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آدمی داند که خانه حادث است ** عنکبوتی نه که در وی عابث است 2320
- A man knows that a house is made (at some time or other); the spider which plays idly in it (knows) not (this).
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پشه کی داند که این باغ از کی است ** کاو بهاران زاد و مرگش در دی است
- How should the gnat know of what date this garden is?––for ‘twas born in spring, and its death is in the (following) winter.
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کرم کاندر چوب زاید سست حال ** کی بداند چوب را وقت نهال
- The worm that is born miserably in (dry) wood––how should it know the wood at the time when it was a (sappy) shoot?
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ور بداند کرم از ماهیتش ** عقل باشد کرم باشد صورتش
- And if the worm should know (this), it would be intellect in its essential substance; the worm would be (only) its (outward) form.
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عقل خود را مینماید رنگها ** چون پری دور است از آن فرسنگها
- Intellect shows itself (in many) guises, (but) like the Jinn is leagues removed from them (in its real nature).
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از ملک بالاست چه جای پری ** تو مگس پری به پستی میپری 2325
- It is above the angels––what occasion is there for (comparing it with) the Jinn? (But) you have the wings of a gnat, you are flying downwards.
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گر چه عقلت سوی بالا میپرد ** مرغ تقلیدت به پستی میچرد
- Although your intellect is flying upward, the bird of your conventional notions is feeding below.
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علم تقلیدی وبال جان ماست ** عاریه ست و ما نشسته کان ماست
- Conventional knowledge is the bane of our souls; it is a borrowed thing, but we rest (at ease in the belief) that it is ours.
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زین خرد جاهل همی باید شدن ** دست در دیوانگی باید زدن
- It behoves us to become ignorant of this (worldly) wisdom; (rather) must we clutch at madness.
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هر چه بینی سود خود ز آن میگریز ** زهر نوش و آب حیوان را بریز
- Always flee from whatever you deem profitable to your (lower) self: drink poison and spill the water of life.
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هر که بستاند ترا دشنام ده ** سود و سرمایه به مفلس وام ده 2330
- Revile any one that praises you: lend (both) interest and capital to the destitute.
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ایمنی بگذار و جای خوف باش ** بگذر از ناموس و رسوا باش و فاش
- Let safety go, and dwell in the place of fear (danger): leave reputation behind and be disgraced and notorious.
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آزمودم عقل دور اندیش را ** بعد از این دیوانه سازم خویش را
- I have tried far-thinking (provident) intellect; henceforth I will make myself mad.
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عذر گفتن دلقک با سید که چرا فاحشه را نکاح کرد
- How Dalqak excused himself to the Sayyid-i Ajall (who asked him) why he had married a harlot.
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گفت با دلقک شبی سید اجل ** قحبهای را خواستی تو از عجل
- One night the Sayyid-i Ajall said to Dalqak, “You have married a harlot in haste.
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با من این را باز میبایست گفت ** تا یکی مستور کردیمیت جفت
- You ought to have disclosed this (matter) to me, so that we might have made a chaste (woman) your wife.”
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گفت نه مستور صالح خواستم ** قحبه گشتند و ز غم تن کاستم 2335
- Dalqak replied, “I have (already) married nine chaste and virtuous women: they became harlots, and I wasted away with grief.
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خواستم این قحبه را بیمعرفت ** تا ببینم چون شود این عاقبت
- I married this harlot without (previous) acquaintance (with her), in order to see how this one (also) would turn out in the end.
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عقل را من آزمودم هم بسی ** زین سپس جویم جنون را مغرسی
- Often have I tried (sound) intelligence; henceforth I will seek a nursery for insanity.”
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به حیلت در سخن آوردن سائل آن بزرگ را که خود را دیوانه ساخته بود
- How an inquirer managed to draw into conversation an eminent (saintly) man who had feigned to be mad.
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آن یکی میگفت خواهم عاقلی ** مشورت آرم بدو در مشکلی
- A certain man was saying, “I want some one of intelligence, (that) I may consult him about a difficulty.”
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آن یکی گفتش که اندر شهر ما ** نیست عاقل جز که آن مجنوننما
- One said to him, “In our city there is nobody of intelligence except yonder man who appears to be mad.
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بر نیی گشته سواره نک فلان ** میدواند در میان کودکان 2340
- Look, there is (one named) so-and-so: mounted on a cane, he rides (it as a cock-horse) amongst the children.
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صاحب رای است و آتش پارهای ** آسمان قدر است و اختر بارهای
- He is possessed of judgment and (keen as) a spark of fire; he is as the sky in dignity, and as the stars in high estate.
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فر او کروبیان را جان شده ست ** او در این دیوانگی پنهان شده ست
- His glory has become the (rational) soul of the Cherubim; he has become concealed in this (feigned) madness.”
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لیک هر دیوانه را جان نشمری ** سر منه گوساله را چون سامری
- But you must not account every madman a (rational) soul: do not, like Sámirí, lay down your head (in worship) to a calf.
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چون ولیی آشکارا با تو گفت ** صد هزاران غیب و اسرار نهفت
- When a manifest saint has declared unto you hundreds of thousands of unseen things and hidden mysteries,