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از صحاف مثنوی این پنجمست ** بر بروج چرخ جان چون انجمست
- This is the Fifth of the Scrolls (Books) of the Mathnawí: it is like the stars in the zodiacal signs of the spiritual sky.
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ره نیابد از ستاره هر حواس ** جز که کشتیبان استارهشناس
- Not every sense can find its way by the star: (none can do so) except the mariner acquainted with the star.
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جز نظاره نیست قسم دیگران ** از سعودش غافلند و از قران
- The lot of the others is naught but looking (at it): they are ignorant of its auspiciousness and (fortunate) conjunction.
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آشنایی گیر شبها تا به روز ** با چنین استارهای دیوسوز 4230
- During the nights till daybreak make thyself familiar with devil-burning stars like these,
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هر یکی در دفع دیو بدگمان ** هست نفطانداز قلعهی آسمان
- Every one (of which) is hurling naphtha from the fortress of Heaven to drive away the evil-thinking devil.
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اختر ار با دیو همچون عقربست ** مشتری را او ولی الاقربست
- To the devil the stars are (noxious) as a scorpion, (but) to the buyer (of Truth) it (the star) is the next of kin (the nearest and dearest).
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قوس اگر از تیر دوزد دیو را ** دلو پر آبست زرع و میو را
- If the Bow (Sagittarius) pierce the devil with an arrow, (yet) the Bucket (Aquarius) is full of water for the crops and fruit.
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حوت اگرچه کشتی غی بشکند ** دوست را چون ثور کشتی میکند
- Though the Fish (Pisces) wreck the ship of error, (yet) for the friend (of Truth) it is (ploughing and) sowing like the bull.
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شمس اگر شب را بدرد چون اسد ** لعل را زو خلعت اطلس رسد 4235
- If the Sun rend Night to pieces, like a lion, (yet) there comes from it a satin robe of honour for the ruby.
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هر وجودی کز عدم بنمود سر ** بر یکی زهرست و بر دیگر شکر
- Every existence that emerged from non-existence is poison to one and sugar to another.
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دوست شو وز خوی ناخوش شو بری ** تا ز خمرهی زهر هم شکر خوری
- Be a friend (of Truth) and become quit of unsweet qualities, so that you may eat sugar even from a jar of poison.
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زان نشد فاروق را زهری گزند ** که بد آن تریاق فاروقیش قند
- A (deadly) poison did no harm to Fárúq (‘Umar) because to him the antidote, discrimination (fárúqí), was (sweet as) candy.