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راویه‌ی ما اشتر ما هست این ** پس کجا شد بنده‌ی زنگی‌جبین
- “This,” said he, “is my water-skin and my camel: where, then, is my swart-browed slave gone?
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این یکی بدریست می‌آید ز دور ** می‌زند بر نور روز از روش نور
- This man coming from afar is (like) a full-moon: the light from his countenance strikes upon (and prevails against) the daylight.
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کو غلام ما مگر سرگشته شد ** یا بدو گرگی رسید و کشته شد 3180
- Where is my slave? Perchance he has lost his way, or a wolf has overtaken him and he has been killed.”
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چون بیامد پیش گفتش کیستی ** از یمن زادی و یا ترکیستی
- When he came before him, he (the master) said, “Who art thou? Art thou a native of Yemen or a Turcoman?
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گو غلامم را چه کردی راست گو ** گر بکشتی وا نما حیلت مجو
- Tell (me), what hast thou done to my slave? Speak the truth! If thou hast killed him, declare it! Do not seek evasion.”
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گفت اگر کشتم بتو چون آمدم ** چون به پای خود درین خون آمدم
- He replied, “If I have killed him, how have I come to thee? How have I come with my own feet into this blood?”
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کو غلام من بگفت اینک منم ** کرد دست فضل یزدان روشنم
- (He asked again), “Where is my slave?” He (the slave) said, “Lo, I am (he): the hand of God's grace hath made me resplendent.”
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هی چه می‌گویی غلام من کجاست ** هین نخواهی رست از من جز براست 3185
- “Eh, what art thou saying? Where is my slave? Hark, thou wilt not escape from me except by (telling) the truth.”
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گفت اسرار ترا با آن غلام ** جمله وا گویم یکایک من تمام
- He (the slave) said, “I will relate all thy secret dealings with that slave, one by one;
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زان زمانی که خریدی تو مرا ** تا به اکنون باز گویم ماجرا
- I will relate what has passed (between us) from the time when thou didst purchase me until now,