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ز آن که تقلید آفت هر نیکویی است ** که بود تقلید اگر کوه قوی است
- Inasmuch as imitation is the bane of every good quality; imitation is (but) a straw, (even) if it is a mighty mountain.
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گر ضریری لمترست و تیز خشم ** گوشت پارهش دان چو او را نیست چشم 485
- If a blind man is big and choleric, deem him (only) a piece of flesh, since he has no eye (eye-sight).
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گر سخن گوید ز مو باریکتر ** آن سرش را ز آن سخن نبود خبر
- Though he (the blind imitator) speak words finer than a hair, his heart has no knowledge of these words.
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مستیی دارد ز گفت خود و لیک ** از بر وی تا به می راهی است نیک
- He has a certain intoxication from his own words, but there is a good way (distance) between him and the Wine.
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همچو جوی است او نه او آبی خورد ** آب از او بر آب خواران بگذرد
- He is like a river-bed: it does not drink any water; the water passes through it to the water-drinkers.
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آب در جو ز آن نمیگیرد قرار ** ز آن که آن جو نیست تشنه و آب خوار
- The water does not settle in the river-bed because the river-bed is not thirsty and water-drinking.
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همچو نایی نالهی زاری کند ** لیک بیگار خریداری کند 490
- Like a reed-flute, he makes a piteous lament, but he (only) seeks a purchaser (admirer).
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نوحهگر باشد مقلد در حدیث ** جز طمع نبود مراد آن خبیث
- The imitator in his discourse is (like) a professional mourner: that wicked man has no motive except cupidity.
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نوحهگر گوید حدیث سوزناک ** لیک کو سوز دل و دامان چاک
- The professional mourner utters burning words (of grief), but where is the glow of heart (heartfelt sorrow) and the rent skirt?
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از محقق تا مقلد فرقهاست ** کاین چو داود است و آن دیگر صداست
- Between the true knower and the blind imitator there are (great) differences, for the former is like David, while the other is (but) an echo.
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منبع گفتار این سوزی بود ** و آن مقلد کهنه آموزی بود
- The source of the former’s words is a glow (of feeling), whereas the imitator is one who learns old things (by rote).
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هین مشو غره بدان گفت حزین ** بار بر گاو است و بر گردون حنین 495
- Beware! Be not duped by those sorrowful words” the ox bears the load, but it is the cart that moans (creaks).
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هم مقلد نیست محروم از ثواب ** نوحهگر را مزد باشد در حساب
- Even the imitator is not disappointed of the (Divine) recompense: the professional mourner gets his wages at the (time of) reckoning.
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کافر و مومن خدا گویند لیک ** در میان هر دو فرقی هست نیک
- (Both) infidel and true believer say “God,” but there is a good difference between the two.
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آن گدا گوید خدا از بهر نان ** متقی گوید خدا از عین جان
- The beggar says “God” for the sake of bread; the devout man says “God” from his soul.
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گر بدانستی گدا از گفت خویش ** پیش چشم او نه کم ماندی نه پیش
- If the beggar distinguished (God as He really is) from his own saying (the name of God), neither less nor more would remain before his eye.
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سالها گوید خدا آن نان خواه ** همچو خر مصحف کشد از بهر کاه 500
- For years that bread-seeker says “god”; like the ass, he carries the Qur’án for the sake of (being fed with) straw.
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گر بدل در تافتی گفت لبش ** ذره ذره گشته بودی قالبش
- Had the word on his lips shone forth in his heart, his body would have been shivered to atoms.
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نام دیوی ره برد در ساحری ** تو به نام حق پشیزی میبری
- In sorcery the name of a demon finds the way (to success); you are earning a petty coin by means of the Name of God.
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خاریدن روستایی در تاریکی شیر را به گمان آن که گاو اوست
- How a peasant stroked a lion in the dark, because he thought it was his ox.
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روستایی گاو در آخر ببست ** شیر گاوش خورد و بر جایش نشست
- A peasant tied an ox in the stable: a lion ate his ox and sat in its place.
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روستایی شد در آخر سوی گاو ** گاو را میجست شب آن کنج کاو
- The peasant went into the stable to (see) the ox: the man, groping into corners, was seeking the ox at night.
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دست میمالید بر اعضای شیر ** پشت و پهلو گاه بالا گاه زیر 505
- He was rubbing his hand on the limbs of the lion, back and side, now above, now below.
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گفت شیر ار روشنی افزون شدی ** زهرهاش بدریدی و دل خون شدی
- The lion said, “If the light were to become greater, his gall-bladder would burst and his heart would turn to blood.
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این چنین گستاخ ز آن میخاردم ** کاو درین شب گاو میپنداردم
- He is stroking me like this so boldly because in this (dark) night he thinks I am the ox.”
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حق همیگوید که ای مغرور کور ** نه ز نامم پاره پاره گشت طور
- God is saying, “O blind dupe, did not Túr (Sinai) fall in pieces at My Name?