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یک حکایت گوش کن ای نیک‌پی ** مسجدی بد بر کنار شهر ری
- Lend ear to a story, O well-conducted man! There was a mosque on the outskirts of the city of Rayy.
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هیچ کس در وی نخفتی شب ز بیم ** که نه فرزندش شدی آن شب یتیم
- No one ever slept the night there but on the same night (he died) from terror (and) his children became orphans.
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بس که اندر وی غریب عور رفت ** صبحدم چون اختران در گور رفت
- Many the naked (destitute) stranger that went into it (at nightfall) and went at dawn, like the stars, into the grave.
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خویشتن را نیک ازین آگاه کن ** صبح آمد خواب را کوتاه کن 3925
- Make thyself very attentive to this (tale)! The dawn is come, cut short thy slumber!
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هر کسی گفتی که پریانند تند ** اندرو مهمان کشان با تیغ کند
- Every one used to say that in it there were fierce Jinnís who killed the guests with blunt swords.
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آن دگر گفتی که سحرست و طلسم ** کین رصد باشد عدو جان و خصم
- Another would say, “It is the magic and talisman, for this enchantment is the foe and enemy of life.”
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آن دگر گفتی که بر نه نقش فاش ** بر درش کای میهمان اینجا مباش
- Another would say, “Put an inscription (notice) conspicuously on its door—‘O guest, do not stay here.
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شب مخسپ اینجا اگر جان بایدت ** ورنه مرگ اینجا کمین بگشایدت
- Do not sleep the night here, if you want to live; otherwise, death will unmask an ambush for you in this place.’”
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وان یکی گفتی که شب قفلی نهید ** غافلی کاید شما کم ره دهید 3930
- And another would say, “Bolt (the door) at night, (and when) a heedless person comes, do not admit him.”
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مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
- How the guest came into the mosque.
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تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب ** کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب
- (So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.