مردم ده شهر مجموع اندرو ** لیک جمله سه تن ناشسته‌رو
The people of ten cities were assembled within it, but the whole (amounted to) three fellows with unwashed (dirty) faces.
اندرو خلق و خلایق بی‌شمار ** لیک آن جمله سه خام پخته‌خوار
Within it there were numberless people and folk, but the whole of them (amounted to) three beggarly fools.
جان ناکرده به جانان تاختن ** گر هزارانست باشد نیم تن
The soul that has not made haste towards the Beloved— (even) if it is thousands, (yet) it is (only) half a body.
آن یکی بس دور بین و دیده‌کور ** از سلیمان کور و دیده پای مور
One (of the three) was very far-sighted and blind-eyed— blind to Solomon and seeing the leg of the ant;
و آن دگر بس تیزگوش و سخت کر ** گنج و در وی نیست یک جو سنگ زر2610
And the second was very sharp of hearing and extremely deaf—a treasure in which there is not a barleycorn's weight of gold;
وآن دگر عور و برهنه لاشه‌باز ** لیک دامنهای جامه‌ی او دراز
And the other (the third) was naked and bare, pudendo patefacto, but the skirts of his raiment were long. [And the other (the third) was naked and bare, (the private parts of his) body exposed, but the skirts of his raiment were long.]
گفت کور اینک سپاهی می‌رسند ** من همی‌بینم که چه قومند و چند
The blind man said, “Look, an army is approaching: I see what people they are and how many.”
گفت کر آری شنودم بانگشان ** که چه می‌گویند پیدا و نهان
The deaf man said, “Yes; I heard their voices (and know) what they are saying openly and secretly.”
آن برهنه گفت ترسان زین منم ** که ببرند از درازی دامنم
The naked man said, “I am afraid they will cut off (something) from the length of my skirt.”
کور گفت اینک به نزدیک آمدند ** خیز بگریزیم پیش از زخم و بند2615
The blind man said, “Look, they have come near! Arise and let us flee before (we suffer) blows and chains.”