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چون وزیر شیر شد گاو نبیل ** چون ز عکس ماه ترسان گشت پیل 3620
- How did the noble ox become the vizier of the lion? How was the elephant terrified by the reflection of the moon?
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این کلیله و دمنه جمله افتری است ** ور نه کی با زاغ لکلک را مری است
- This Kalíla and Dimna is entirely fiction, or else how has the stork a quarrel with the crow?”
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ای برادر قصه چون پیمانهای است ** معنی اندر وی مثال دانهای است
- O brother, the story is like a measure: the real meaning in it resembles grain (in the measure).
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دانهی معنی بگیرد مرد عقل ** ننگرد پیمانه را گر گشت نقل
- The man of intelligence will take the grain of meaning: he will not pay any regard to the measure, (even) if it is removed (altogether).
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ماجرای بلبل و گل گوش دار ** گر چه گفتی نیست آن جا آشکار
- Listen to what passes between the rose and the nightingale, though in that case there is no overt speech.
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سخن گفتن به زبان حال و فهم کردن آن
- On mute eloquence and the understanding of it.
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ماجرای شمع با پروانه نیز ** بشنو و معنی گزین کن ای عزیز 3625
- Listen to what passes between the moth and the candle, and pick out the meaning from the tale.
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گر چه گفتی نیست سر گفت هست ** هین ببالا پر مپر چون جغد پست
- Albeit there is no speech, there is the inmost soul of speech. Come, fly aloft, do not fly low, like the owl.
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گفت در شطرنج کاین خانهی رخ است ** گفت خانه از کجاش آمد بدست
- He (the player) at chess said, “This is the house of the rook.” “By what way,” said he (the literalist), “did the house come into its hands?
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خانه را بخرید یا میراث یافت ** فرخ آن کس کاو سوی معنی شتافت
- Did it buy the house, or inherit it?”—Happy is he that sped towards the (real) meaning!
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گفت نحوی زید عمرا قد ضرب ** گفت چونش کرد بیجرمی ادب
- A grammarian said, “Zayd has struck ‘Amr.” Said (the fool), “How did he chastise him without any offence (on his part)?