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چون وزیر از ره زنی مایه مساز ** خلق را تو بر میاور از نماز
- Do not, like the vizier, make brigandage your stock-in-trade; do not turn the people away from the ritual prayer.
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ناصح دین گشته آن کافر وزیر ** کرده او از مکر در لوزینه سیر 445
- The miscreant vizier had become (in appearance) a true religious counsellor, (but) he had craftily put garlic in the walnut cake.
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فهم کردن حاذقان نصارا مکر وزیر را
- How the sagacious among the Christians perceived the guile of the vizier.
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هر که صاحب ذوق بود از گفت او ** لذتی میدید و تلخی جفت او
- Whoever was possessed of (spiritual) discernment was feeling a sweet savour in his words and, joined therewith, bitterness.
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نکتهها میگفت او آمیخته ** در جلاب قند زهری ریخته
- He (the vizier) was saying fine things mixed (with foul): he had poured some poison into the sugared julep.
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ظاهرش میگفت در ره چیست شو ** وز اثر میگفت جان را سست شو
- The outward sense of it was saying, “Be diligent in the Way,” but in effect it was saying to the soul, “Be slack.”
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ظاهر نقره گر اسپید است و نو ** دست و جامه می سیه گردد ازو
- If the surface of silver is white and new, (yet) the hands and dress are blackened by it.
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آتش ار چه سرخ روی است از شرر ** تو ز فعل او سیه کاری نگر 450
- Although fire is red-faced (bright and glorious) with sparks, look at the black behaviour (displayed) in its action.
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برق اگر نوری نماید در نظر ** لیک هست از خاصیت دزد بصر
- If the lightning appears luminous to the eye, (yet) from its distinctive property it is the robber of sight (it strikes men blind).
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هر که جز آگاه و صاحب ذوق بود ** گفت او در گردن او طوق بود
- (As for) any (Christian) who was not wary and possessed of discernment, the words of him (the vizier) were (as) a collar on his neck.
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مدت شش سال در هجران شاه ** شد وزیر اتباع عیسی را پناه
- During six years, in separation from the king, the vizier became a refuge for the followers of Jesus.
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دین و دل را کل بدو بسپرد خلق ** پیش امر و حکم او میمرد خلق
- To him the people wholly surrendered their religion and their hearts: at his command and decree they were ready to die.
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پیغام شاه پنهان با وزیر
- How the king sent messages in secret to the vizier.
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در میان شاه و او پیغامها ** شاه را پنهان بدو آرامها 455
- Messages (passed) between the king and him: the king had words of comfort from him in secret.
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پیش او بنوشت شه کای مقبلم ** وقت آمد زود فارغ کن دلم
- The king wrote to him, saying, “O my fortunate one, the time is come: quickly set my mind at ease.”
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گفت اینک اندر آن کارم شها ** کافکنم در دین عیسی فتنهها
- He replied: “Behold, O king, I am preparing to cast disorders into the religion of Jesus.”
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بیان دوازده سبط از نصارا
- Explanation of the twelve tribes of the Christians.
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قوم عیسی را بد اندر دار و گیر ** حاکمانشان ده امیر و دو امیر
- The people of Jesus had twelve amírs as rulers in authority over them.
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هر فریقی مر امیری را تبع ** بنده گشته میر خود را از طمع
- Each party followed one amír and had become devoted to its own amír from desire (of worldly gain).
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این ده و این دو امیر و قومشان ** گشته بند آن وزیر بدنشان 460
- These twelve amírs and their followers became in bondage to (a prey to) that vizier of evil sign.
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اعتماد جمله بر گفتار او ** اقتدای جمله بر رفتار او
- They all put trust in his words, they all took his procedure as a pattern.
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پیش او در وقت و ساعت هر امیر ** جان بدادی گر بدو گفتی بمیر
- Each amír would have given up his life in his presence at the time and hour (on the spot), if he (the vizier) had bidden him die.
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تخلیط وزیر در احکام انجیل
- How the vizier confused the ordinances of the Gospel.
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ساخت طوماری به نام هر یکی ** نقش هر طومار دیگر مسلکی
- He prepared a scroll in the name of (addressed to) each one, the (written) form of each scroll (of) a different tenor,
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حکمهای هر یکی نوعی دگر ** این خلاف آن ز پایان تا به سر
- The ordinances of each (of) a diverse kind, this contradicting that from the end to the beginning.
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در یکی راه ریاضت را و جوع ** رکن توبه کرده و شرط رجوع 465
- In one he made the path of asceticism and hunger to be the basis of repentance and the condition (necessary) for conversion.
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در یکی گفته ریاضت سود نیست ** اندر این ره مخلصی جز جود نیست
- In one he said: “Asceticism profits naught: in this Way there is no place (means) of deliverance but generosity.”
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در یکی گفته که جوع و جود تو ** شرک باشد از تو با معبود تو
- In one he said: “Your hunger and generosity are (imply) association on your part (of other objects) with (Him who is) the object of your worship.
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جز توکل جز که تسلیم تمام ** در غم و راحت همه مکر است و دام
- Excepting trust (in God) and complete resignation in sorrow and joy, all is a deceit and snare.”