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تو چه دانی سر چیزی تا تو کل ** یا به زلفی یا به رخ آری مثل
- What dost thou know of the hidden nature of anything, that thou, baldpate, shouldst use a lock of hair or a cheek as similitudes?
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موسیی آن را عصا دید و نبود ** اژدها بد سر او لب می‌گشود
- A Moses deemed that (wood) a rod, but it was not (a rod): it was a dragon: its hidden nature was opening its lips (revealing itself).
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چون چنان شاهی نداند سر چوب ** تو چه دانی سر این دام و حبوب
- Inasmuch as such a (spiritual) king knows not the hidden nature of wood, how shouldst thou know the hidden nature of this snare and bait?
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چون غلط شد چشم موسی در مثل ** چون کند موشی فضولی مدخل 2790
- Since the eye of Moses was at fault in the similitude, how should a meddling mouse find an entrance (to perception of the truth)?
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آن مثالت را چو اژدرها کند ** تا به پاسخ جزو جزوت بر کند
- He (God) will make that comparison of thine a dragon, that in answer it may tear thee to pieces.
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این مثال آورد ابلیس لعین ** تا که شد ملعون حق تا یوم دین
- The accursed Iblís used this (kind of) comparison, so that he fell under God's curse till the Day of Judgement.
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این مثال آورد قارون از لجاج ** تا فرو شد در زمین با تخت و تاج
- Qárún (Korah) from contumacy used this (kind of) comparison, so that he sank down into the earth with his throne and diadem.
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این مثالت را چو زاغ و بوم دان ** که ازیشان پست شد صد خاندان
- Know that this comparison of thine is like crows and owls by which a hundred households are laid low.
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مثلها زدن قوم نوح باستهزا در زمان کشتی ساختن
- How the people of Noah uttered similitudes derisively at the time of his building the Ark
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نوح اندر بادیه کشتی بساخت ** صد مثل‌گو از پی تسخیر بتاخت 2795
- Noah built an Ark in the desert : a hundred speakers of parables ran up to ridicule (him).
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در بیابانی که چاه آب نیست ** می‌کند کشتی چه نادان و ابلهیست
- He is making a ship (Ark) in the desert where no well of water exists: what an ignorant fool he is!"