1Cademy - بخش ۱۶ - در صفت و نسب زلیخا که مغرب از طلوع آفتاب جمالش مشرق گشته بود بلکه به هزار درجه از آن گذشته / Section 16 - On the Qualities and Lineage of Zulaikha, by Whose Rising Sun of Beauty the West Had Become the East and Indeed Surpassed It by a Thousand Degrees

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Haft Awrang

Poem

بخش ۱۶ - در صفت و نسب زلیخا که مغرب از طلوع آفتاب جمالش مشرق گشته بود بلکه به هزار درجه از آن گذشته / Section 16 - On the Qualities and Lineage of Zulaikha, by Whose Rising Sun of Beauty the West Had Become the East and Indeed Surpassed It by a Thousand Degrees

Original content

چنین گفت آن سخندان سخن سنج
که در گنجینه بودش از سخن گنج

که در مغرب زمین شاهی به ناموس
همی زد کوس شاهی نام طیموس

همه اسباب شاهی حاصل او
نمانده آرزویی در دل او

ز فرقش تاج را اقبالمندی
ز پایش تخت را پایه بلندی

فلک در خیلش از جوزا کمربند
ظفر با بند تیغش سخت پیوند

زلیخا نام زیبا دختری داشت
که با او از همه عالم سری داشت

نه دختر اختری از برج شاهی
فروزان گوهری از درج شاهی

نگنجد در بیان وصف جمالش
کنم طبع آزمایی با خیالش

ز سر تا پا فرود آیم چو مویش
شوم روشن ضمیر از عکس رویش

ز نوشین لعلش استمداد جویم
ز وصفش آنچه در گنجد بگویم

قدش نخلی ز رحمت آفریده
ز بستان لطافت سر کشیده

ز جوی شهریاری آب خورده
ز سرو جویباری آب برده

به فرقش موی دام هوشمندان
ازو تا مشک فرق اما نه چندان

فراوان مو شکافی کرده شانه
نهاده فرق نازک در میانه

ز فرق او دو نیمه نافه را دل
و زو در نافه کار مشک مشکل

فرو آویخته زلف سمن سای
فکنده شاخ گل را سایه در پای

دو گیسویش دو هندوی رسن ساز
ز شمشاد سرافرازش رسن باز

فلک درس جمالش کرده تلقین
نهاده از جبینش لوح سیمین

ز طرف لوح سیمینش نموده
دو نون سرنگون از مشک سوده

به زیر آن دو نون طرفه دو صادش
نوشته کلک صنع اوستادش

ز حد نون او تا حلقه میم
الف واری کشیده بینی از سیم

فزوده بر الف صفر دهان را
یکی ده کرده آشوب جهان را

شده سینش عیان از لعل خندان
گشاده میم را عقده به دندان

ز بستان ارم رویش نمونه
در او گلها شکفته گونه گونه

به رو هر جانب از خالی نشانی
چو زنگی بچگان در گلستانی

زنخدانش که سیم بی زکات است
در او چاهی پر از آب حیات است

به زیر غبغب ار دانا برد راه
بود گرد آمده رشحی ازان چاه

قرار دل بود نایاب آنجا
که هم چاه است و هم گرداب آنجا

بیاض گردنش صافی تر از عاج
به گردن آورندش آهوان باج

بر و دوشش زده طعنه سمن را
گل اندر جیب کرده پیرهن را

دو پستان هر یکی چون قبه نور
حبابی خاسته از عین کافور

دو نار تازه بر رسته ز یک شاخ
کف امیدشان نبسوده گستاخ

ز بازو گنج سیمش در بغل بود
عیار سیم پیش آن دغل بود

پی تعویذ آن پاکیزه چون در
دل پاکان عالم از دعا پر

پریرویان به جان کرده پسندش
رگ جان ساخته تعویذ بندش

ز تاراج سران تاج و دیهیم
دو ساعد آستینش کرده پر سیم

کفش راحت ده هر محنت اندیش
نهاده مرهمی بر هر دل ریش

به دست آورده ز انگشتان قلم ها
زده از مهر بر دلها رقم ها

دل از هر ناخنش بسته خیالی
فزوده بر سر بدری هلالی

به پنج انگشت مه را برده پنجه
ز زور پنجه مه را کرده رنجه

میانش موی بل کز موی نیمی
ز باریکی بر او از موی بیمی

نیارستی کمر از موی بستن
کزان مو بودیش بیم گسستن

شکم چون تخته قاقم کشیده
به نرمی دایه ناف او بریده

سرینش کوهی اما سیم ساده
چه کوهی کز کمر زیر اوفتاده

بدان نرمی که گر افشردیش مشت
برون رفتی خمیر آیین ز انگشت

ز دست افشار زرین پس خمش شو
بیا وین سیم دست افشار بشنو

ز زیر ناف تا بالای زانو
نگویم هیچ نکته کهنه یا نو

نداده در حریم آن حرمگاه
حصار عصمتش اندیشه را راه

سخن رانم ز ساق او که چون است
بنای حسن را سیمین ستون است

بنامیزد بود گلدسته نور
ولی از چشم هر بی نور مستور

صفای او نمود آیینه را رو
درآمد از ادب پیشش به زانو

ازان آیینه همزانوی او شد
که فیض نوریاب از روی او شد

به وی هر کس که همزانو نشیند
رخ دولت در آن آیینه بیند

قدم در لطف نیز از ساق کم نیست
چو او در لطف کس صاحب قدم نیست

چنان بودش چو رفتی چست و چابک
قدم از پاشنه تا پنجه نازک

که گر بر چشم عاشق بودیش جای
شدی پر آبله ز اشکش کف پای

ندانم از زر و زیور چه گویم
که خواهد بود قاصر هر چه گویم

به زیور خود که وصف آن پری کرد
که زیور را جمالش زیوری کرد

پر از گوهر به تارک افسری داشت
که در هر یک خراج کشوری داشت

در و لعلش که بود آویزه گوش
همی برد از دل و جان لطف آن هوش

اگر بگسستیش گوهر ز گردن
شدی گنج جواهر جیب و دامن

مرصع موی بندش کز قفا بود
هزاران عقد گوهر را بها بود

نه گر لطفش گرفتی یاره را دست
که یارستی به دستانش بر او بست

نیارم بیش ازین از زر خبر داد
که شد خلخال و اندر پایش افتاد

گهی در عشوه مسند نشینی
به زیبا دیبه رومی و چینی

گهی در جلوه ایوان خرامی
ز زرکش حله مصری و شامی

به هر روز نوی کافکنده پرتو
نبوده بر تنش جز خلعتی نو

به یک جیبش دوباره سر نسوده
چون مه هر روز از برجی نموده

ز پابوس سران دامن کشیدی
بدین دولت مگر دامن رسیدی

ندادی دست جز پیراهنش را
که در آغوش خود دیدی تنش را

سهی سروان هواداریش کردی
پریرویان پرستاریش کردی

ز همزادان هزاران حورزاده
به خدمت روز و شب پیشش ستاده

نه هرگز بر دلش باری نشسته
نه یکبارش به پا خاری شکسته

نبوده عاشق و معشوق کس را
نداده ره به خاطر این هوس را

به شب چون نرگس سیراب خفتی
سحر چون غنچه خندان شکفتی

به سیمین لعبتان از خردسالان
به صن خانه در رعنا غزالان

دلی فارغ ز لعب چرخ دوار
نبودی غیر لعبت بازیش کار

بدینسان خرم و دلشاد بودی
وز آن غم خاطرش آزاد بودی

کش از ایام بر گردن چه آید
وز این شبهای آبستن چه زاید

English translation

Thus spoke that eloquent appraiser of speech, Whose treasury held a treasure of words:

In the western lands there was a king of honor, Whose royal drum proclaimed the name Taymus.

All the instruments of kingship were his; No desire remained within his heart.

From his head the crown gained good fortune, And from his feet the throne gained lofty rank.

In his host, heaven wore Gemini as a belt; Victory was tightly bound to the fastening of his sword.

He had a beautiful daughter named Zulaikha, Whom he valued above the entire world.

Not a daughter, but a star from the royal constellation; A radiant jewel from the casket of royalty.

The description of her beauty cannot be contained in words, Yet I shall test my poetic nature upon her image.

From head to foot I shall descend like her hair, And become enlightened in spirit by the reflection of her face.

I shall seek aid from her sweet ruby lips, And say of her whatever description can be contained in speech.

Her stature was a palm created from mercy, Rising above the garden of delicacy.

It had drunk water from the stream of sovereignty And surpassed the cypress beside the brook.

The hair upon her head was a snare for the wise; It differed from musk, though not by much.

The comb had split countless hairs, Setting a delicate parting in their midst.

Her parting divided the musk pod's heart in two, And made the musk pod's claim to musk difficult.

Her jasmine-shading tresses hung down, Casting the flower branch's shadow at its feet.

Her two braids were two Indian rope makers, Letting ropes down from her lofty boxwood form.

Heaven had dictated the lesson of her beauty, Setting her forehead forth as a silver tablet.

At the edges of her silver tablet appeared Two inverted letters nun, rubbed in musk.

Beneath those two wondrous nuns, her two sads Had been inscribed by the masterly pen of creation.

From the curve of her nun to the ring of her mim, A silver nose extended straight as an alif.

A zero of a mouth was added to that alif; Together they made a ten that threw the world into turmoil.

Her sin appeared through her laughing ruby lips, While her teeth untied the knot of the mim.

Her face was a likeness of the Garden of Iram, With flowers of every kind blooming within it.

On either side of her face a beauty mark showed, Like little Zangi children within a rose garden.

Her chin, silver upon which no alms were due, Contained a well filled with the water of life.

If a discerning person found the way beneath her double chin, He would see a drop gathered from that well.

The heart could find no resting place there, For there were both a well and a whirlpool there.

The whiteness of her neck was purer than ivory; Gazelles offered tribute to her neck.

Her breast and shoulders reproached the jasmine, While her gown tucked roses inside its collar.

Her two breasts were each like a dome of light, A bubble risen from a spring of camphor.

Two fresh pomegranates had grown upon one branch, Untouched by the audacious hand of desire.

Beneath her arm lay a treasury of silver; Compared with it, assayed silver was counterfeit.

To serve as an amulet for that pure one, like a pearl, The hearts of all the pure were filled with prayers.

The fairy-faced willingly devoted their lives to her, Making their very lifelines the cords of her amulet.

Through the plunder of chiefs' crowns and diadems, Her two sleeves had filled her forearms with silver.

Her palm gave comfort to everyone contemplating sorrow, Placing a balm upon every wounded heart.

From her fingers she had fashioned pens, And with affection inscribed marks upon hearts.

Every fingernail bound the heart to a vision, Adding a crescent atop a full moon.

With five fingers she grappled with the moon, And by the strength of her grip left the moon distressed.

Her waist was a hair, or rather half a hair; So slender that even a hair feared for it.

A belt dared not bind it with a hair, For fear that the waist would break that hair.

Her belly was stretched smooth like an ermine board; Her nurse had gently cut her navel.

Her hips were a mountain, yet one of smooth silver— A mountain that had fallen beneath her waist.

So soft that, if a fist pressed them, Doughlike flesh would emerge between the fingers.

Now cease speaking of golden hand-pressed objects; Come and hear of this hand-pressed silver.

From beneath the navel to above the knee, I shall say nothing, whether old or new.

Within the sanctuary of that sacred place, The fortress of her chastity admitted no thought.

I shall speak of her shin and what it was like: A silver column supporting the edifice of beauty.

By God, it was a minaret of light, Yet hidden from every sightless eye.

Its purity brought honor to the mirror, Which came before it and knelt out of courtesy.

The mirror thus became her knee companion, For it received the bounty of light from her face.

Whoever sat knee to knee with her Beheld the face of fortune within that mirror.

Her foot was no less graceful than her shin; None had standing equal to hers in grace.

When she walked briskly and nimbly, Her foot was slender from heel to toe.

Had it rested upon a lover's eye, The sole would have blistered from his tears.

I do not know what to say of her gold and jewels, For whatever I say will fall short.

Who could describe that fairy through her ornaments, When her beauty itself adorned every ornament?

Upon her crown she wore a diadem filled with gems, Each one worth the tribute of a kingdom.

The pearls and rubies hanging from her ears Carried sense away from heart and soul through their charm.

If the necklace's string of jewels should break, Her collar and skirt would become a treasury of gems.

Her jeweled hair clasp at the back of her head Was worth thousands of strings of pearls.

It was not that her delicacy took the bracelet by the hand; Rather, the bracelet scarcely dared be fastened upon her hand.

I dare report no more about the gold, For it became an anklet and fell at her feet.

At times she sat coquettishly upon a throne, Clad in beautiful Roman and Chinese brocade.

At times she walked gracefully through the hall, Wearing gold-woven Egyptian and Syrian robes.

Each day cast forth a new radiance, For nothing but a new robe ever touched her body.

No garment's collar touched her head twice; Like the moon, she appeared each day from another mansion.

She drew her skirt away from the kisses of rulers; Perhaps only through such fortune could a hem reach her.

She gave her hand to nothing but her gown, Which saw her body held within its embrace.

Tall cypresses sought to serve her, And fairy-faced beauties attended her.

Thousands of houri-born companions of her own age Stood serving before her day and night.

Never had a burden settled upon her heart, Nor had a thorn once pierced her foot.

She had never loved anyone or been anyone's beloved, And had allowed no such desire into her thoughts.

At night she slept like a well-watered narcissus; At dawn she opened like a laughing bud.

Among silver-bodied dolls from her childhood, Her chamber was an idol house filled with graceful gazelles.

Her heart was free from the sport of the revolving heavens; She had no occupation except playing with dolls.

Thus she lived joyous and glad, Her mind free from that sorrow—

Unaware of what the days would lay upon her neck, Or what these pregnant nights would bring forth.

Updated 2026-07-18

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Ganjoor

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