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زمهریر ار پر کند آفاق را ** چه غم آن خورشید با اشراق را
- Though intense frost fill the world from end to end, what harm (would it do) to the radiant sun?
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قصه‌ی اهل سبا و حماقت ایشان و اثر ناکردن نصیحت انبیا در احمقان
- The story of the people of Sabá and their folly, and how the admonition of the prophets produces no effect upon the foolish.
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یادم آمد قصه‌ی اهل سبا ** کز دم احمق صباشان شد وبا 2600
- I am reminded of the story of the people of Sabá—how their (balmy) zephyr (sabá) was turned into pestilence (wabá) by the words of the foolish.
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آن سبا ماند به شهر بس کلان ** در فسانه بشنوی از کودکان
- That (kingdom of) Sabá resembles the great big city (which) you may hear of from children in (their) tales.
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کودکان افسانه‌ها می‌آورند ** درج در افسانه‌شان بس سر و پند
- The children relate tales, (but) in their tales there is enfolded many a mystery and (moral) lesson.
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هزلها گویند در افسانه‌ها ** گنج می‌جو در همه ویرانه‌ها
- (Though) in (their) tales they say (many) ridiculous things, (yet) in all ruined places do thou ever seek the treasure.
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بود شهری بس عظیم و مه ولی ** قدر او قدر سکره بیش نی
- (Once) there was a city very huge and great, but its size was the size of a saucer, no more (than that).
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بس عظیم و بس فراخ و بس دراز ** سخت زفت زفت اندازه‌ی پیاز 2605
- (It was) very huge and very broad and very long, ever so big, as big as an onion.
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مردم ده شهر مجموع اندرو ** لیک جمله سه تن ناشسته‌رو
- The people of ten cities were assembled within it, but the whole (amounted to) three fellows with unwashed (dirty) faces.
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اندرو خلق و خلایق بی‌شمار ** لیک آن جمله سه خام پخته‌خوار
- Within it there were numberless people and folk, but the whole of them (amounted to) three beggarly fools.
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جان ناکرده به جانان تاختن ** گر هزارانست باشد نیم تن
- The soul that has not made haste towards the Beloved— (even) if it is thousands, (yet) it is (only) half a body.