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صورت صندوق بس زیباست لیک ** از عروض و سیم و ز خالیست نیک 4485
- The appearance of the chest is very pleasing, but it is quite empty of goods and silver and gold.
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چون تن زراق خوب و با وقار ** اندر آن سله نیابی غیر مار
- (’Tis) like the person of a hypocrite, (one who is) handsome and dignified; (but) in the basket you will find nothing except a snake.
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من برم صندوق را فردا به کو ** پس بسوزم در میان چارسو
- To-morrow I will take the chest into the street and burn it in the midst of the market at the cross-ways,
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تا ببیند مومن و گبر و جهود ** که درین صندوق جز لعنت نبود
- That true believer and Zoroastrian and Jew may see there was nothing in this chest but (cause for) cursing.”
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گفت زن هی در گذر ای مرد ازین ** خورد سوگندان که نکنم جز چنین
- “O husband,” cried the woman, “come now, give up this (idea)!” (However), he swore several times that he would do just as he had said.
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از پگه حمال آورد او چو باد ** زود آن صندوق بر پشتش نهاد 4490
- Early (next morning) he (went) like the wind, fetched a porter, and immediately put the chest on his back.
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اندر آن صندوق قاضی از نکال ** بانگ می‌زد که ای حمال و ای حمال
- (He set off with it, while) the cadi inside the chest shouted in an agony (of terror), “O porter! O porter!”
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کرد آن حمال راست و چپ نظر ** کز چه سو در می‌رسد بانک و خبر
- The porter looked to the right and the left to see from what direction the shouts and warnings were coming.
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هاتفست این داعی من ای عجب ** یا پری‌ام می‌کند پنهان طلب
- “I wonder,” said he, “is it a hátif, this voice which is calling me, or is it a peri (jinní) summoning me mysteriously?”
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چون پیاپی گشت آن آواز و بیش ** گفت هاتف نیست باز آمد به خویش
- When the shouts followed one another in succession and increased, he said, “’Tis not a hátif,” and recovered himself.