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فرق و اشکالات آید زین مقال ** زانک نبود مثل این باشد مثال
- Differences and difficulties arise from this saying, because this is not a (complete) similitude: it is (only) a comparison.
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فرقها بی‌حد بود از شخص شیر ** تا به شخص آدمی‌زاد دلیر 420
- Endless are the differences between the corporeal figure of a lion and the figure of a courageous son of man;
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لیک در وقت مثال ای خوش‌نظر ** اتحاد از روی جانبازی نگر
- But at the moment of (making) the comparison consider, O thou who hast good insight, their oneness in respect of hazarding their lives;
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کان دلیر آخر مثال شیر بود ** نیست مثل شیر در جمله‌ی حدود
- For, after all, the courageous man did resemble the lion, (though) he is not like the lion in all points of the definition.
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متحد نقشی ندارد این سرا ** تا که مثلی وا نمایم من ترا
- This abode (the world) does not contain any form (that is) one (with any other form), so that I might show forth to thee a (complete) similitude.
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هم مثال ناقصی دست آورم ** تا ز حیرانی خرد را وا خرم
- Still, I will bring to hand an imperfect comparison, that I may redeem thy mind from confusion.
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شب بهر خانه چراغی می‌نهند ** تا به نور آن ز ظلمت می‌رهند 425
- At night a lamp is placed in every house, in order that by its light they (the inmates) may be delivered from darkness.
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آن چراغ این تن بود نورش چو جان ** هست محتاج فتیل و این و آن
- That lamp is (like) this body, its light like the (animal) soul; it requires a wick and this and that.
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آن چراغ شش فتیله‌ی این حواس ** جملگی بر خواب و خور دارد اساس
- That lamp with six wicks, namely, these senses, is based entirely upon sleep and food.
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بی‌خور و بی‌خواب نزید نیم دم ** با خور و با خواب نزید نیز هم
- Without food and sleep it would not live half a moment; nor even with food and sleep does it live either.