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گر ترا ز اصل است با جانم ستیز ** تیغ زن یک بارگی خونم بریز 1885
- If you have an inveterate and mortal feud with me, strike with your sword and shed my blood at once.
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شوم ساعت که شدم بر تو پدید ** ای خنک آن را که روی تو ندید
- Ill-omened (was) the hour I came into your sight: oh, happy he that never saw your face!
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بیجنایت بیگنه بیبیش و کم ** ملحدان جایز ندارند این ستم
- Without guilt, without sin, without (having done) anything great or small—(even) the heretics hold not such oppression allowable.
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میجهد خون از دهانم با سخن ** ای خدا آخر مکافاتش تو کن
- Blood gushes from my mouth together with (my) words. O God, I beseech Thee, give him the retribution (which he deserves)!”
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هر زمان میگفت او نفرین نو ** اوش میزد کاندر این صحرا بدو
- Every instant he was uttering a new curse, (while) he (the rider) kept beating him and saying, “Run in this plain.”
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زخم دبوس و سوار همچو باد ** میدوید و باز در رو میفتاد 1890
- Blows of the mace, and the rider (swift) as the wind! He (therefore) went on running and (now and) again falling on his face.
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ممتلی و خوابناک و سست بد ** پا و رویش صد هزاران زخم شد
- He was full-fed and sleepy and fatigued: his feet and face became (covered with) a hundred thousand wounds.
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تا شبانگه میکشید و میگشاد ** تا ز صفرا قی شدن بر وی فتاد
- Till nightfall he (the rider) drove (him) to and fro, until vomiting caused by bile overtook him.
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زو بر آمد خوردهها زشت و نکو ** مار با آن خورده بیرون جست از او
- All the things he had eaten, bad or good, came up from him: the snake shot forth from him along with what he had eaten.
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چون بدید از خود برون آن مار را ** سجده آورد آن نکو کردار را
- When he saw the snake outside of him, he fell on his knees before that beneficent man.
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سهم آن مار سیاه زشت زفت ** چون بدید آن دردها از وی برفت 1895
- As soon as he saw the horror of that black, ugly, big snake, those griefs departed from him.
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گفت خود تو جبرییل رحمتی ** یا خدایی که ولی نعمتی
- “Truly,” said he, “you are the Gabriel of (Divine) mercy, or you are God, for you are the lord of bounty.
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ای مبارک ساعتی که دیدیام ** مرده بودم جان نو بخشیدیام
- Oh, blest (is) the hour that you saw me: I was dead, you have given me new life.
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تو مرا جویان مثال مادران ** من گریزان از تو مانند خران
- You (were) seeking me like mothers (in search of their children); I (was) fleeing from you like asses.
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خر گریزد از خداوند از خری ** صاحبش در پی ز نیکو گوهری
- The ass flees from his master because of asininity; his owner (runs) after (him) because of good-nature.
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نه از پی سود و زیان میجویدش ** لیک تا در گرگش ندرد یا ددش 1900
- He seeks him, not on account of profit or loss, but in order that a wolf or (other) wild beast may not tear him.
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ای خنک آن را که بیند روی تو ** یا در افتد ناگهان در کوی تو
- Oh, happy he that espies your face or suddenly lights upon your abode.
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ای روان پاک بستوده ترا ** چند گفتم ژاژ و بیهوده ترا
- O you whom the pure spirit hath praised, how many foolish and idle words have I spoken to you!
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ای خداوند و شهنشاه و امیر ** من نگفتم جهل من گفت آن مگیر
- O lord and emperor and amír, I spoke not, my folly spoke: do not punish that (offence).
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شمهای زین حال اگر دانستمی ** گفتن بیهوده کی تانستمی
- If I had known a tittle of this matter, how could I have spoken foolish words?
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بس ثنایت گفتمی ای خوش خصال ** گر مرا یک رمز میگفتی ز حال 1905
- I should have spoken much praise of you, O man of good qualities, if you had given me a single hint as to the (actual) case;
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لیک خامش کرده میآشوفتی ** خامشانه بر سرم میکوفتی
- But you, keeping silence, showed perturbation and silently continued to beat me on the head.
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شد سرم کالیوه عقل از سر بجست ** خاصه این سر را که مغزش کمتر است
- My head became dizzy, the wits flew out of my head— especially as this head has (but) little brain.
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عفو کن ای خوب روی خوب کار ** آن چه گفتم از جنون اندر گذار
- Pardon, O man of goodly countenance and goodly behaviour: let pass that which I said in frenzy.”
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گفت اگر من گفتمی رمزی از آن ** زهرهی تو آب گشتی آن زمان
- He answered, “If I had uttered a hint of it, your gall would instantly have turned to water.