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هم‌چنین می‌رفت بالا تا یکی ** مهتر موران فطن بود اندکی 3725
- In this fashion it (the argument) was carried upward till a chief of the ants, (who) was a little bit sagacious,
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گفت کز صورت مبینید این هنر ** که به خواب و مرگ گردد بی‌خبر
- Said, “Do not regard this accomplishment as proceeding from the (material) form, which becomes unconscious in sleep and death.
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صورت آمد چون لباس و چون عصا ** جز به عقل و جان نجنبد نقشها
- Form is like a garment or a staff: (bodily) figures do not move except by means of intellect and spirit.”
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بی‌خبر بود او که آن عقل و فاد ** بی ز تقلیب خدا باشد جماد
- He (the wise ant) was unaware that without the controlling influence of God that intellect and heart (mind) would be inert.
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یک زمان از وی عنایت بر کند ** عقل زیرک ابلهیها می‌کند
- If He withdraw His favour from it for a single moment, the acute intellect will commit (many) follies.
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چونش گویا یافت ذوالقرنین گفت ** چونک کوه قاف در نطق سفت 3730
- When Dhu ’l-Qarnayn found it (Mount Qáf) speaking, he said, after Mount Qáf had bored the pearls of speech,
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کای سخن‌گوی خبیر رازدان ** از صفات حق بکن با من بیان
- “O eloquent one, who art wise and knowest the mystery, expound to me the Attributes of God.”
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گفت رو کان وصف از آن هایل‌ترست ** که بیان بر وی تواند برد دست
- It answered, “Go, for those qualities are too terrible for (oral) exposition to put its hand on them,
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یا قلم را زهره باشد که به سر ** بر نویسد بر صحایف زان خبر
- Or for the pen to dare inscribe with its point information concerning them on the pages (of books).”
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گفت کمتر داستانی باز گو ** از عجبهای حق ای حبر نکو
- He said, “Relate a lesser tale concerning the wonders of God, O goodly divine.”