شبی یاد دارم که یاری عزیز از در در آمد؛ چنان بیخود از جای برجستم که چراغم به آستین کشته شد.
سَرَیٰ طَیْفُ مَنْ یَجْلُو بِطَلْعَتِهِ الدُّجیٰ
شگفت آمد از بختم که این دولت از کجا؟
بنشست و عتاب آغاز کرد که: مرا در حال بدیدی چراغ بکشتی، به چه معنی؟
گفتم: به دو معنی: یکی آن که گمان بردم که آفتاب برآمد و دیگر آن که این بیتم به خاطر بود:
چون گرانی به پیشِ شمع آید
خیزش اندر میان جمع بِکُش
ور شکرخندهایست شیرینلب
آستینش بگیر و شمع بکش
I remember that one night a dear friend of mine entered when I jumped up in such a heedless way that the lamp was extinguished by my sleeve. A vision appeared in the night and by its appearance the darkness was illuminated.
I was amazed at my luck exclaiming whence this felicity?
He took a seat and began reproving me saying that when I beheld him I extinguished the lamp. I said: ‘I thought the sun had risen and wits have said:
When an ugly person comes before the lamp Arise to him and pull him into the assembly But if it be a sugar-smiled, sweet-lipped one Pull him by the sleeve and extinguish the lamp.’