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ماه کاو افزود ز اختر در جمال ** شد ز رنج دق او همچون خیال 1280
- The moon, which excels the stars in beauty, becomes like a phantom from the malady of a phthisis.
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این زمین با سکون با ادب ** اندر آرد زلزلهش در لرز تب
- This earth, quiet and controlled, is thrown by earthquakes into feverish tremors.
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ای بسا که زین بلای مردهریگ ** گشته است اندر جهان او خرد و ریگ
- Oh, from this inherited woe many a mountain in the world has become tiny fragments and (grains of) sand.
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این هوا با روح آمد مقترن ** چون قضا آید وبا گشت و عفن
- This air is conjoined with the (vital) spirit, (but) when the Divine destiny comes, it turns pestilential and stinking.
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آب خوش کاو روح را همشیره شد ** در غدیری زرد و تلخ و تیره شد
- The sweet water that was a sister (congenial) to the spirit, (after standing) in a pool, became yellow and bitter and turbid.
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آتشی کاو باد دارد در بروت ** هم یکی بادی بر او خواند یموت 1285
- The fire that has wind in its moustache—a single puff of wind calls death upon it.
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حال دریا ز اضطراب و جوش او ** فهم کن تبدیلهای هوش او
- The state of the sea (is such that) from its agitation and commotion (you may) perceive the changes of its mind.
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چرخ سر گردان که اندر جستجوست ** حال او چون حال فرزندان اوست
- The whirling heaven, which is (ever engaged) in seeking and searching—its state is like the state of its children;
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گه حضیض و گه میانه گاه اوج ** اندر او از سعد و نحسی فوج فوج
- Now nadir, now middle, now zenith: therein are host on host of stars fortunate and unlucky.
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از خود ای جزوی ز کلها مختلط ** فهم میکن حالت هر منبسط
- From thyself, O part made up of wholes, apprehend the state of every simple (uncompounded) thing.
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چون که کلیات را رنج است و درد ** جزو ایشان چون نباشد روی زرد 1290
- Inasmuch as wholes suffer grief and pain, how should their part not be pale-faced (sick and subject to decay)?
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خاصه جزوی کاو ز اضداد است جمع ** ز آب و خاک و آتش و باد است جمع
- Especially a part which is composed of contraries—of water and earth and fire and air.
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این عجب نبود که میش از گرگ جست ** این عجب کاین میش دل در گرگ بست
- It is no wonder that the sheep recoiled from the wolf; the wonder is that this sheep set its heart on (became friendly with) the wolf.
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زندگانی آشتی ضدهاست ** مرگ آن کاندر میانشان جنگ خاست
- Life is the peace (harmony) of contraries; death is the fact that war arose between them.
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لطف حق این شیر را و گور را ** الف داده ست این دو ضد دور را
- The grace of God has given amity to this lion and wild-ass— these two far distant contraries.
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چون جهان رنجور و زندانی بود ** چه عجب رنجور اگر فانی بود 1295
- Since the world is sick and a prisoner, what wonder if the sick one is passing away?”
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خواند بر شیر او از این رو پندها ** گفت من پس ماندهام زین بندها
- From this point of view he (the hare) recited counsels to the lion. “I have lagged behind,” said he, “because of these bonds.”
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پرسیدن شیر از سبب پای واپس کشیدن خرگوش
- How the lion asked the reason of the hare's drawing back.
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شیر گفتش تو ز اسباب مرض ** این سبب گو خاص کاین استم غرض
- The lion said to him, “Amongst (all) the causes of your malady tell (me) the special cause, for this is my object.”
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گفت آن شیر اندر این چه ساکن است ** اندر این قلعه ز آفات ایمن است
- “That lion,” he said, “lives in this well: within this fortress he is safe from harms.”
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قعر چه بگزید هر کی عاقل است ** ز آن که در خلوت صفاهای دل است
- Every one who is wise chose the bottom of the well (to live in), because spiritual joys are (to be attained only) in solitude.
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ظلمت چه به که ظلمتهای خلق ** سر نبرد آن کس که گیرد پای خلق 1300
- The darkness of the well is better than the dark shades of the world: he that followed at the heels of the world never saved his head.
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گفت پیش آ زخمم او را قاهر است ** تو ببین کان شیر در چه حاضر است
- “Come on,” said the lion; “my blow subdues him: see thou whether that lion is in the well at present.”
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گفت من سوزیدهام ز آن آتشی ** تو مگر اندر بر خویشم کشی
- The hare answered, “I am consumed with (dread of) that fieriness (wrath): perhaps thou wilt take me beside thee,
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تا بپشت تو من ای کان کرم ** چشم بگشایم به چه در بنگرم
- That with thy support, O mine of generosity, I may open my eyes and look into the well.”
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نظر کردن شیر در چاه و دیدن عکس خود را و آن خرگوش را
- How the lion looked into the well and saw the reflexion of himself and the hare.
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چون که شیر اندر بر خویشش کشید ** در پناه شیر تا چه میدوید
- When the lion took him to his side, under the lion's protection he began to run towards the well.
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چون که در چه بنگریدند اندر آب ** اندر آب از شیر و او در تافت تاب 1305
- As soon as they looked at the water in the well, there shone forth in the water the light (reflected) from the lion and him (the hare).
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شیر عکس خویش دید از آب تفت ** شکل شیری در برش خرگوش زفت
- The lion saw his own reflexion: from the water shone the image of a lion with a plump hare at his side.
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چون که خصم خویش را در آب دید ** مر و را بگذاشت و اندر چه جهید
- When he beheld his adversary in the water, he left him (the hare) and sprang into the well.
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در فتاد اندر چهی کاو کنده بود ** ز آن که ظلمش در سرش آینده بود
- He fell into the well which he had dug, because his iniquity was coming (back) on his own head.
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چاه مظلم گشت ظلم ظالمان ** این چنین گفتند جمله عالمان
- The iniquity of evil-doers became (for them) a dark well: so have said all the wise.
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هر که ظالمتر چهش با هولتر ** عدل فرموده ست بدتر را بتر 1310
- The more iniquitous one is, the more frightful is his well: (Divine) Justice has ordained worse (punishment) for worse (sin).
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ای که تو از ظلم چاهی میکنی ** دان که بهر خویش دامی میکنی
- O you who on account of (your) high estate are committing an act of injustice, know that you are digging a well (pit) for yourself.
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گرد خود چون کرم پیله بر متن ** بهر خود چه میکنی اندازه کن
- Do not weave (a cocoon) round yourself, like the silkworm. You are digging a well for yourself (to fall in): dig with moderation (not too deep).
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مر ضعیفان را تو بیخصمی مدان ** از نبی ذا جاء نصر الله خوان
- Deem not the weak to be without a champion: recite from the Qur’án (the words), When the help of God shall come.
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گر تو پیلی خصم تو از تو رمید ** نک جزا طیرا ابابیلت رسید
- If you are an elephant and your foe fled from you, lo, the retribution came upon you, birds in flocks.
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گر ضعیفی در زمین خواهد امان ** غلغل افتد در سپاه آسمان 1315
- If any poor man on the earth beg for mercy, a loud tumult falls on (arises among) the Host of Heaven.
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گر بدندانش گزی پر خون کنی ** درد دندانت بگیرد چون کنی
- If you bite him with your teeth and make him bleed, toothache will attack you—how will you do (then)?
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شیر خود را دید در چه وز غلو ** خویش را نشناخت آن دم از عدو
- The lion saw himself in the well, and in his fury he did not know himself at that moment from the enemy.
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عکس خود را او عدوی خویش دید ** لا جرم بر خویش شمشیری کشید
- He regarded his own reflexion as his enemy: necessarily he drew a sword against himself.
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ای بسا ظلمی که بینی از کسان ** خوی تو باشد در ایشان ای فلان
- Oh, many an iniquity that you see in others is your own nature (reflected) in them, O reader!
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اندر ایشان تافته هستی تو ** از نفاق و ظلم و بد مستی تو 1320
- In them shone forth all that you are in your hypocrisy and iniquity and insolence.
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آن تویی و آن زخم بر خود میزنی ** بر خود آن دم تار لعنت میتنی
- You are that (evil-doer), and you are striking those blows at yourself: you are weaving a curse upon yourself at that moment.
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در خود آن بد را نمیبینی عیان ** ور نه دشمن بودیی خود را به جان
- You do not see clearly the evil in yourself, else you would hate yourself with (all) your soul.
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حمله بر خود میکنی ای ساده مرد ** همچو آن شیری که بر خود حمله کرد
- You are assaulting yourself, O simpleton, like the lion who made a rush at himself.
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چون به قعر خوی خود اندر رسی ** پس بدانی کز تو بود آن ناکسی
- When you reach the bottom of your own nature, then you will know that that vileness was from yourself.
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شیر را در قعر پیدا شد که بود ** نقش او آن کش دگر کس مینمود 1325
- At the bottom (of the well) it became manifest to the lion that he who seemed to him to be another was (really) his own image.
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هر که دندان ضعیفی میکند ** کار آن شیر غلط بین میکند
- Whoever tears out the teeth of a poor wretch is doing what the falsely-seeing lion did.
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ای بدیده عکس بد بر روی عم ** بد نه عم است آن تویی از خود مرم
- O you who see the bad reflexion on the face of your uncle, it is not your uncle that is bad, it is you: do not run away from yourself!
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مومنان آیینهی همدیگرند ** این خبر میاز پیمبر آورند
- The Faithful are mirrors to one another: this saying is related from the Prophet.
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پیش چشمت داشتی شیشهی کبود ** ز آن سبب عالم کبودت مینمود
- You held a blue glass before your eye: for that reason the world seemed to you to be blue.