Now Joseph once again inquired: "What offering bringest?

Now Joseph once again inquired: "What offering bringest?" His friend, ashamed of urgent pressing, sighed. Thou singest? Said he: "Full many offerings have I sought and seen; But none was worthy of thee; or I much misween. How could I bring a diamond to its native mine; Or add a drop of water to a sea of brine? 45 Shall I to Kāshān cummin bring, whence it is drawn, 3 By offering up my life and soul to beauty's fawn?

I know no rarity that's not surpassed by thee; Thy loveliness the rarity men nowhere see. The fittest present, then, I've found, a mirror is. And this I've brought; unsullied, bright, refulgent ’tis 4 Therein thou’lt contemplate thy beauteous, matchless face, As beaming as the sun that decorates sky's space. A mirror have I brought, thou charming, witching one; In it admire thyself; and think of me, when gone." 50 The mirror now he drew from underneath his skirt.

A mirror is, to beauty, with attractions girt. In non-existence’ mirror if existence gleams, Present this mirror to it, thou, as best beseems. In non-existence mirrored, being we may see; As wealthy men their wealth may show by beggars’ glee. The hungry man's the mirror best shows what is bread. And tinder mirrors flint and steel's gleam, quickly spread. Wherever want, defect, is seen, beauty's most prized. 55 The mirror of perfection's then best realised.

If clothes grew, ready cut and sewn, to meet our needs, Where'd be the use of tailor's art, to fashion weeds? The unhewn trunk is needed, for the carver's skill, And carpenter, to cut out thence his frames, his thill. The surgeon hastens to the couch where suffering lies; Where limbs are broken, there his bandages he ties. Were there no patient, malady, no fever, ache, Could art sublime, the medical, its marvels make?

If humble brass and copper were not to be found, 60 Th’ alchemist's stone could not to gold transmute them round. Defect is thus the mirror whence perfection's seen; And vileness is the foil to show off grandeur's sheen. By contrast does each opposite its fellow show, Sweet honey by sharp vinegar we best can know. The man who sees and feels his imperfections sore, Exerts himself to cure them quickly. all the more.

And he'll ne’er take his flight towards heaven's eternal King, Who holds at heart the thought that he's a perfect thing. No worse disease exists, to taint the human mind, 65 Than self-conceit, that paints its owner gold refined.