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شخص خفت و خرس میراندش مگس ** وز ستیز آمد مگس زو باز پس
- The man fell asleep, and the bear kept driving away the flies (which were) on him, but in spite of him they soon came back again.
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چند بارش راند از روی جوان ** آن مگس زو باز میآمد دوان 2125
- Several times he drove them from the youth’s face, but soon they came hurrying back once more.
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خشمگین شد با مگس خرس و برفت ** بر گرفت از کوه سنگی سخت زفت
- The bear was enraged with the flies and went off. He picked up a very big stone from the mountain-side.
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سنگ آورد و مگس را دید باز ** بر رخ خفته گرفته جای ساز
- He fetched the stone, and saw the flies again settled comfortably on the face of the sleeper.
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بر گرفت آن آسیا سنگ و بزد ** بر مگس تا آن مگس واپس خزد
- He took up that millstone and struck at the flies, in order that they might retire.
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سنگ روی خفته را خشخاش کرد ** این مثل بر جمله عالم فاش کرد
- The stone made powder of the sleeping man’s face, and published to the whole world this adage––.
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مهر ابله مهر خرس آمد یقین ** کین او مهر است و مهر اوست کین 2130
- “The love of a fool is for sure the love of a bear: his hate is love and his love is hate.”
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عهد او سست است و ویران و ضعیف ** گفت او زفت و وفای او نحیف
- His promise is infirm and corrupt and feeble; his word stout and his performance lean.
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گر خورد سوگند هم باور مکن ** بشکند سوگند، مرد کژ سخن
- Do not believe him, even if he take an oath: the man whose speech is false will break his oath.
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چون که بیسوگند گفتش بد دروغ ** تو میفت از مکر و سوگندش به دوغ
- Inasmuch as, without the oath, his word was a lie, do not be entrapped by his deceit and oath.