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همچنین لب در ندانم باز کرد ** میندانم میندانم ساز کرد
- In this fashion he opened his lips (only) to say “I know not”: he made a tune of “I know not, I know not.”
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چون ز حد شد میندانم از شگفت ** ترک ما را زین حراره دل گرفت
- When (the refrain) “I know not” passed beyond bounds, our Turk was amazed and his heart became sick of this ditty.
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برجهید آن ترک و دبوسی کشید ** تا علیها بر سر مطرب رسید 710
- The Turk leaped up and fetched an iron mace to smite the minstrel's head with it on the spot;
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گرز را بگرفت سرهنگی بدست ** گفت نه مطرب کشی این دم بدست
- (But) an officer seized the mace with his hand, saying, “Nay; ’tis wicked to kill the minstrel at this moment.”
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گفت این تکرار بی حد و مرش ** کوفت طبعم را بکوبم من سرش
- He (the Turk) replied, “This endless and countless repetition of his has pounded my nerves: I will pound his head.
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قلتبانا میندانی گه مخور ** ور همیدانی بزن مقصود بر
- O cuckold, (if) you don't know, don't talk nonsense; and if you do know, play (a tune) to the purpose.
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آن بگو ای گیج که میدانیش ** میندانم میندانم در مکش
- Tell of that which you know, O crazy fool: don't draw out (repeat continually) ‘I know not, I know not.’
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من بپرسم کز کجایی هی مری ** تو بگویی نه ز بلخ و نه از هری 715
- (Suppose) I ask, ‘Where do you come from, hypocrite, eh?’ you will say, ‘Not from Balkh, and not from Herát,
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نه ز بغداد و نه موصل نه طراز ** در کشی در نی و نی راه دراز
- Not from Baghdád and not from Mosul and not from Tiráz’: you will draw out a long journey in (saying) ‘not’ and ‘not.’
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خود بگو من از کجاام باز ره ** هست تنقیح مناط اینجا بله
- Just say where you come from and escape (from further discussion): in this case it is folly to elaborate the point at issue.