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گفت آری خوش عمل کردی بدان ** تا بگویم پند ثالث رایگان
- “Yes,” said the bird, “thou hast made good use of those (former counsels), that I should tell (thee) the third counsel in vain!”
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پند گفتن با جهول خوابناک ** تخت افکندن بود در شوره خاک
- To give counsel to a sleepy ignoramus is to scatter seed in nitrous soil.
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چاک حمق و جهل نپذیرد رفو ** تخم حکمت کم دهش ای پندگو 2265
- The rent of folly and ignorance does not admit of being patched up: do not give the seed of wisdom to him (the fool), O counsellor.
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چاره اندیشیدن آن ماهی نیم‌عاقل و خود را مرده کردن
- How the half-intelligent fish devised a means (of escape) and feigned to be dead.
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گفت ماهی دگر وقت بلا ** چونک ماند از سایه‌ی عاقل جدا
- The second fish said in the hour of tribulation, when he was left sundered from the shadow (protection) of the intelligent one,
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کو سوی دریا شد و از غم عتیق ** فوت شد از من چنان نیکو رفیق
- “He hath gone towards the sea and is freed from sorrow: such a good comrade hath been lost to me!
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لیک زان نندیشم و بر خود زنم ** خویشتن را این زمان مرده کنم
- But I will not think of that and will attend to myself: at this (present) time I will feign to be dead.
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پس برآرم اشکم خود بر زبر ** پشت زیر و می‌روم بر آب بر
- Then I will turn my belly upwards and my back downwards and will move on the water.
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می‌روم بر وی چنانک خس رود ** نی بسباحی چنانک کس رود 2270
- I will move upon it as weeds move, not by swimming as a person (swimmer) does.
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مرده گردم خویش بسپارم به آب ** مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست از عذاب
- I will become dead, I will commit myself to the water: to die before death is to be safe from torment.”
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مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست ای فتی ** این چنین فرمود ما را مصطفی
- To die before death is to be safe, O youth: even so hath Mustafa (Mohammad) commanded us.