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من چه دارم غیر آن صندوق که آن ** هست مایهی تهمت و پایهی گمان
- What do I possess but that chest, which is a source of suspicion and a ground for (evil) surmise?
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خلق پندارند زر دارم درون ** داد واگیرند از من زین ظنون
- People think I keep gold in it, and because of these (false) opinions charity is withheld from me.
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صورت صندوق بس زیباست لیک ** از عروض و سیم و ز خالیست نیک 4485
- The appearance of the chest is very pleasing, but it is quite empty of goods and silver and gold.
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چون تن زراق خوب و با وقار ** اندر آن سله نیابی غیر مار
- (’Tis) like the person of a hypocrite, (one who is) handsome and dignified; (but) in the basket you will find nothing except a snake.
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من برم صندوق را فردا به کو ** پس بسوزم در میان چارسو
- To-morrow I will take the chest into the street and burn it in the midst of the market at the cross-ways,
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تا ببیند مومن و گبر و جهود ** که درین صندوق جز لعنت نبود
- That true believer and Zoroastrian and Jew may see there was nothing in this chest but (cause for) cursing.”
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گفت زن هی در گذر ای مرد ازین ** خورد سوگندان که نکنم جز چنین
- “O husband,” cried the woman, “come now, give up this (idea)!” (However), he swore several times that he would do just as he had said.
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از پگه حمال آورد او چو باد ** زود آن صندوق بر پشتش نهاد 4490
- Early (next morning) he (went) like the wind, fetched a porter, and immediately put the chest on his back.
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اندر آن صندوق قاضی از نکال ** بانگ میزد که ای حمال و ای حمال
- (He set off with it, while) the cadi inside the chest shouted in an agony (of terror), “O porter! O porter!”
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کرد آن حمال راست و چپ نظر ** کز چه سو در میرسد بانک و خبر
- The porter looked to the right and the left to see from what direction the shouts and warnings were coming.
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هاتفست این داعی من ای عجب ** یا پریام میکند پنهان طلب
- “I wonder,” said he, “is it a hátif, this voice which is calling me, or is it a peri (jinní) summoning me mysteriously?”
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چون پیاپی گشت آن آواز و بیش ** گفت هاتف نیست باز آمد به خویش
- When the shouts followed one another in succession and increased, he said, “’Tis not a hátif,” and recovered himself.
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عاقبت دانست کان بانگ و فغان ** بد ز صندوق و کسی در وی نهان 4495
- At last he perceived that the shouts and cries for help came from the chest and that somebody was concealed in it.
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عاشقی کو در غم معشوق رفت ** گر چه بیرونست در صندوق رفت
- The lover who has fallen passionately in love with an (earthly) object of affection has gone into the chest, though (in appearance) he is outside.
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عمر در صندوق برد از اندهان ** جز که صندوقی نبیند از جهان
- He has spent (wasted) his life in the chest on account of (worldly) cares: he can see nothing of the world except a chest.
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آن سری که نیست فوق آسمان ** از هوس او را در آن صندوق دان
- The head that is not (raised) above the sky—know that it is (confined) in that chest by its vain desires.
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چون ز صندوق بدن بیرون رود ** او ز گوری سوی گوری میشود
- When he (such an one) goes forth from the chest of the body, he will (only) go from one tomb to another tomb.
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این سخن پایان ندارد قاضیش ** گفت ای حمال و ای صندوقکش 4500
- This topic is endless. The cadi said to him, “O porter, O carrier of the chest,
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از من آگه کن درون محکمه ** نایبم را زودتر با این همه
- Give news of me to my deputy at the court of justice and acquaint him with all (the details of) this (affair) as quickly as possible,
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تا خرد این را به زر زین بیخرد ** همچنین بسته به خانهی ما برد
- In order that he may buy this (chest) with gold from this witless fellow and take it fastened, just as it is, to my house.”
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ای خدا بگمار قومی روحمند ** تا ز صندوق بدنمان وا خرند
- O Lord, appoint a spiritually endowed company to redeem us from the chest of the body!
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خلق را از بند صندوق فسون ** کی خرد جز انبیا و مرسلون
- Who but the prophets and apostles can redeem the people from confinement in the chest of guile?
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از هزاران یک کسی خوشمنظرست ** که بداند کو به صندوق اندرست 4505
- Among thousands there is (only) one person of comely aspect, who knows that he is inside the chest.
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او جهان را دیده باشد پیش از آن ** تا بدان ضد این ضدش گردد عیان
- He must formerly have beheld the (spiritual) world, so that by means of that contrary this contrary should be made evident to him.
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زین سبب که علم ضالهی مومنست ** عارف ضالهی خودست و موقنست
- Because “knowledge is the true believer's lost camel,” he recognises his own lost camel and feels certain (that it is his).