Please help with translation from Farsi.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by kronckew

... one must give as well as take. a famous philosopher who once greatly influenced a rather large country that i know you are familiar with, said 'from each according to their ability' before 'to each according to their needs' for a reason. ...

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

... Notwithstanding that it is only courteous and proper to add what you can, however little, or even in the case of knowing nothing to admit that and call for assistance...

Come on guys; the forum appreciates your zeal but, no need to tie Dmitriy to the wipping post .
I would recall that these devices were once or twice discussed in the Ethno section and so are registered in the forum archives (which Ibrahiim enjoys calling library ). Looks like their Persian name is WAZNA-I-BARUT (Stones glossary).