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نفس خود را زن شناس از زن بتر ** ز انکه زن جزوی است نفست کل شر
- Know that your fleshly soul is woman and worse than woman, because woman is a part (of evil), but your fleshly soul is evil entire.
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مشورت با نفس خود گر میکنی ** هر چه گوید کن خلاف آن دنی
- If you take counsel with your fleshly soul, oppose that vile one (in) whatsoever she may say.
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گر نماز و روزه میفرمایدت ** نفس مکار است مکری زایدت
- If she bid you pray and fast-the fleshly soul is a great plotter, she will bring some plot against you to birth.
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مشورت با نفس خویش اندر فعال ** هر چه گوید عکس آن باشد کمال 2275
- (When you take) counsel with your fleshly soul concerning (your) actions––whatsoever she tells (you to do), the reverse of that is perfectly right.
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بر نیایی با وی و استیز او ** رو بر یاری بگیر آمیز او
- (If) you cannot cope with her and her contumacy, go to a friend and mix with him.
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عقل قوت گیرد از عقل دگر ** نی شکر کامل شود از نیشکر
- Mind gains strength from another mind: the sugar-cane is made perfect by the sugar-cane.
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من ز مکر نفس دیدم چیزها ** کاو برد از سحر خود تمییزها
- I have seen (wondrous) things (arising) from the deceitfulness of the fleshly soul, for by her magic she takes away the faculties of discernment.
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وعدهها بدهد ترا تازه به دست ** که هزاران بار آنها را شکست
- She will proffer afresh to you promises that she has broken thousands of times.
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عمر اگر صد سال خود مهلت دهد ** اوت هر روزی بهانهی نو نهد 2280
- If your life be prolonged even for a hundred years, she will lay before you a new pretext every day.
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گرم گوید وعدههای سرد را ** جادویی مردی ببندد مرد را
- She utters cold (vain) promises (as though) warm (from the heart); (she is) a witch, she ties up the manhood of a man.