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یک سپد پر نان ترا بی‌فرق سر ** تو همی خواهی لب نان در به در
- There is a basket full of loaves on the crown of thy head, and thou art begging a crust of bread from door to door.
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در سر خود پیچ هل خیره‌سری ** رو در دل زن چرا بر هر دری
- Attend to thine own head, abandon giddy-headedness; go, knock at the door of thy heart: why art thou (knocking) at every door?
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تا بزانویی میان آب‌جو ** غافل از خود زین و آن تو آب جو 1075
- Whilst thou art up to the knee in the river-water, thou art heedless of thyself and art seeking water from this one and that one.
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پیش آب و پس هم آب با مدد ** چشمها را پیش سد و خلف سد
- Water in front; and behind, too, an unfailing supply of water; (but) before thine eyes is a barrier and behind them a barrier.
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اسپ زیر ران و فارس اسپ‌جو ** چیست این گفت اسپ لیکن اسپ کو
- The horse is under the (rider's) thigh, and the rider is seeking the horse. (When asked), “What is this?” he says, “A horse, but where is the horse?”
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هی نه اسپست این به زیر تو پدید ** گفت آری لیک خود اسپی که دید
- “Eh, is not this a horse under thee, plain to see?” “Yes,” says he, “but who ever saw a horse?”
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مست آب و پیش روی اوست آن ** اندر آب و بی‌خبر ز آب روان
- He (such a one) is mad with thirst for the water, and it (the water) is before his face: he is in the water and unconscious of the running water.
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چون گهر در بحر گوید بحر کو ** وآن خیال چون صدف دیوار او 1080
- Like the pearl in the sea, he says, “Where is the sea?” and that shell-like phantasy is his wall.
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گفتن آن کو حجابش می‌شود ** ابر تاب آفتابش می‌شود
- His saying “Where?” becomes for him a screen: it becomes for him a cloud over the radiance of the sun.
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بند چشم اوست هم چشم بدش ** عین رفع سد او گشته سدش
- His bad (sensual) eye is a bandage on his (inward) eye: his very (awareness of) removing the barrier has become a barrier for him.