- The blind man said, “Look, an army is approaching: I see what people they are and how many.”
- گفت کور اینک سپاهی میرسند ** من همیبینم که چه قومند و چند
- The deaf man said, “Yes; I heard their voices (and know) what they are saying openly and secretly.”
- گفت کر آری شنودم بانگشان ** که چه میگویند پیدا و نهان
- The naked man said, “I am afraid they will cut off (something) from the length of my skirt.”
- آن برهنه گفت ترسان زین منم ** که ببرند از درازی دامنم
- The blind man said, “Look, they have come near! Arise and let us flee before (we suffer) blows and chains.” 2615
- کور گفت اینک به نزدیک آمدند ** خیز بگریزیم پیش از زخم و بند
- “Yes,” says the deaf man, “the noise is getting nearer. Come on, my friends!”
- کر همیگوید که آری مشغله ** میشود نزدیکتر یاران هله
- The naked man said, “Alas, from covetousness they will cut off my skirt, and I am unprotected.”
- آن برهنه گفت آوه دامنم ** از طمع برند و من ناآمنم
- They (the three) left the city and came forth and in their flight entered a village.
- شهر را هشتند و بیرون آمدند ** در هزیمت در دهی اندر شدند
- In that village they found a fat fowl, but not a mite of flesh on it: (’twas) abject—
- اندر آن ده مرغ فربه یافتند ** لیک ذرهی گوشت بر وی نه نژند
- A dried-up dead fowl, and its bones through being pecked at by crows had become bare like threads. 2620
- مرغ مردهی خشک وز زخم کلاغ ** استخوانها زار گشته چون پناغ
- They were eating thereof as a lion (eats) of his prey: each of them (became) surfeited, like an elephant, with eating it.
- زان همیخوردند چون از صید شیر ** هر یکی از خوردنش چون پیل سیر
- All the three ate thereof and grew exceedingly fat: they became like three very great and big elephants,
- هر سه زان خوردند و بس فربه شدند ** چون سه پیل بس بزرگ و مه شدند
- In such wise that each young man, because of fatness, was too stout to be contained in the world.
- آنچنان کز فربهی هر یک جوان ** در نگنجیدی ز زفتی در جهان
- Notwithstanding such bigness and seven stout limbs, they sprang forth through a chink in the door and departed.
- با چنین گبزی و هفت اندام زفت ** از شکاف در برون جستند و رفت
- The way of creaturely death is an invisible way: it comes not into sight, for it is a way without locality. 2625
- راه مرگ خلق ناپیدا رهیست ** در نظر ناید که آن بیجا رهیست
- Lo, the caravans are following one after another through this chink which is hidden (from view) in the door.
- نک پیاپی کاروانها مقتفی ** زین شکاف در که هست آن مختفی
- If you look on the door for that chink, you will not find it: (it is) extremely unapparent, though (there are) so many processions through it.
- بر در ار جویی نیابی آن شکاف ** سخت ناپیدا و زو چندین زفاف
- Explaining (what is signified by) the far-sighted blind man, the deaf man who is sharp of hearing, and the naked man with the long skirts.
- شرح آن کور دوربین و آن کر تیزشنو و آن برهنه دراز دامن
- Know that Hope is the deaf man who has (often) heard of our dying, (but) has not heard of his own death or regarded his own decease.
- کر امل را دان که مرگ ما شنید ** مرگ خود نشنید و نقل خود ندید
- The blind man is Greed: he sees other people's faults, hair by hair, and tells them from street to street,
- حرص نابیناست بیند مو بمو ** عیب خلقان و بگوید کو بکو
- (But) his blind eyes do not perceive one mote of his own faults, albeit he is a fault-finder. 2630
- عیب خود یک ذره چشم کور او ** مینبیند گرچه هست او عیبجو
- The naked man is afraid that his skirt will be cut off: how should they (any one) cut off the skirt of a naked man?
- عور میترسد که دامانش برند ** دامن مرد برهنه چون درند
- The worldly man is destitute and terrified: he possesses nothing, (yet) he has dread of thieves.
- مرد دنیا مفلس است و ترسناک ** هیچ او را نیست از دزدانش باک
- Bare he came and naked he goes, and (all the while) his heart is bleeding with anxiety on account of the thief
- او برهنه آمد و عریان رود ** وز غم دزدش جگر خون میشود
- At the hour of death when a hundred lamentations are (being made) beside him, his spirit begins to laugh at its own fear.
- وقت مرگش که بود صد نوحه بیش ** خنده آید جانش را زین ترس خویش
- At that moment the rich man knows that he has no gold; the keen-witted man, too, knows that he is devoid of talent. 2635
- آن زمان داند غنی کش نیست زر ** هم ذکی داند که او بد بیهنر
- (’Tis) like (as when) a child's lap (is) filled with potsherds, for he (the child) is trembling for them, like the owner of riches.
- چون کنار کودکی پر از سفال ** کو بر آن لرزان بود چون رب مال