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دست بر دیگ نوی چون زد فتی ** وقت بخریدن بدید اشکسته را
- When a man taps a new pot with his hand at the time when he is buying it, he detects the cracked one (by its sound).
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گفت دانم مرد را در حین ز پوز ** ور نگوید دانمش اندر سه روز 4900
- He (one of the three brothers) said (to the cadi), “I know a man at once by his mouth (speech); and if he do not speak, I know him within three days.”
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وآن دگر گفت ار بگوید دانمش ** ور نگوید در سخن پیچانمش
- The second said, “I know him if he speak, and if he do not speak, I engage him in conversation.”
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گفت اگر این مکر بشنیده بود ** لب ببندد در خموشی در رود
- He (the cadi) said, “(But) if he has (already) heard of this device (of yours), he will close his lips and take refuge in silence.”
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آنچنان که گفت مادر بچه را ** گر خیالی آیدت در شب فرا
- The case is like that of the mother who said to her child, “If a ghost come to you in the night,
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یا بگورستان و جای سهمگین ** تو خیالی بینی اسود پر ز کین
- Or if in a graveyard and frightful place you behold a black bogle full of rage,
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دل قوی دار و بکن حمله برو ** او بگرداند ز تو در حال رو 4905
- Keep a stout heart and rush at it, and immediately it will turn its face away from you.”
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گفت کودک آن خیال دیووش ** گر بدو این گفته باشد مادرش
- “(But),” said the child, “suppose the devilish bogle's mother has said this (same thing) to it;
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حمله آرم افتد اندر گردنم ** ز امر مادر پس من آنگه چون کنم
- (If) I rush at it, by its mother's orders it will fall on my neck: what shall I do then?
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تو همی‌آموزیم که چست ایست ** آن خیال زشت را هم مادریست
- You are teaching me to stand firm, (but) the ugly bogle has a mother too.”