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مردم هنگامه افزونتر شود ** کدیه و توزیع نیکوتر رود 1035
- The greater the crowd, the better goes the begging and contributing (of money).
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جمع آمد صد هزاران ژاژخا ** حلقه کرده پشت پا بر پشت پا
- Myriads of idle babblers assembled, forming a ring, sole against sole.
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مرد را از زن خبر نه ز ازدحام ** رفته درهم چون قیامت خاص و عام
- Man took no heed of woman: on account of the throng they were mingled together like nobles and common folk at the Resurrection.
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چون همی حراقه جنبانید او ** میکشیدند اهل هنگامه گلو
- When he (the snake-catcher) began to move the cloth (which covered the dragon), the people in the crowd strained their throats (necks),
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و اژدها کز زمهریر افسرده بود ** زیر صد گونه پلاس و پرده بود
- And (saw that) the dragon, which had been frozen by intense cold, was underneath a hundred kinds of coarse woollen cloths and coverlets.
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بسته بودش با رسنهای غلیظ ** احتیاطی کرده بودش آن حفیظ 1040
- He had bound it with thick ropes: that careful keeper had taken great precaution for it.
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در درنگ انتظار و اتفاق ** تافت بر آن مار خورشید عراق
- During the delay (interval) of expectation and coming together, the sun of ‘Iráq shone upon the snake.
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آفتاب گرمسیرش گرم کرد ** رفت از اعضای او اخلاط سرد
- The sun of the hot country warmed it; the cold humours went out of its limbs.
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مرده بود و زنده گشت او از شگفت ** اژدها بر خویش جنبیدن گرفت
- It had been dead, and it revived: from astonishment (at feeling the sun's heat) the dragon began to uncoil itself.
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خلق را از جنبش آن مرده مار ** گشتشان آن یک تحیر صد هزار
- By the stirring of that dead serpent the people's amazement was multiplied a hundred thousand fold.
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با تحیر نعرهها انگیختند ** جملگان از جنبشش بگریختند 1045
- With amazement they started shrieking and fled en masse from its motion.
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میسکست او بند و زان بانگ بلند ** هر طرف میرفت چاقاچاق بند
- It set about bursting the bonds, and at that loud outcry (of the people) the bonds on every side went crack, crack.
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بندها بسکست و بیرون شد ز زیر ** اژدهایی زشت غران همچو شیر
- It burst the bonds and glided out from beneath—a hideous dragon roaring like a lion.
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در هزیمت بس خلایق کشته شد ** از فتاده و کشتگان صد پشته شد
- Many people were killed in the rout: a hundred heaps were made of the fallen slain.
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مارگیر از ترس بر جا خشک گشت ** که چه آوردم من از کهسار و دشت
- The snake-catcher became paralysed with fear on the spot, crying, “What have I brought from the mountains and the desert?”
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گرگ را بیدار کرد آن کور میش ** رفت نادان سوی عزرائیل خویش 1050
- The blind sheep awakened the wolf: unwittingly it went towards its ‘Azrá’íl (Angel of death).
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اژدها یک لقمه کرد آن گیج را ** سهل باشد خونخوری حجاج را
- The dragon made one mouthful of that dolt: blood-drinking (bloodshed) is easy for Hajjáj.
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خویش را بر استنی پیچید و بست ** استخوان خورده را در هم شکست
- It wound and fastened itself on a pillar and crunched the bones of the devoured man.
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نفست اژدرهاست او کی مرده است ** از غم و بی آلتی افسرده است
- The dragon is thy sensual soul: how is it dead? It is (only) frozen by grief and lack of means.
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گر بیابد آلت فرعون او ** که بامر او همیرفت آب جو
- If it obtain the means of Pharaoh, by whose command the water of the river (Nile) would flow,
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آنگه او بنیاد فرعونی کند ** راه صد موسی و صد هارون زند 1055
- Then it will begin to act like Pharaoh and will waylay a hundred (such as) Moses and Aaron.
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کرمکست آن اژدها از دست فقر ** پشهای گردد ز جاه و مال صقر
- That dragon, under stress of poverty, is a little worm, (but) a gnat is made a falcon by power and riches.
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اژدها را دار در برف فراق ** هین مکش او را به خورشید عراق
- Keep the dragon in the snow of separation (from its desires); beware, do not carry it into the sun of ‘Iráq.
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تا فسرده میبود آن اژدهات ** لقمهی اویی چو او یابد نجات
- So long as that dragon of thine remains frozen, (well and good); thou art a mouthful for it, when it gains release.
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مات کن او را و آمن شو ز مات ** رحم کم کن نیست او ز اهل صلات
- Mortify it and become safe from (spiritual) death; have no mercy: it is not one of them that deserve favours;