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بخش ۵۶ - معذور داشتن زنان مصر بعد از مشاهده جمال یوسف زلیخا را و دلالت کردن یوسف را بر انقیاد زلیخا و تهدید کردن وی به زندان / Section 56 - The Women of Egypt Excusing Zulaykha after Beholding Joseph's Beauty, Urging Joseph to Submit to Zulaykha, and Threatening Him with Imprisonment

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چو کالا را شود جوینده بسیار
فزون گردد بدان میل خریدار

چو یک عاشق بود مفتون یاری
بود بر عشق عاشق را قراری

زند سر آتش سودایش از دل
چو بیند دیگری را در مقابل

چو شد حال ز یوسف گشتگان لال
جمال یوسفی را شاهد حال

زلیخا را ازان شوری دگر شد
به یوسف میل جانش بیشتر شد

بدیشان گفت یوسف را چو دیدید
ز تیغ مهر او کفها بریدید

اگر در عشق وی معذوریم هست
بدارید از ملامت گوییم دست

چو یاران از در یاری درآیید
درین کارم مددگاری نمایید

همه چنگ محبت ساز کردند
نوای معذرت آغاز کردند

که یوسف خسرو اقلیم جان است
بر آن اقلیم حکم او روان است

به دیدارش که را آهنگ باشد
که ندهد دل اگر خود سنگ باشد

غمش گر مایه رنجوری توست
جمالش حجت معذوری توست

به زیر چرخ کس پیدا نگردد
که رویش بیند و شیدا نگردد

شدی عاشق ملامت نیست بر تو
درین سودا غرامت نیست بر تو

فلک گرد جهان بسیار گردید
بدین شایستگی معشوق کم دید

دل سنگین به مهرت نرم بادش
وز این نامهربانی شرم بادش

وز آن پس روی سوی یوسف نهادند
سخن را در نصیحت داد دادند

بدو گفتند کای عمر گرامی
دریده پیرهن در نیکنامی

درین بستان که گل با خار جفت است
گل بی خارچون تو کم شگفته ست

درین دریا که نه چرخش صدف هاست
به تو این چار گوهر را شرفهاست

مکن پایه بلندی مایه خویش
فرودا اندکی از پایه خویش

زلیخا خاک شد در راهت ای پاک
همی کش گه گهی دامن بر این خاک

چه کم گردد ز تو ای پاکدامن
اگر گه گه کشی بر خاک دامن

به دفع حاجتش حجت رها کن
ز تو چون حاجتی خواهد روا کن

به بی حاجت تو را گر حاجتی هست
مکش از حاجت حاجتوران دست

مکن چون داشت حق خدمتت گوش
حقوق خدمت وی را فراموش

نیاز او نگر وز حد مبر ناز
ازان ترسیم ای نخل سرافراز

که چون نبود تو را جز سرکشی کار
نیارد سرکشی جز ناخوشی بار

فرو شوید ز دل مهر جمالت
کند دست جفایش پایمالت

حذر کن زانکه چون مضطر شود دوست
به خواری دوست را از سر کشد پوست

چو از لب بگذرد سیل خطرمند
نهد مادر به زیر پای فرزند

دهد هر لحظه تهدیدت به زندان
که هست آرامگاه ناپسندان

چو گور ظلم جویان تیره و تنگ
گریزان زندگان از وی به فرسنگ

در او ضیق النفس هر زنده ای را
نشیمن هر به مرگ ارزنده ای را

در او نگشاده دست صنع استاد
نه راه روشنی نه منفذ باد

هوایش مایه بخش هر وبایی
زمینش کشتزار هر بلایی

درش بسته به قفل ناامیدی
ندیده غره صبحش سفیدی

سیاه و تنگ چون قاروره قیر
متاع ساکنانش غل و زنجیر

همه بر سفره بی آب و نانی
نشسته سیر لیک از زندگانی

موکل سخترویی چند بر وی
مجاور تلخگویی چند در وی

در ابرو چین پی آزار مردم
ز هر چین صد گره در کار مردم

زده آتش به عالم خوی ایشان
سیاه از دود آتش روی ایشان

کجا شاید چنین محنتسرایی
که باشد جای چون تو دلربایی

خدا را بر وجود خود ببخشای
به روی او در مقصود بگشای

قلم سان سر نهش بر خط تسلیم
بشوی از لوح خاطر نقطه بیم

وگر باشد تو را از وی ملالی
که چندانش نمی بینی جمالی

چو زو ایمن شوی دمساز ما باش
نهانی همدم و همراز ما باش

که ما هر یک به خوبی بی نظیریم
سپهر حسن را ماه منیریم

چو بگشاییم لبهای شکرخا
ز خجلت لب فرو بندد زلیخا

چنین شیرین و شکرخا که ماییم
زلیخا را چه قدر آنجا که ماییم

چو یوسف گوش کرد افسونگریشان
پی کام زلیخا یاوریشان

گذشتن از ره دین و خرد نیز
نه تنها بهر وی از بهر خود نیز

پریشان شد ز گفت و گوی ایشان
بگردانید روی از روی ایشان

به حق برداشت کف بهر مناجات
که ای حاجت روای اهل حاجات

پناه پرده عصمت نشینان
انیس خلوت عزلت گزینان

چراغ دولت هر بی گزندی
حصار آفت هر ناپسندی

عجب درمانده ام در کار اینان
مرا زندان به از دیدار اینان

به ار صد سال در زندان نشینم
که یکدم طلعت اینان ببینم

به نامحرم نظر دل را کند کور
ز دولت خانه قرب افکند دور

اگر تو مکر این مکارگان را
ز کوی عقل و دین آوارگان را

که آمد تنگ ازیشان جای بر من
نگردانی ز من ای وای بر من

چو زندان خواست یوسف از خداوند
دعای او به زندان ساختش بند

اگر بودی ز فضلش عافیتخواه
سوی زندان قضا ننمودیش راه

برستی ز آفت آن ناپسندان
دلی فارغ ز محنت های زندان

English translation

When many seekers pursue a piece of merchandise, The buyer's desire for it increases. When only one lover is infatuated with a beloved, The lover's passion retains some composure. But the fire of longing leaps from the heart When the lover sees another rival standing opposite.

When those captivated by Joseph fell silent, Joseph's beauty itself bore witness to their state. A new fervor arose in Zulaykha from this, And her soul's desire for Joseph grew stronger. She said to them, 'Now that you have seen Joseph And cut your hands with the blade of love for him, If I am excusable in loving him, Cease speaking words of reproach against me. Come forward as faithful friends And assist me in this affair.'

They all tuned the harp of affection And began a melody of exoneration: 'Joseph is the sovereign of the realm of the soul, And throughout that realm his command prevails. Who could set out to behold him And not surrender the heart, even if it were stone? If sorrow for him has made you suffer, His beauty is the proof that excuses you. No one beneath the heavens can be found Who sees his face and does not become lovestruck. You fell in love; no blame rests upon you. No penalty is due to you in this passion. The heavens have traveled around the world many times, Yet seldom have they seen a beloved so worthy. May his stony heart be softened by your love, And may he feel ashamed of this unkindness.'

Then they turned their faces toward Joseph And did full justice to the art of counsel. They said to him, 'O precious life, Whose shirt was torn in the cause of honor, In this garden, where the rose is paired with the thorn, Few thornless roses like you have blossomed. In this sea, whose nine heavens are its shells, These four jewels gain distinction through you. Do not make your lofty station a source of pride; Descend a little from your elevated rank. Zulaykha has become dust upon your path, O pure one; Now and then, draw your hem across this dust. What would it diminish in you, O chaste one, If sometimes you drew your hem across the dust? Set argument aside in answering her need; When she asks something of you, grant it. If you have any need even while needing nothing, Do not withhold your hand from those in need. Since she has listened to the claims of your service, Do not forget the obligations owed for her service. Look upon her need and do not carry coyness too far, For we fear, O lofty palm tree, That if defiance remains your only course, Defiance will bring nothing but misery. She may wash the love of your beauty from her heart And trample you beneath the foot of her cruelty. Beware: when a friend is driven to desperation, The friend may cruelly flay the beloved from head to foot. When the perilous flood rises beyond the lips, A mother will place her child beneath her feet.

She threatens you with prison at every moment, For it is the resting place of the condemned: Dark and narrow as the grave of oppressors, A place from which the living flee for miles; Within it every living person gasps for breath, And it is the dwelling of everyone worthy only of death. There the hand of the master craftsman has opened Neither a path for light nor a passage for air. Its air gives rise to every pestilence, And its ground is the field where every calamity grows. Its door is shut with the lock of hopelessness; The brow of its morning has never seen whiteness. Black and narrow as a vial of pitch, Its inhabitants possess only shackles and chains. All sit at a table without water or bread, Sated, indeed—but sated with life itself. Several harsh-faced wardens stand over it, And several bitter-tongued men dwell within. Their brows are furrowed in pursuit of tormenting people; From every furrow come a hundred knots in people's affairs. Their disposition has set the world on fire, And their faces are blackened by the smoke of that fire. How could such a house of affliction Be a fitting place for a heart-stealer like you? For God's sake, have mercy upon your own being; Open the door through which she may reach her aim. Like a pen, bow your head upon the line of submission, And wash the dot of fear from the tablet of your mind.

But if you feel aversion toward her Because you do not find her beautiful enough, Once you are safe from her, become our companion; Secretly become our intimate and confidant. Each of us is without equal in beauty; We are radiant moons in the heaven of loveliness. When we open our sugar-chewing lips, Zulaykha will close her lips in shame. When we are so sweet and sugar-mouthed, What worth has Zulaykha wherever we are?'

When Joseph heard their enchantments And saw them aiding Zulaykha in attaining her desire— Abandoning the path of faith and reason, Not only for her sake but also for their own— He became distressed by their discourse And turned his face away from their faces. He raised his hands to God in supplication: 'O Fulfiller of the needs of all who have needs, Refuge of those who dwell behind the veil of chastity, Companion of those who choose the solitude of seclusion, Lamp of the good fortune of everyone kept from harm, Fortress against the affliction of every evil, How helpless I am in dealing with these women! Prison is better for me than seeing them. It is better to remain in prison for a hundred years Than to behold their countenances for a single moment. Looking upon one who is forbidden blinds the heart And casts it far from the blessed abode of divine proximity. Unless You turn away from me the guile Of these schemers, exiles from the quarter of reason and faith, Through whom my place has become constricted, Then, alas, alas for me!'

Since Joseph asked the Lord for prison, His prayer bound him to imprisonment. Had he sought well-being from divine grace, Destiny would not have shown him the road to prison. He would have escaped the affliction of those wicked women With a heart free from the sufferings of imprisonment.

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Updated 2026-07-18

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Humanities

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Persian Literature Prerequisite Course

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