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مثنوی را چابک و دلخواه کن ** ماجرا را موجز و کوتاه کن 525
- Make the Mathnawí nimble and pleasing to the heart: abridge and shorten (their) controversy.
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بعد از آن گفتش که گندم آن کیست ** گفت امانت از یتیم بی وصیست
- Afterwards, it (the bird) said to him, “Whose is the wheat?” He replied, “It is the deposit of an orphan who has no guardian.
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مال ایتام است امانت پیش من ** زانک پندارند ما را متمن
- It is orphans' property, deposited with me because people deem me trustworthy.”
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گفت من مضطرم و مجروح‌حال ** هست مردار این زمان بر من حلال
- The bird said, “I am driven by necessity and in a sore plight: (even) carrion is lawful to me at this moment.
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هین به دستوری ازین گندم خورم ** ای امین و پارسا و محترم
- Hark, with your permission I will eat of this wheat, O trusty and devout and venerable one.”
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گفت مفتی ضرورت هم توی ** بی‌ضرورت گر خوری مجرم شوی 530
- He replied, “You are the judge of (your) necessity: if you eat without necessity, you will commit a sin;
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ور ضرورت هست هم پرهیز به ** ور خوری باری ضمان آن بده
- And if the necessity exists, yet ’tis better to abstain; or if you do eat, at any rate give a guarantee for (payment of) it.”
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مرغ پس در خود فرو رفت آن زمان ** توسنش سر بستد از جذب عنان
- Thereupon the bird pondered deeply, (but) its restive steed took its head (recoiled) from the pull of the rein.
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چون بخورد آن گندم اندر فخ بماند ** چند او یاسین و الانعام خواند
- When it had eaten the wheat, it remained in the trap: it recited several times (the chapters of the Qur’án entitled) Yásín and al-An‘ám.
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بعد در ماندن چه افسوس و چه آه ** پیش از آن بایست این دود سیاه
- What is (the use of crying) “Alas” and “Ah me” after being left helpless? This black smoke ought to have been (exhaled) before that (calamity).