- 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
- If you take a piece away, he begins to weep; and if you give the piece back to him, he begins to laugh.
- گر ستانی پارهای گریان شود ** پاره گر بازش دهی خندان شود
- Since the child is not endued with knowledge, his weeping and laughter have no importance.
- چون نباشد طفل را دانش دثار ** گریه و خندهش ندارد اعتبار
- Inasmuch as the magnate regarded that which is (only) a loan as (his) property, he was quivering (with anxiety) for that false wealth.
- محتشم چون عاریت را ملک دید ** پس بر آن مال دروغین میطپید
- He dreams that he has wealth and is afraid of the thief who may carry off his sack (of gold). 2640
- خواب میبیند که او را هست مال ** ترسد از دزدی که برباید جوال
- When Death pulls his ear and makes him start up from slumber, then he falls to mocking at his fears.
- چون ز خوابش بر جهاند گوشکش ** پس ز ترس خویش تسخر آیدش
- Even such (is) the trembling of these learned scholars who have the intelligence and knowledge of this world.
- همچنان لرزانی این عالمان ** که بودشان عقل و علم این جهان
- On account of these accomplished (and) intelligent men, God said in the Qur’án, They do not know.
- از پی این عاقلان ذو فنون ** گفت ایزد در نبی لا یعلمون