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تا به بغداد آمد آن هنگامه‌جو ** تا نهد هنگامه‌ای بر چارسو 1030
- Till (at last) the would-be showman arrived at Baghdád, that he might set up a public show at the cross-roads.
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بر لب شط مرد هنگامه نهاد ** غلغله در شهر بغداد اوفتاد
- The man set up a show on the bank of the Tigris, and a hubbub arose in the city of Baghdád—
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مارگیری اژدها آورده است ** بوالعجب نادر شکاری کرده است
- “A snake-catcher has brought a dragon: he has captured a marvellous rare beast.”
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جمع آمد صد هزاران خام‌ریش ** صید او گشته چو او از ابلهیش
- Myriads of simpletons assembled, who had become a prey to him as he (to it) in his folly.
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منتظر ایشان و هم او منتظر ** تا که جمع آیند خلق منتشر
- They were waiting (to see the dragon), and he too was waiting for the scattered people to assemble.
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مردم هنگامه افزون‌تر شود ** کدیه و توزیع نیکوتر رود 1035
- The greater the crowd, the better goes the begging and contributing (of money).
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جمع آمد صد هزاران ژاژخا ** حلقه کرده پشت پا بر پشت پا
- Myriads of idle babblers assembled, forming a ring, sole against sole.
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مرد را از زن خبر نه ز ازدحام ** رفته درهم چون قیامت خاص و عام
- Man took no heed of woman: on account of the throng they were mingled together like nobles and common folk at the Resurrection.
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چون همی حراقه جنبانید او ** می‌کشیدند اهل هنگامه گلو
- When he (the snake-catcher) began to move the cloth (which covered the dragon), the people in the crowd strained their throats (necks),
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و اژدها کز زمهریر افسرده بود ** زیر صد گونه پلاس و پرده بود
- And (saw that) the dragon, which had been frozen by intense cold, was underneath a hundred kinds of coarse woollen cloths and coverlets.