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که مگر بازوی ایشان در حذر ** بر هدف انداخت تیری از هنر
- (Supposing) that maybe in (the hour of) dread their arm had skilfully shot an arrow at the target.
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پا رهاند روبهان را در شکار ** و آن زدم دانند روباهان غرار
- Foxes, in the chase, are saved by their legs, but the foxes inconsiderately deem that (safety to proceed) from their tails.
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عشقها با دم خود بازند کین ** می‌رهاند جان ما را در کمین
- (Hence) they play fondly with their tails, thinking, “These save our lives in the ambuscade (of calamity).”
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روبها پا را نگه دار از کلوخ ** پا چو نبود دم چه سود ای چشم‌شوخ
- O fox, preserve your legs from (being broken by) brickbats; when you have no legs, what use is your tail, O bold-eyed one?
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ما چو روباهان و پای ما کرام ** می‌رهاندمان ز صدگون انتقام 2230
- We are like foxes, and the noble (saints) are (as) our legs: they save us from a hundred kinds of vengeance.
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حیله‌ی باریک ما چون دم ماست ** عشقها بازیم با دم چپ و راست
- Our subtle contrivance is as our tails: we play fondly with our tails, left and right.
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دم بجنبانیم ز استدلال و مکر ** تا که حیران ماند از ما زید و بکر
- We wag our tails in argumentation and cunning, in order that Zayd and Bakr may remain amazed at us.
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طالب حیرانی خلقان شدیم ** دست طمع اندر الوهیت زدیم
- We have sought to excite the amazement of the people; we have eagerly grasped at Divinity,
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تا بافسون مالک دلها شویم ** این نمی‌بینیم ما کاندر گویم
- That by means of guile we may gain possession of (the people's) hearts; we do not see that we are in a ditch.
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در گوی و در چهی ای قلتبان ** دست وا دار از سبال دیگران 2235
- You are in the ditch and in the pit, O scoundrel: keep your hands off the moustache of others!