشنگان کفپرست ** ز آب صافی اوفتاده دوردست
“O (Divine) Sun, notwithstanding (that we have) a qibla (object of adoration) and Imám like Thee, we worship the night and behave in the manner of bats.
آفتابا با چو تو قبله و امام ** شبپرستی و خفاشی میکنیم
Make these bats to fly towards Thee and redeem them from this bat-like disposition, O Thou whose protection is implored!
سوی خود کن این خفاشان را مطار ** زین خفاشیشان بخر ای مستجار
This youth (the Amír), by (committing) this sin, has gone astray and trespassed (against Thee), for he came to me (for help); but do not chastise him.”
این جوان زین جرم ضالست و مغیر ** که بمن آمد ولی او را مگیر
In the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk these thoughts were raging like a lion (rushing) through the jungles.
در عماد الملک این اندیشهها ** گشته جوشان چون اسد در بیشهها
His exterior (person) stood before the Sultan, (but) his soaring spirit was in the meadows of the Unseen.3435
ایستاده پیش سلطان ظاهرش ** در ریاض غیب جان طایرش
Like the angels, he was momently being intoxicated with fresh draughts (of spiritual wine) in the realm of Alast;
چون ملایک او به اقلیم الست ** هر دمی میشد به شرب تازه مست
Inwardly (merry as) a wedding-feast, but outwardly like a man filled with sorrow; a delectable world (concealed) in a tomb-like body.
اندرون سور و برون چون پر غمی ** در تن همچون لحد خوش عالمی
He was in this (state of) bewilderment and waiting to see what would appear from the (world of) things occult and mysterious,
او درین حیرت بد و در انتظار ** تا چه پیدا آید از غیب و سرار
(When) at that time the officers brought the horse along into the presence of the Khwárizmsháh.
اسپ را اندر کشیدند آن زمان ** پیش خوارمشاه سرهنگان کشان
Verily beneath this azure sky there was no (other) colt like that in (tallness and comeliness of) figure and in fleetness.3440
الحق اندر زیر این چرخ کبود ** آنچنان کره به قد و تگ نبود
Its colour (splendid appearance) dazzled every eye: (all would exclaim), “Hail to the (steed) born of the lightning and the moon!”
میربودی رنگ او هر دیده را ** مرحب آن از برق و مه زاییده را
It moved as swiftly as the moon and Mercury: you might say that its fodder was the sarsar wind, not barley.
همچو مه همچون عطارد تیزرو ** گوییی صرصر علف بودش نه جو
The moon traverses the expanse of heaven in one night during a single journey and course.
ماه عرصهی آسمان را در شبی ** میبرد اندر مسیر و مذهبی
Since the moon traversed the signs of the zodiac in one night, wherefore wilt thou disbelieve the Ascension (of the Prophet)?
چون به یک شب مه برید ابراج را ** از چه منکر میشوی معراج را
That wondrous orphan Pearl is as a hundred moons, for at a nod from him the moon became (split in) two halves.3445
صد چو ماهست آن عجب در یتیم ** که به یک ایماء او شد مه دو نیم
(Even) the marvel which he displayed in splitting the moon was only according to the measure of the weakness of the perception possessed by the (common) people.
آن عجب کو در شکاف مه نمود ** هم به قدر ضعف حس خلق بود
The work and business of the prophets and (Divine) messengers is beyond the skies and the stars.
کار و بار انبیا و مرسلون ** هست از افلاک و اخترها برون
Do thou also go beyond (transcend) the skies and the revolving (orb), and then contemplate that work and business.
تو برون رو هم ز افلاک و دوار ** وانگهان نظاره کن آن کار و بار
(Whilst) thou art inside the egg, like chicks, thou canst not hear the glorification of God by the birds of the (supermundane) air.
در میان بیضهای چون فرخها ** نشنوی تسبیح مرغان هوا
The miracles (of the Prophet) will not be set forth here: tell of the horse and the Khwárizmsháh and what happened.3450
معجزات اینجا نخواهد شرح گشت ** ز اسپ و خوارمشاه گو و سرگذشت
Whatsoever the sun of God's grace shines upon, whether it be dog or horse, gains (is endowed with) the glory of the Cave;
آفتاب لطف حق بر هر چه تافت ** از سگ و از اسپ فر کهف یافت
Yet deem not the radiance of His grace to be uniform: it has given a sign (distinctive character) to the pebble and the ruby.
تاب لطفش را تو یکسان هم مدان ** سنگ را و لعل را داد او نشان