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چون مبارک نیست بر تو این علوم ** خویشتن گولی کن و بگذر ز شوم
- Since these sciences bring you no blessing, make yourself a dunce and leave ill luck behind.
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چون ملایک گو که لا علم لنا ** یا الهی غیر ما علمتنا 3175
- Like the angels, say, “We have no knowledge, O God, except what Thou hast taught us.”
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قصهی اعرابی و ریگ در جوال کردن و ملامت کردن آن فیلسوف او را
- Story of the desert Arab and his putting sand in the sack and the philosopher's rebuking him.
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یک عرابی بار کرده اشتری ** دو جوال زفت از دانه پری
- A certain Arab of the desert loaded a camel with two big sacks—(there was) one full of grain.
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او نشسته بر سر هر دو جوال ** یک حدیث انداز کرد او را سؤال
- He was seated on the top of both sacks. A glib philosopher questioned him.
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از وطن پرسید و آوردش به گفت ** و اندر آن پرسش بسی درها بسفت
- He asked him about his native land and led him to talk and said many fine things in the course of (his) enquiry.
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بعد از آن گفتش که این هر دو جوال ** چیست آگنده بگو مصدوق حال
- Afterwards he said to him, “What are these two sacks filled with? Tell (me) the truth of the matter.”
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گفت اندر یک جوالم گندم است ** در دگر ریگی نه قوت مردم است 3180
- He replied, “In one sack I have wheat; in the other is some sand—not food for men.”
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گفت تو چون بار کردی این رمال ** گفت تا تنها نماند آن جوال
- “Why,” he asked, “did you load this sand?” “In order that the other sack might not remain alone,” he replied.
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گفت نیم گندم آن تنگ را ** در دگر ریز از پی فرهنگ را
- “For wisdom's sake,” said he, “pour half the wheat of that pannier into the other,
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تا سبک گردد جوال و هم شتر ** گفت شاباش ای حکیم اهل و حر
- So that the sacks may be lightened, and the camel too.” He (the Arab) cried, “Bravo! O clever and noble sage!