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پیش آن کس که نه صاحب اشتری ست ** کاو در این جست شتر بهر مری ست
- (But) to that person who is not the owner of a camel, and who is (engaged) in this quest of the camel for contention's sake—
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زین نشان راست نفزودش یقین ** جز ز عکس ناقه جوی راستین
- His certainty is not increased by this right clue, save through reflexion from the true camel-seeker.
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بوی برد از جد و گرمیهای او ** که گزافه نیست این هیهای او
- From his (the latter's) earnestness and ardour he (the imitator) gets a scent (inkling) that these wild outcries of his are not (mere) babble.
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اندر این اشتر نبودش حق ولی ** اشتری گم کرده است او هم بلی 2990
- He (the imitator) had no just claim to this camel, but he too has lost a camel; yes, (he has).
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طمع ناقهی غیر رو پوشش شده ** آنچ ازو گم شد فراموشش شده
- Desire for another's camel has become a veil to him, (so that) he has forgotten what he (himself) has lost.
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هر کجا او میدود این میدود ** از طمع هم درد صاحب میشود
- Wherever he (the owner) runs, this one (the imitator) runs: from cupidity, he becomes a partner in the owner's pain.
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کاذبی یا صادقی چون شد روان ** آن دروغش راستی شد ناگهان
- When a liar sets out (to journey) with a truthful man, his falsehood turns to truth of a sudden.
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اندر آن صحرا که آن اشتر شتافت ** اشتر خود نیز آن دیگر بیافت
- In the desert whither that camel had hastened, the other one (the imitator) also found his own camel.
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چون بدیدش یاد آورد آن خویش ** بیطمع شد ز اشتر آن یار و خویش 2995
- As soon as he saw it, he remembered his own, and ceased to covet the camel of that friend and kinsman.
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آن مقلد شد محقق چون بدید ** اشتر خود را که آن جا میچرید
- That imitator became a true searcher when he saw his camel browsing there.