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هین مبادا که طمع رهتان زند ** طمع برگ از بیخهاتان بر کند
- Beware! Let not greed waylay you, let not greed for victual tear you up by the roots!”
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این بگفت و خیربادی کرد و رفت ** گشت قحط و جوعشان در راه زفت
- This he said, and gave a farewell and departed; their famine and hunger waxed great on the way.
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ناگهان دیدند سوی جادهای ** پور پیلی فربهی نو زادهای
- Suddenly, in the direction of a highroad, they espied a fat young elephant, newly born.
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اندر افتادند چون گرگان مست ** پاک خوردندش فرو شستند دست 145
- They fell upon it like furious wolves, ate it clean up, and washed their hands.
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آن یکی همره نخورد و پند داد ** که حدیث آن فقیرش بود یاد
- One of the fellow-travellers did not eat (of it) and exhorted (the others to abstain), for the sayings of that dervish were remembered by him.
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از کبابش مانع آمد آن سخن ** بخت نو بخشد ترا عقل کهن
- Those words hindered him from (eating) its roasted flesh: old intelligence bestows on thee a new fortune.
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پس بیفتادند و خفتند آن همه ** وان گرسنه چون شبان اندر رمه
- Then they all fell down and slept, but the hungry one (was awake) like the shepherd in the flock.
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دید پیلی سهمناکی میرسید ** اولا آمد سوی حارس دوید
- He saw a frightful elephant approaching: first she came and ran towards him who was keeping guard.
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بوی میکرد آن دهانش را سه بار ** هیچ بویی زو نیامد ناگوار 150
- She smelt his mouth thrice: no disagreeable smell came from it.
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چند باری گرد او گشت و برفت ** مر ورا نازرد آن شهپیل زفت
- She paced round him several times and went off: the huge queen-elephant did him no hurt.
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مر لب هر خفتهای را بوی کرد ** بوی میآمد ورا زان خفته مرد
- She smelt the lips of every sleeper, and the smell (of her young one's flesh) was coming to her from each of those slumbering men.
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از کباب پیلزاده خورده بود ** بر درانید و بکشتش پیل زود
- He (each man) had eaten of the roasted flesh of the young elephant: the (mother) elephant quickly tore him to pieces and killed him.
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در زمان او یک بیک را زان گروه ** میدرانید و نبودش زان شکوه
- At once she set about rending the people of that company one by one, and she had no awe of (doing) it.
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بر هوا انداخت هر یک را گزاف ** تا همیزد بر زمین میشد شکاف 155
- She tossed each one in the air recklessly, so that he dashed on the earth and was cloven asunder.
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ای خورندهی خون خلق از راه برد ** تا نه آرد خون ایشانت نبرد
- O drinker of the people's blood, begone from the way, lest their blood wage war against thee.
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مال ایشان خون ایشان دان یقین ** زانک مال از زور آید در یمین
- Know for sure that their property is (as) their blood, because property comes into one's hand (is acquired) by strength (of body).
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مادر آن پیلبچگان کین کشد ** پیل بچهخواره را کیفر کشد
- The mother of those young elephants will exact vengeance: (her) retribution will slay him that eats the young elephant.
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پیلبچه میخوری ای پارهخوار ** هم بر آرد خصم پیل از تو دمار
- O eater of bribes, thou eatest the young elephant: from thee too the Master of the elephant will wring the breath.
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بوی رسوا کرد مکر اندیش را ** پیل داند بوی طفل خویش را 160
- The smell put to shame the deviser of fraud: the elephant knows the smell of her child.
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آنک یابد بوی حق را از یمن ** چون نیابد بوی باطل را ز من
- He that perceives the smell of God from (distant) Yemen, how should not he perceive the smell of falsehood from me?
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مصطفی چون برد بوی از راه دور ** چون نیابد از دهان ما بخور
- Inasmuch as Mustafá (Mohammed) smelt (this) from far away, how should not he smell the odour from our mouths?
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هم بیابد لیک پوشاند ز ما ** بوی نیک و بد بر آید بر سما
- He does smell it, but he conceals (the fact) from us: the good and bad smells go up to Heaven.
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تو همیخسپی و بوی آن حرام ** میزند بر آسمان سبزفام
- Thou art sleeping, and (meanwhile) the smell of that unlawful deed (of thine) is beating on the azure sky.
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همره انفاس زشتت میشود ** تا به بوگیران گردون میرود 165
- It accompanies thy foul breaths, it ascends to the smellers (examiners) in the celestial sphere.
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بوی کبر و بوی حرص و بوی آز ** در سخن گفتن بیاید چون پیاز
- The smell of pride and the smell of greed and the smell of concupiscence will become, in speaking, like (the smell of) onions.