1Cademy - (۵) حکایت یوسف علیه السلام و نظر کردن او در آینه / (5) The Tale of Joseph, Peace Be Upon Him, and His Looking in the Mirror

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Elahi Nameh

Poem

(۵) حکایت یوسف علیه السلام و نظر کردن او در آینه / (5) The Tale of Joseph, Peace Be Upon Him, and His Looking in the Mirror

Original content

مگر یوسف در آئینه نگه کرد
بسی تحسین آن روی چو مه کرد

ولی آئینه پنداشت، اینت نااهل
که او را می کند تحسین، زهی جهل

چه گر یوسف جمال تهنیت داشت
ولی آئینه جای تعزیت داشت

اگر معشوق آئینه ندیدی
جمال خود معائینه ندیدی

وگر برخاستی آئینه از راه
که گشتی از جمال خویش آگاه

وگر یوسف جمال خود بدیدی
ترنج و دست را بر هم بریدی

چو روی او عیان او نمی شد
ز عشق خویش جان او نمی شد

چو هم در خود نظر کردن نبودش
ز عشق خویش خون خوردن نبودش

ولی گر دیگری نظاره کردی
ترنج و دست را یک پاره کردی

ترا گر یوسف محبوب باید
نخستت دیدهٔ یعقوب باید

که تا آئینه ات زیبا نماید
جمال خویشتن پیدا نماید

جمال خویش را برقع برانداخت
ز آدم خویش را آئینهٔ ساخت

چو روی خود در آئینه عیان دید
جمال بی نشانی در نشان دید

جمال خویش را تحسین بسی کرد
مبر آن ظن که تحسین کسی کرد

اگر یک آدمی زاد از خیالی
نهد خود را لقب صاحب جمالی

چو آن آئینه در عین غلط ماند
ز نقش دایره بیرون خط ماند

اگر صد قرن در خلوت نشینی
که تا تو روی خود بینی نه بینی

کسی دیدی که روی خویش دیدست؟
کسی نشنید کین سر کس شنیدست

اگر عکسی در آئینه به بینی
کجا رویت هر آئینه به بینی

چو روی تو نه باقیست و نه فانی
چگونه روی خود دیدن توانی

چو ممکن نیست روی خویش دیدن
بجز آئینهٔ در پیش دیدن

مکن زنهار پیش آینه آه
که تاتیره نه بینی روی چون ماه

دم سردت درون جان نگه دار
چو غواصان نفس پنهان نگه دار

اگر یک ذره در خود پیچ یابی
همی آن عکس خود را هیچ یابی

نه مرده باش نه خفته نه بیدار
همی اصلا مباش این یاد می دار

تو داری آنچه می جوئی در آفاق
تو گم شو تا بیابی همچو عشاق

English translation

It happened that Joseph looked into the mirror He greatly admired that moon-like face. But the mirror thought—how unworthy!— That he was admiring it, oh what ignorance! For although Joseph possessed a beauty worthy of congratulation, The mirror was a place of mourning (flawed). If the beloved did not see the mirror, He would not see his own beauty visibly. And if the mirror were removed from the way, Who would become aware of his own beauty? And if Joseph saw his own beauty [directly], He would cut the orange and his hand together. Since his face was not evident to himself, His soul did not perish from the love of himself. Since he could not look upon himself, He did not suffer sorrow from the love of himself. But if another were to gaze upon him, They would cut their hand and the orange to pieces. If you desire the beloved Joseph, First, you must have the eyes of Jacob. So that your mirror may appear beautiful, And reveal its own beauty. He threw the veil off His own beauty, And made of Adam a mirror for Himself. When He saw His own face clearly in the mirror, He saw the beauty of the traceless within the trace. He greatly admired His own beauty; Do not harbor the thought that He admired anyone else. If a human being, out of imagination, Gives himself the title of 'possessor of beauty,' Like that mirror, he remains in pure error, He remains outside the line of the circle's pattern. If you sit in seclusion for a hundred centuries, Trying to see your own face, you will not see it. Have you seen anyone who has seen their own face? No one has heard that anyone has heard this secret. If you see a reflection in the mirror, Where do you ever see your face, in any mirror? Since your face is neither eternal nor ephemeral, How can you see your own face? Since it is impossible to see one's own face, Except by seeing a mirror before you, Beware, do not sigh before the mirror, So that you do not see your moon-like face darkened. Keep your cold breath within your soul, Hold your breath hidden, like the pearl divers. If you find a single atom of twist in yourself, You will find that reflection of yourself to be nothing. Be neither dead, nor asleep, nor awake, Simply do not exist at all—keep this in mind! You have what you seek in the horizons; Lose yourself so that you may find it, like the lovers.

Updated 2026-07-03

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