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که به از من سروری دیگر بود ** تا که او مسجود چون من کس شود
- Saying, “Is there another leader superior to me, so that he should be worshipped by one like me?”
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سروری زهر است جز آن روح را ** کاو بود تریاق لانی ز ابتدا
- Leadership is poison, except to the spirit that from the beginning hath (in himself) abundance of the antidote.
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کوه اگر پر مار شد باکی مدار ** کاو بود در اندرون تریاقزار 3465
- If the mountain is full of snakes, have no fear, for it is a mine of antidote within.
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سروری چون شد دماغت را ندیم ** هر که بشکستت شود خصم قدیم
- When leadership has become a bosom-friend to your brain, any one who breaks (thwarts) you becomes (as) an ancient adversary.
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چون خلاف خوی تو گوید کسی ** کینهها خیزد ترا با او بسی
- When any one contradicts your disposition (habit of mind), many feelings of hatred against him arise in you.
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که مرا از خوی من بر میکند ** خویش را بر من چو سرور میکند
- “He is tearing me (you say) from my (engrained) disposition, he is making himself like a captain over me.”
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چون نباشد خوی بد سرکش در او ** کی فروزد آن خلاف آتش در او
- Unless the evil disposition has become headstrong in him, how should the fire (of passion) blaze up in him through being opposed?
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با مخالف او مدارایی کند ** در دل او خویش را جایی کند 3470
- He may show some feigned courtesy to the opponent, he may make a place for himself in his heart,
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ز انکه خوی بد بگشته ست استوار ** مور شهوت شد ز عادت همچو مار
- (But he really hates him), because the evil disposition has waxed strong: the ant of (worldly) lust has through habit become as a snake.
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مار شهوت را بکش در ابتدا ** ور نه اینک گشت مارت اژدها
- Kill the snake of lust in tribulation; else, look you, your snake is become a dragon.