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اینک این دریا و این کشتی و من ** مرد کشتیبان و اهل و رایزن
- Look! here is this sea and this ship, and I am the pilot and skilled (in navigation) and judicious.”
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بر سر دریا همیراند او عمد ** مینمودش آن قدر بیرون ز حد 1085
- He was propelling the raft on the “sea”: that (small) quantity appeared to him illimitable.
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بود بیحد آن چمین نسبت بدو ** آن نظر که بیند آن را راست کو
- That urine was boundless in relation to him: where was the vision that should see it truly?
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عالمش چندان بود کش بینش است ** چشم چندین بحر هم چندینش است
- His world extends (just) as far as his sight reaches; his eye is so big, his “sea” is big in the same proportion.
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صاحب تاویل باطل چون مگس ** وهم او بول خر و تصویر خس
- So with the false interpreter (of the Qur’án): like the fly, his imagination is (foul as) ass's urine and his conception (worthless as) a straw.
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گر مگس تاویل بگذارد به رای ** آن مگس را بخت گرداند همای
- If the fly leave off interpreting by (following his own) opinion, Fortune will turn that fly into a humáy.
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آن مگس نبود کش این عبرت بود ** روح او نی در خور صورت بود 1090
- One who possesses this (Divine) indication (of the true meaning) is not a fly: his spirit is not analogous to his (outward) form.
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تولیدن شیر از دیر آمدن خرگوش
- How the lion roared wrathfully because the hare was late in coming.
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همچو آن خرگوش کاو بر شیر زد ** روح او کی بود اندر خورد قد
- As (for example) the hare who struck against the lion: how was his spirit analogous to his stature?
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شیر میگفت از سر تیزی و خشم ** کز ره گوشم عدو بر بست چشم
- The lion from fury and rage was saying, “By means of my ear the enemy has bound up my eye.
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مکرهای جبریانم بسته کرد ** تیغ چوبینشان تنم را خسته کرد
- The tricks of the necessitarians have bound me (in captivity); their wooden sword has wounded my body.
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زین سپس من نشنوم آن دمدمه ** بانگ دیوان است و غولان آن همه
- After this I will not hearken to their palaver: all that is (only meant to deceive, like) the cry of demons and ghouls.
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بردران ای دل تو ایشان را مهایست ** پوستشان بر کن کشان جز پوست نیست 1095
- O my heart, tear them to pieces, do not lag; rend their skins, for they have naught but skin.”
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پوست چه بود گفتهای رنگ رنگ ** چون زره بر آب کش نبود درنگ
- What is skin? Specious words, like ripples on water which have no continuance.
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این سخن چون پوست و معنی مغز دان ** این سخن چون نقش و معنی همچو جان
- Know that these words are as the skin (rind), and the meaning is (as) the kernel; these words are as the form, and the meaning is like the spirit.
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پوست باشد مغز بد را عیب پوش ** مغز نیکو را ز غیرت غیب پوش
- The skin hides the defect of the bad kernel; it (also) hides jealously the secrets of the good kernel.
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چون قلم از باد بد دفتر ز آب ** هر چه بنویسی فنا گردد شتاب
- When the pen is of wind and the scroll of water, whatever you write perishes speedily;
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نقش آب است ار وفا جویی از آن ** باز گردی دستهای خود گزان 1100
- It is written on water: if you seek constancy from it, you will return biting your hands (in disappointment).
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باد در مردم هوا و آرزوست ** چون هوا بگذاشتی پیغام هوست
- The wind in men is vanity and desire; when you have abandoned vanity, (then) is (the time for) the message from Him (God).
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خوش بود پیغامهای کردگار ** کاو ز سر تا پای باشد پایدار
- Sweet are the messages of the Maker, for it (that message) from head to foot (from first to last) is enduring.
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خطبهی شاهان بگردد و آن کیا ** جز کیا و خطبههای انبیا
- The khutbas for kings change (and pass), and their empire; (all will pass) except the empire and khutbas (insignia) of the prophets,
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ز آن که بوش پادشاهان از هواست ** بار نامهی انبیا از کبریاست
- Because the pomp of kings is from (earthly) vanity, (while) the glorious privilege of the prophets is from (Divine) Majesty.
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از درمها نام شاهان بر کنند ** نام احمد تا ابد بر میزنند 1105
- The names of kings are removed from the dirhems, (but) the name of Ahmad (Mohammed) is stamped on them for ever.
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نام احمد نام جمله انبیاست ** چون که صد آمد نود هم پیش ماست
- The name of Ahmad is the name of all the prophets: when the hundred comes (is counted), ninety is with us as well.
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هم در بیان مکر خرگوش
- Further setting forth the stratagem of the hare.
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در شدن خرگوش بس تاخیر کرد ** مکر را با خویشتن تقریر کرد
- The hare made much delay in going; he rehearsed to himself the tricks (which he was about to play).
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در ره آمد بعد تاخیر دراز ** تا به گوش شیر گوید یک دو راز
- After long delay he came on (took) the road, that he might say one or two secrets into the ear of the lion.