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آن سری که نیست فوق آسمان ** از هوس او را در آن صندوق دان
- The head that is not (raised) above the sky—know that it is (confined) in that chest by its vain desires.
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چون ز صندوق بدن بیرون رود ** او ز گوری سوی گوری میشود
- When he (such an one) goes forth from the chest of the body, he will (only) go from one tomb to another tomb.
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این سخن پایان ندارد قاضیش ** گفت ای حمال و ای صندوقکش 4500
- This topic is endless. The cadi said to him, “O porter, O carrier of the chest,
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از من آگه کن درون محکمه ** نایبم را زودتر با این همه
- Give news of me to my deputy at the court of justice and acquaint him with all (the details of) this (affair) as quickly as possible,
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تا خرد این را به زر زین بیخرد ** همچنین بسته به خانهی ما برد
- In order that he may buy this (chest) with gold from this witless fellow and take it fastened, just as it is, to my house.”
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ای خدا بگمار قومی روحمند ** تا ز صندوق بدنمان وا خرند
- O Lord, appoint a spiritually endowed company to redeem us from the chest of the body!
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خلق را از بند صندوق فسون ** کی خرد جز انبیا و مرسلون
- Who but the prophets and apostles can redeem the people from confinement in the chest of guile?
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از هزاران یک کسی خوشمنظرست ** که بداند کو به صندوق اندرست 4505
- Among thousands there is (only) one person of comely aspect, who knows that he is inside the chest.
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او جهان را دیده باشد پیش از آن ** تا بدان ضد این ضدش گردد عیان
- He must formerly have beheld the (spiritual) world, so that by means of that contrary this contrary should be made evident to him.
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زین سبب که علم ضالهی مومنست ** عارف ضالهی خودست و موقنست
- Because “knowledge is the true believer's lost camel,” he recognises his own lost camel and feels certain (that it is his).
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آنک هرگز روز نیکو خود ندید ** او درین ادبار کی خواهد طپید
- (But) he that has never seen good fortune, how will he be perturbed in this calamity?
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یا به طفلی در اسیری اوفتاد ** یا خود از اول ز مادر بنده زاد
- Either he fell into captivity in childhood, or was born a slave at first from his mother's womb.
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ذوق آزادی ندیده جان او ** هست صندوق صور میدان او 4510
- His soul has never known the delight of (spiritual) freedom: the chest of (phenomenal) forms is his arena.
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دایما محبوس عقلش در صور ** از قفس اندر قفس دارد گذر
- His mind is for ever imprisoned in forms: he (only) passes from cage into cage.
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منفذش نه از قفس سوی علا ** در قفسها میرود از جا به جا
- He has no means of passing beyond the cage (and going) aloft: he goes to and fro into (successive) cages.
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در نبی ان استطعتم فانفذوا ** این سخن با جن و انس آمد ز هو
- In the Qur’án (is the text), “If ye have the power, pass beyond”: these words came from Him (God) to the Jinn and mankind.
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گفت منفذ نیست از گردونتان ** جز به سلطان و به وحی آسمان
- He said, “There is no way for you to pass beyond the sky save by (Divine) authority and by inspiration from Heaven.”
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گر ز صندوقی به صندوقی رود ** او سمایی نیست صندوقی بود 4515
- If he (any one) go from chest to chest, he is not of Heaven, he is of the chest (the lower world).
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فرجه صندوق نو نو مسکرست ** در نیابد کو به صندوق اندرست
- The pleasure of changing his chest (only) stupefies him anew: he does not perceive that he is inside the chest.
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گر نشد غره بدین صندوقها ** همچو قاضی جوید اطلاق و رها
- If he is not deluded by (all) these chests, he seeks release and deliverance, like the cadi.
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آنک داند این نشانش آن شناس ** کو نباشد بیفغان و بیهراس
- Know that the mark of one who apprehends this is his crying for help and being in terror.
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همچو قاضی باشد او در ارتعاد ** کی برآید یک دمی از جانش شاد
- Like the cadi, he will be quaking (with fear): how should a breath of joy rise from his soul?
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آمدن نایب قاضی میان بازار و خریداری کردن صندوق را از جوحی الی آخره
- The arrival of the cadi's deputy in the bazaar and his purchase of the chest from Júhí, etc.
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نایب آمد گفت صندوقت به چند ** گفت نهصد بیشتر زر میدهند 4520
- The deputy arrived and asked, “How much (do you want) for your chest?” “They are offering nine hundred pieces of gold and more,” said he,
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من نمیآیم فروتر از هزار ** گر خریداری گشا کیسه بیار
- “(But) I will not come lower than a thousand: if you intend to buy, open your purse and produce (the money).”
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گفت شرمی دار ای کوتهنمد ** قیمت صندوق خود پیدا بود
- He replied, “Have some shame, you in the short felt frock! The value of the chest is self-evident.”