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لیک با باگندمان این آسیا ** ملک‌بخش آمد دهد کار و کیا
- But on those who bring wheat with them this mill bestows empire and gives them sovereign power.
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اول استعداد جنت بایدت ** تا ز جنت زندگانی زایدت
- You must first be qualified for Paradise in order that from Paradise the (everlasting) life may be born to you.
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طفل نو را از شراب و از کباب ** چه حلاوت وز قصور و از قباب 4435
- What pleasure has the new-born child in wine and roast-meat and palaces and domes?
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حد ندارد این مثل کم جو سخن ** تو برو تحصیل استعداد کن
- These parables have no limit: do not seek (more) words (of this kind): go and acquire capability!
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بهر استعداد تا اکنون نشست ** شوق از حد رفت و آن نامد به دست
- (The announcer said), “He tarried until now for the sake of capability (qualification), (but) ere it was acquired his longing burst (all) bounds.”
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گفت استعداد هم از شه رسد ** بی ز جان کی مستعد گردد جسد
- He (the prince) said, “Capability too is imparted by the King: how should the body be made capable without (the intervention of) the soul?”
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لطف‌های شه غمش را در نوشت ** شد که صید شه کند او صید گشت
- (Then) the favours of the King did away with his anguish: he had gone to hunt the King: he became the King's prey.
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هر که در اشکار چون تو صید شد ** صید را ناکرده قید او قید شد 4440
- (The announcer said), “Whosoever goes in chase of a quarry like thee does not catch his quarry till he is himself caught.”
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هرکه جویای امیری شد یقین ** پیش از آن او در اسیری شد رهین
- ’Tis certain that every seeker of princedom is thrown into captivity before (he gains) it.
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عکس می‌دان نقش دیباجه‌ی جهان ** نام هر بنده‌ی جهان خواجه‌ی جهان
- Know that what is depicted on this mundane frontispiece is preposterous: every slave to the world is named “lord of the world.”