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چون شکم خود را به حضرت در سپرد ** گربه آمد پوست آن دنبه ببرد
- When the belly committed itself to God, the cat came and carried off the skin of that sheep's tail.
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از پس گربه دویدند او گریخت ** کودک از ترس عتابش رنگ ریخت
- They ran after the cat, (but) she fled. The child (of the braggart), from fear of his scolding, changed colour (turned pale).
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آمد اندر انجمن آن طفل خرد ** آب روی مرد لافی را ببرد 760
- The little child came into (the midst of) the company and took away the prestige of the boastful man.
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گفت آن دنبه که هر صبحی بدان ** چرب میکردی لبان و سبلتان
- It said, “The sheep's tail with which every morning you greased your lips and moustaches—
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گربه آمد ناگهانش در ربود ** بس دویدیم و نکرد آن جهد سود
- The cat came and suddenly snatched it away: I ran hard, but the effort was of no use.”
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خنده آمد حاضران را از شگفت ** رحمهاشان باز جنبیدن گرفت
- Those who were present laughed from astonishment, and their feelings of pity began to be moved again.
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دعوتش کردند و سیرش داشتند ** تخم رحمت در زمینش کاشتند
- They invited him (to eat) and kept him full-fed, they sowed the seed of pity in his soil.
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او چو ذوق راستی دید از کرام ** بی تکبر راستی را شد غلام 765
- When he had tasted honesty from the noble, he without arrogance (humbly) became devoted to honesty.
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دعوی طاوسی کردن آن شغال کی در خم صباغ افتاده بود
- How the jackal which had fallen into the dyer’s vat pretended to be a peacock.
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و آن شغال رنگرنگ آمد نهفت ** بر بناگوش ملامتگر بکفت
- (In the fashion) that parti-colored jackal came secretly and tapped on the lobe of the rebuker’s ear.
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بنگر آخر در من و در رنگ من ** یک صنم چون من ندارد خود شمن
- “Prithee look at me and at my colour: truly the idolater possesses no idol like me.
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چون گلستان گشتهام صد رنگ و خوش ** مر مرا سجده کن از من سر مکش
- Like the flower-garden I have become many-hued and lovely: bow in homage to me, do not withdraw from me (in aversion).
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کر و فر و آب و تاب و رنگ بین ** فخر دنیا خوان مرا و رکن دین
- Behold my glory and splendour and sheen and radiance and colour! Call me the Pride of the World and the Pillar of the Religion!
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مظهر لطف خدایی گشتهام ** لوح شرح کبریایی گشتهام 770
- I have become the theatre of the Divine Grace, I have become the tablet on which the Divine Majesty is unfolded.
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ای شغالان هین مخوانیدم شغال ** کی شغالی را بود چندین جمال
- O jackals, take heed, do not call me a jackal: how should a jackal have so much beauty?”
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آن شغالان آمدند آنجا بجمع ** همچو پروانه به گرداگرد شمع
- Those jackals came thither en masse, like moths around the candle.
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پس چه خوانیمت بگو ای جوهری ** گفت طاوس نر چون مشتری
- “Say then, what shall we call thee, O creature of (pure) substance?” He replied, “ A peacock (brilliant) as Jupiter.”
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پس بگفتندش که طاوسان جان ** جلوهها دارند اندر گلستان
- Then they said to him, “The spiritual peacocks have displays (with the Beloved) in the Rose-garden:
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تو چنان جلوه کنی گفتا که نی ** بادیه نارفته چون کوبم منی 775
- Dost thou display thyself like that?” “No,” said he: “not having gone into the desert, how should I tread (the valley of) Mina?”
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بانگ طاووسان کنی گفتا که لا ** پس نهای طاووس خواجه بوالعلا
- “Dost thou utter the cry of peacocks?” “Nay,” said he. “Then, Master Bu’l-‘Alam thou art not a peacock.
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خلعت طاووس آید ز آسمان ** کی رسی از رنگ و دعویها بدان
- The peacock’s garment of honour comes from Heaven: how wilt thou attain thereto by means of colours and pretences?”
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تشبیه فرعون و دعوی الوهیت او بدان شغال کی دعوی طاوسی میکرد
- Comparison of Pharaoh and his pretence of divinity to the jackal which pretended to be a peacock.
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همچو فرعونی مرصع کرده ریش ** برتر از عیسی پریده از خریش
- Thou art even as Pharaoh, who bejeweled his beard and in his asinine folly soared higher than Jesus.
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او هم از نسل شغال ماده زاد ** در خم مالی و جاهی در فتاد
- He too was born of the generation of the she-jackal and fell into a vat of riches and power.
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هر که دید آن جاه و مالش سجده کرد ** سجدهی افسوسیان را او بخورد 780
- Every one who beheld his power and riches bowed down to him in worship: he swallowed the worship of the idle mockers (worldlings).
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گشت مستک آن گدای ژندهدلق ** از سجود و از تحیرهای خلق
- That beggar in tattered cloak became miserably drunken with the people’s worship and feelings of amazement.
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مال مار آمد که در وی زهرهاست ** و آن قبول و سجدهی خلق اژدهاست
- Riches are a snake, for therein are poisons; and popular favour and worship is a dragon.