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شاه احول کرد در راه خدا ** آن دو دمساز خدایی را جدا
- (But) the squint-eyed (double-seeing) king separated in the way of God those two Divine (prophets) who were (really) in accord (with each other).
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گفت استاد احولی را کاندر آ ** رو برون آر از وثاق آن شیشه را
- The master said to a squint-eyed (pupil), “Come on; go, fetch that bottle out of the room.”
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گفت احول ز ان دو شیشه من کدام ** پیش تو آرم بکن شرح تمام
- Said the squint-eyed one: “Which of the two bottles shall I bring to you? Explain fully.”
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گفت استاد آن دو شیشه نیست رو ** احولی بگذار و افزون بین مشو
- “There are not two bottles,” replied the master; “go, leave off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one).”
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گفت ای استا مرا طعنه مزن ** گفت استا ز ان دو یک را در شکن 330
- “O master,” said he, “don't chide me.” Said the master, “Smash one of those two.”
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شیشه یک بود و به چشمش دو نمود ** چون شکست او شیشه را دیگر نبود
- The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when he broke the bottle, there was no other.
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چون یکی بشکست هر دو شد ز چشم ** مردم احول گردد از میلان و خشم
- When one was broken, both vanished from sight: a man is made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.
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خشم و شهوت مرد را احول کند ** ز استقامت روح را مبدل کند
- Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.
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چون غرض آمد هنر پوشیده شد ** صد حجاب از دل به سوی دیده شد
- When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils rise from the heart to the eye.
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چون دهد قاضی به دل رشوت قرار ** کی شناسد ظالم از مظلوم زار 335
- When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong?
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شاه از حقد جهودانه چنان ** گشت احول کالامان یا رب امان
- The king, from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we cry), “Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!”
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صد هزاران مومن مظلوم کشت ** که پناهم دین موسی را و پشت
- He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent) believers, saying, “I am the protection and support of the religion of Moses.”
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آموختن وزیر مکر پادشاه را
- How the vizier instructed the king to plot.
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او وزیری داشت گبر و عشوهده ** کاو بر آب از مکر بر بستی گره
- He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by reason of (his exceeding) guile would tie knots on water.
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گفت ترسایان پناه جان کنند ** دین خود را از ملک پنهان کنند
- “The Christians,” said he, “seek to save their lives; they hide their religion from the king.
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کم کش ایشان را که کشتن سود نیست ** دین ندارد بوی، مشک و عود نیست 340
- Slay them not, for slaying (them) is useless: religion hath no smell, it is not musk and aloes-wood.
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سر پنهان است اندر صد غلاف ** ظاهرش با تست و باطن بر خلاف
- The secret is concealed in a hundred coverings: its outward form is (in agreement) with thee, (but) the inward (reality) is (in) disagreement.”
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شاه گفتش پس بگو تدبیر چیست ** چارهی آن مکر و ان تزویر چیست
- The king said to him: “Tell (me), then, what is the (best) plan? What is the remedy against that deceit and imposture?—
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تا نماند در جهان نصرانیی ** نی هویدا دین و نی پنهانیی
- So that there may not remain a single Christian in the world, neither one whose religion is manifest nor one who is concealed.”
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گفت ای شه گوش و دستم را ببر ** بینیام بشکاف و لب در حکم مر
- “O king,” said he, “cut off my ears and hands, rip my nose and lips by bitter (cruel) decree;
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بعد از آن در زیر دار آور مرا ** تا بخواهد یک شفاعتگر مرا 345
- Then bring me under the gallows, that an intercessor may plead for me.
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بر منادی گاه کن این کار تو ** بر سر راهی که باشد چار سو
- Do this deed in the place for (public) proclamation, on a highway where roads run in four directions.
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آن گهم از خود بران تا شهر دور ** تا در اندازم در ایشان شر و شور
- Then banish me from thy presence to a distant land, that I may cast mischief and confusion amongst them.
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تلبیس وزیر با نصارا
- How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity.
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پس بگویم من به سر نصرانیام ** ای خدای راز دان میدانیام
- Then I will say (to them), ‘I am secretly a Christian. O God who knowest (all) things hidden, Thou knowest me.
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شاه واقف گشت از ایمان من ** وز تعصب کرد قصد جان من
- The king was informed of my (Christian) faith and from bigotry sought to take my life.
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خواستم تا دین ز شه پنهان کنم ** آن که دین اوست ظاهر آن کنم 350
- I wished to hide my religion from the king and profess his religion,