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همچنین میرفت بالا تا یکی ** مهتر موران فطن بود اندکی 3725
- In this fashion it (the argument) was carried upward till a chief of the ants, (who) was a little bit sagacious,
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گفت کز صورت مبینید این هنر ** که به خواب و مرگ گردد بیخبر
- Said, “Do not regard this accomplishment as proceeding from the (material) form, which becomes unconscious in sleep and death.
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صورت آمد چون لباس و چون عصا ** جز به عقل و جان نجنبد نقشها
- Form is like a garment or a staff: (bodily) figures do not move except by means of intellect and spirit.”
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بیخبر بود او که آن عقل و فاد ** بی ز تقلیب خدا باشد جماد
- He (the wise ant) was unaware that without the controlling influence of God that intellect and heart (mind) would be inert.
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یک زمان از وی عنایت بر کند ** عقل زیرک ابلهیها میکند
- If He withdraw His favour from it for a single moment, the acute intellect will commit (many) follies.
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چونش گویا یافت ذوالقرنین گفت ** چونک کوه قاف در نطق سفت 3730
- When Dhu ’l-Qarnayn found it (Mount Qáf) speaking, he said, after Mount Qáf had bored the pearls of speech,
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کای سخنگوی خبیر رازدان ** از صفات حق بکن با من بیان
- “O eloquent one, who art wise and knowest the mystery, expound to me the Attributes of God.”
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گفت رو کان وصف از آن هایلترست ** که بیان بر وی تواند برد دست
- It answered, “Go, for those qualities are too terrible for (oral) exposition to put its hand on them,
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یا قلم را زهره باشد که به سر ** بر نویسد بر صحایف زان خبر
- Or for the pen to dare inscribe with its point information concerning them on the pages (of books).”
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گفت کمتر داستانی باز گو ** از عجبهای حق ای حبر نکو
- He said, “Relate a lesser tale concerning the wonders of God, O goodly divine.”
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گفت اینک دشت سیصدساله راه ** کوههای برف پر کردست شاه 3735
- It said, “Look, the King (God) hath made a plain full of snow-mountains, for the distance of a three hundred years' journey—
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کوه بر که بیشمار و بیعدد ** میرسد در هر زمان برفش مدد
- Mountain on mountain, beyond count and number: the snow comes continually to replenish them.
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کوه برفی میزند بر دیگری ** میرساند برف سردی تا ثری
- One snow-mountain is being piled on another: the snow brings coldness to the earth.
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کوه برفی میزند بر کوه برف ** دم به دم ز انبار بیحد و شگرف
- At every moment snow-mountain is being piled on snow-mountain from the illimitable and vast storehouse.
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گر نبودی این چنین وادی شها ** تف دوزخ محو کردی مر مرا
- O king, if there were not a valley (of snow) like this, the glowing heat of Hell would annihilate me.”
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غافلان را کوههای برف دان ** تا نسوزد پردههای عاقلان 3740
- Know that (in this world) the heedless are (like) snow-mountains, to the end that the veils of the intelligent may not be consumed.
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گر نبودی عکس جهل برفباف ** سوختی از نار شوق آن کوه قاف
- Were it not for the reflexion (effect) of snow-weaving (chilling) ignorance, that Mount Qáf would be consumed by the fire of longing.
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آتش از قهر خدا خود ذرهایست ** بهر تهدید لیمان درهایست
- The Fire (of Hell) in sooth is (only) an atom of God's wrath; it is (only) a whip to threaten the base.
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با چنین قهری که زفت و فایق است ** برد لطفش بین که بر وی سابق است
- Notwithstanding such a wrath, which is mighty and surpassing all, observe that the coolness of His clemency is prior to it.
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سبق بیچون و چگونهی معنوی ** سابق و مسبوق دیدی بیدوی
- (’Tis) a spiritual priority, unqualified and unconditioned. Have you seen the prior and the posterior without duality (have you seen them to be one)?
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گر ندیدی آن بود از فهم پست ** که عقول خلق زان کان یک جوست 3745
- If you have not seen them (as one), that is because of feeble understanding; for the minds of God's creatures are (but) a single grain of that mine.
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عیب بر خود نه نه بر آیات دین ** کی رسد بر چرخ دین مرغ گلین
- Lay the blame on yourself, not on the evidences of the (true) Religion: how should the bird of clay reach the sky of the (true) Religion?
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مرغ را جولانگه عالی هواست ** زانک نشو او ز شهوت وز هواست
- The bird's lofty soaring-place is (only) the air, since its origin is from lust and sensuality.
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پس تو حیران باش بیلا و بلی ** تا ز رحمت پیشت آید محملی
- Therefore be dumbfounded without nay or yea, in order that a litter may come from (the Divine) Mercy to carry you.
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چون ز فهم این عجایب کودنی ** گر بلی گویی تکلف میکنی
- Forasmuch as you are too dull to apprehend these wonders (of God), if you say “yea” you will be prevaricating;