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اعتمادش نیز بر رازق نبود ** که بر افشاند برو از غیب جود
- Again, he (the ass) had no confidence in the Provider (to assure him) that He would scatter over him largesse from the Unseen.
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تاکنونش فضل بی‌روزی نداشت ** گرچه گه‌گه بر تنش جوعی گماشت
- Until now, the (Divine) Bounty had not kept him without the daily provision, though at times He subjected his body to a (severe) hunger.
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گر نباشد جوع صد رنج دگر ** از پی هیضه بر آرد از تو سر
- Were hunger absent, in consequence of indigestion a hundred other afflictions would raise their heads in you.
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رنج جوع اولی بود خود زان علل ** هم به لطف و هم به خفت هم عمل 2830
- Truly the affliction of hunger is better than those maladies in respect both of its subtilty and its lightness and (its effect on devotional) work.
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رنج جوع از رنجها پاکیزه‌تر ** خاصه در جوعست صد نفع و هنر
- The affliction of hunger is purer than (all other) afflictions, especially (as) in hunger there are a hundred advantages and excellences.
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در بیان فضیلت احتما و جوع
- Explaining the excellency of abstinence and hunger.
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جوع خود سلطان داروهاست هین ** جوع در جان نه چنین خوارش مبین
- Indeed hunger is the king of medicines: hark, lay hunger to thy heart, do not regard it with such contempt.
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جمله ناخوش از مجاعت خوش شدست ** جمله خوشها بی‌مجاعتها ردست
- Everything unsweet is made sweet by hunger: without hunger all sweet things are unacceptable.
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آن یکی می‌خورد نان فخفره ** گفت سایل چون بدین استت شره
- A certain person was eating bread made of bran: some one asked him, “How are you so fond of this?”
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گفت جوع از صبر چون دوتا شود ** نان جو در پیش من حلوا شود 2835
- He replied, “When hunger is doubled by self-denial, barley bread is (as sweet as) halwá in my opinion;
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پس توانم که همه حلوا خورم ** چون کنم صبری صبورم لاجرم
- Therefore when I deny myself once, I can eat halwá entirely, (so) of course I am very self-denying (abstinent).”