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گفت استاد آن دو شیشه نیست رو ** احولی بگذار و افزون بین مشو
- “There are not two bottles,” replied the master; “go, leave off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one).”
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گفت ای استا مرا طعنه مزن ** گفت استا ز ان دو یک را در شکن 330
- “O master,” said he, “don't chide me.” Said the master, “Smash one of those two.”
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شیشه یک بود و به چشمش دو نمود ** چون شکست او شیشه را دیگر نبود
- The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when he broke the bottle, there was no other.
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چون یکی بشکست هر دو شد ز چشم ** مردم احول گردد از میلان و خشم
- When one was broken, both vanished from sight: a man is made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.
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خشم و شهوت مرد را احول کند ** ز استقامت روح را مبدل کند
- Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.
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چون غرض آمد هنر پوشیده شد ** صد حجاب از دل به سوی دیده شد
- When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils rise from the heart to the eye.
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چون دهد قاضی به دل رشوت قرار ** کی شناسد ظالم از مظلوم زار 335
- When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong?
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شاه از حقد جهودانه چنان ** گشت احول کالامان یا رب امان
- The king, from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we cry), “Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!”
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صد هزاران مومن مظلوم کشت ** که پناهم دین موسی را و پشت
- He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent) believers, saying, “I am the protection and support of the religion of Moses.”
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آموختن وزیر مکر پادشاه را
- How the vizier instructed the king to plot.
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او وزیری داشت گبر و عشوهده ** کاو بر آب از مکر بر بستی گره
- He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by reason of (his exceeding) guile would tie knots on water.