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ای بسا صیاد بی‌رحمت مدام ** بهر این پرها نهد هر سوم دام
- Oh, many a pitiless fowler always lays a trap for me everywhere for the sake of these feathers.
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چند تیرانداز بهر بالها ** تیر سوی من کشد اندر هوا
- How many an archer, for the sake of my plumage, shoots arrows at me (when I am) in the air!
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چون ندارم زور و ضبط خویشتن ** زین قضا و زین بلا و زین فتن 645
- Since I have not strength and self-control (to preserve me) from this destiny and this affliction and these tribulations,
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آن به آید که شوم زشت و کریه ** تا بوم آمن درین کهسار و تیه
- ’Tis better I should be ugly and hideous, that I may be safe amidst these mountains and deserts.
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این سلاح عجب من شد ای فتی ** عجب آرد معجبان را صد بلا
- These (feathers) are the weapons of my pride, O noble sir: pride brings a hundred afflictions on the proud.
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بیان آنک هنرها و زیرکیها و مال دنیا هم‌چون پرهای طاوس عدو جانست
- Explaining that accomplishments and intellectual abilities and worldly wealth are enemies to (spiritual) life, like the peacock's feathers.
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پس هنر آمد هلاکت خام را ** کز پی دانه نبیند دام را
- Accomplishments, then, are a destruction to the (spiritually) ignorant man, for in his pursuit of the bait he does not see the trap.
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اختیار آن را نکو باشد که او ** مالک خود باشد اندر اتقوا
- Free-will is good for him (alone) who is master of himself in (respect of obeying the command) ‘Fear ye (God).’
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چون نباشد حفظ و تقوی زینهار ** دور کن آلت بینداز اختیار 650
- When there is no safeguarding (of one's self) and piety, beware, put far (from thee) the instrument (that serves as a means to sin): drop free-will.
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جلوه‌گاه و اختیارم آن پرست ** بر کنم پر را که در قصد سرست
- Those feathers are the object of my display (pride) and freewill: I will tear out the feathers, for they are in quest of my head.
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نیست انگارد پر خود را صبور ** تا پرش در نفکند در شر و شور
- The self-restrained man deems his feathers to be naught, in order that his feathers may not cast him into calamity and bale.