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که اکابر را مقدم داشتن ** آمدست از مصطفی اندر سنن 2460
- For (the injunction) to give the foremost place to the seniors has come from Mustafá (Mohammed) among the practices observed by him,
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گرچه پیران را درین دور لام ** در دو موضع پیش میدارند عام
- Although, at this time when vile men hold sway, the vulgar put forward the elders on two occasions (only),
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یا در آن لوتی که آن سوزان بود ** یا بر آن پل کز خلل ویران بود
- Either in (tasting) food that is burning hot, or on a bridge that is (damaged) by cracks (and) in a state of ruin.
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خدمت شیخی بزرگی قایدی ** عام نارد بیقرینهی فاسدی
- The vulgar do not pay homage to a venerable Shaykh and leader without some mischievous idea associated (with their homage).
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خیرشان اینست چه بود شرشان ** قبحشان را باز دان از فرشان
- This is their good: what must their evil be? Distinguish their (inward) foulness from their (outward) fairness.”
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مثل
- Parable.
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سوی جامع میشد آن یک شهریار ** خلق را میزد نقیب و چوبدار 2465
- A king was going to the congregational mosque, and the marshals and mace-bearers were beating the people off.
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آن یکی را سر شکستی چوبزن ** و آن دگر را بر دریدی پیرهن
- The wielder of the stick would break the head of one and tear to bits the shirt of another.
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در میانه بیدلی ده چوب خورد ** بیگناهی که برو از راه برد
- A poor wretch amidst the throng received ten blows with the stick without (having committed) any offence. “Begone,” they cried, “get out of the way!”
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خون چکان رو کرد با شاه و بگفت ** ظلم ظاهر بین چه پرسی از نهفت
- Dripping blood, he turned his face to the king and said, “Behold the manifest iniquity: why ask of that which is hidden?
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خیر تو این است جامع میروی ** تا چه باشد شر و وزرت ای غوی
- This is thy good: (thou doest this whilst) thou art going to the mosque; what must thy evil and burden (of sin) be, O misguided one?”
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یک سلامی نشنود پیر از خسی ** تا نپیچد عاقبت از وی بسی 2470
- The Pír (Elder) never hears a salaam from a base fellow without being exceedingly tormented by him in the end.
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گرگ دریابد ولی را به بود ** زانک دریابد ولی را نفس بد
- (If) a wolf catch a saint, it is better than that the saint should be caught by the wicked carnal soul,
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زانک گرگ ارچه که بس استمگریست ** لیکش آن فرهنگ و کید و مکر نیست
- Because, though the wolf does great violence, yet it has not the same knowledge and craft and cunning;
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ورنه کی اندر فتادی او به دام ** مکر اندر آدمی باشد تمام
- Else how should it fall into the trap? Cunning is complete (attains to perfection) in man.
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گفت قج با گاو و اشتر ای رفاق ** چون چنین افتاد ما را اتفاق
- The ram said to the ox and the camel, “O comrades, since such a (lucky) chance has come to us,
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هر یکی تاریخ عمر ابدا کنید ** پیرتر اولیست باقی تن زنید 2475
- Let each (of us) declare the date (antiquity) of his life: the oldest has the best right, let the others suffer (disappointment) in silence.
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گفت قج مرج من اندر آن عهود ** با قج قربان اسمعیل بود
- In those times,” said the ram, “my pasturage was (shared) with the ram that was sacrificed for Ismá‘íl (Ishmael).”
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گاو گفتا بودهام من سالخورد ** جفت آن گاوی کش آدم جفت کرد
- The ox said, “I am the (most) advanced in years, (I was) coupled with the ox that Adam yoked.
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جفت آن گاوم که آدم جد خلق ** در زراعت بر زمین میکرد فلق
- I am the yoke-fellow of the ox with which Adam, the forefather of mankind, used to plough the earth in sowing.”
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چون شنید از گاو و قج اشتر شگفت ** سر فرود آورد و آن را برگرفت
- When the camel heard the ox and the ram (make these assertions) he was amazed: he lowered his head and picked up that (bunch of grass).
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در هوا بر داشت آن بند قصیل ** اشتر بختی سبک بیقال و قیل 2480
- Promptly, without any palaver, the Bactrian camel raised the bunch of fresh barley in the air,
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که مرا خود حاجت تاریخ نیست ** کین چنین جسمی و عالی گردنیست
- Saying, “I, in sooth, need no (support from) chronology, since I have such a (stout) body and high neck.
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خود همه کس داند ای جان پدر ** که نباشم از شما من خردتر
- Indeed every one knows, O father's darling, that I am not smaller than you.
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داند این را هرکه ز اصحاب نهاست ** که نهاد من فزونتر از شماست
- Whoever is one of those possessed of intelligence knows this, that my nature is superior to yours.”
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جملگان دانند کین چرخ بلند ** هست صد چندان که این خاک نژند
- (The Christian said), “All know that this lofty heaven is a hundred times as great as this low earth.