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پس بیامد زود روبه سوی خر ** گفت خر از چون تو یاری الحذر 2600
- Then the fox came quickly towards the ass: the ass said, “One must beware of a friend like you.
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ناجوامردا چه کردم من ترا ** که به پیش اژدها بردی مرا
- Ignoble creature, what did I do to you that you brought me into the presence of a dragon?
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موجب کین تو با جانم چه بود ** غیر خبث جوهر تو ای عنود
- What but the malignity of your nature was the cause of your enmity to my life, O perverse one?”—
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هم‌چو کزدم کو گزد پای فتی ** نارسیده از وی او را زحمتی
- Like the scorpion, which bites a man's foot though no inconvenience has come to it from him,
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یا چو دیوی کو عدوی جان ماست ** نارسیده زحمتش از ما و کاست
- Or like the Devil who is the enemy of our souls, though no inconvenience or injury has befallen him from us;
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بلک طبعا خصم جان آدمیست ** از هلاک آدمی در خرمیست 2605
- Nay, but he is naturally the adversary of the human soul and rejoices at the destruction of Man;
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از پی هر آدمی او نسکلد ** خو و طبع زشت خود او کی هلد
- He never breaks off his pursuit of any human being: how should he abandon his wicked disposition and nature?
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زانک خبث ذات او بی‌موجبی ** هست سوی ظلم و عدوان جاذبی
- For, without any cause, his essential malignity pulls him on to (commit) injustice and tyranny.
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هر زمان خواند ترا تا خرگهی ** که در اندازد ترا اندر چهی
- He continually invites thee to a spacious tent in order that he may cast thee into a pit,
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که فلان جا حوض آبست و عیون ** تا در اندازد به حوضت سرنگون
- Saying, “In such and such a place there is a tank of water and (many) fountains,” that he may cast thee headlong into the tank.