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سوی آن آتش گروهی برده دست ** بهر آن کوثر گروهی شاد و مست
- One party put forth their hands towards the fire, (while) another party were rejoicing and intoxicated (with desire) for that Kawthar.
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لیک لعب بازگونه بود سخت ** پیش پای هر شقی و نیکبخت 425
- But ’twas a very topsy-turvy (mystifying) game in the path of every one doomed to perdition or blessed with salvation.
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هر که در آتش همی رفت و شرر ** از میان آب بر میکرد سر
- Whoever went into the fire and sparks was emerging from the midst of the water;
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هر که سوی آب میرفت از میان ** او در آتش یافت میشد در زمان
- Whoever went from the middle towards the water, he was at once found to be in the fire;
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هر که سوی راست شد و آب زلال ** سر ز آتش بر زد از سوی شمال
- Whoever went towards the right (hand) and the limpid water would put forth his head from the fire on the left;
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وانک شد سوی شمال آتشین ** سر برون میکرد از سوی یمین
- And he who went towards the fiery left, would emerge on the right.
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کم کسی بر سر این مضمر زدی ** لاجرم کم کس در آن آتش شدی 430
- Few were they who hit upon (understood) the mystery of this occult (matter); consequently, seldom would any one go into the fire;
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جز کسی که بر سرش اقبال ریخت ** کو رها کرد آب و در آتش گریخت
- (None would go) except him upon whom felicity was shed, so that he abandoned the water and took refuge in the fire.
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کرده ذوق نقد را معبود خلق ** لاجرم زین لعب مغبون بود خلق
- The people made the pleasure that was actually present their object of worship; consequently the people were swindled by this game.
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جوقجوق وصف صف از حرص و شتاب ** محترز ز آتش گریزان سوی آب
- Troop by troop and rank by rank, (they were) on their guard against the fire and fleeing greedily and in haste towards the water.
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لاجرم ز آتش برآوردند سر ** اعتبارالاعتبار ای بیخبر
- Of necessity, they lifted up their heads (emerged) from (amidst) the fire. Take warning, take warning, O heedless man!
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بانگ میزد آتش ای گیجان گول ** من نیم آتش منم چشمهی قبول 435
- The fire was crying, ‘O crazy fools, I am not fire, I am a delectable fountain.
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چشمبندی کردهاند ای بینظر ** در من آی و هیچ مگریز از شرر
- A spell has been cast on thine eyes, O sightless one: come into me and never flee from the sparks.
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ای خلیل اینجا شرار و دود نیست ** جز که سحر و خدعهی نمرود نیست
- O (thou who art as) Khalíl (Abraham), here are no sparks and smoke: ’tis naught but the sorcery and deceit of Nimrod.
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چون خلیل حق اگر فرزانهای ** آتش آب تست و تو پروانهای
- If, like the Friend of God, thou art wise, the fire is thy water, and thou art the moth.’”
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جان پروانه همیدارد ندا ** کای دریغا صد هزارم پر بدی
- The soul of the moth is always crying, “Oh, alas, would that I had a hundred thousand wings,
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تا همی سوزید ز آتش بیامان ** کوری چشم و دل نامحرمان 440
- That they might be consumed without mercy by the fire, to the blindness (confusion) of the eyes and hearts of the profane!
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بر من آرد رحم جاهل از خری ** من برو رحم آرم از بینشوری
- The ignorant man pities me from stupidity: I pity him from clairvoyance.
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خاصه این آتش که جان آبهاست ** کار پروانه به عکس کار ماست
- Especially this fire (of Love), which is the soul of (all) waters (delights); (but) the behaviour of the (ignorant) moth is contrary to ours.
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او ببینند نور و در ناری رود ** دل ببیند نار و در نوری شود
- It sees the light and goes into a Fire; the heart (of the mystic) sees the fire and goes into a Light.”
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این چنین لعب آمد از رب جلیل ** تا ببینی کیست از آل خلیل
- Such a (deceptive) game is played by the Glorious God in order that you may see who belongs to the kin of Khalíl (Abraham).
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آتشی را شکل آبی دادهاند ** واندر آتش چشمهای بگشادهاند 445
- A fire has been given the semblance of water, and in the fire a fountain has been opened.
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ساحری صحن برنجی را به فن ** صحن پر کرمی کند در انجمن
- A magician by his art makes a dish of rice (appear to be) a dish full of (tiny) worms in the assembly;
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خانه را او پر ز کزدمها نمود ** از دم سحر و خود آن کزدم نبود
- (Or) by the breath (power) of magic he has caused a room to appear full of scorpions, though in truth there were no scorpions.
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چونک جادو مینماید صد چنین ** چون بود دستان جادوآفرین
- When sorcery produces a hundred such illusions, how (much greater) must be the cunning of the Creator of sorcery?