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پیل اندر خانه‌ی تاریک بود ** عرضه را آورده بودندش هنود
- The elephant was in a dark house: some Hindús had brought it for exhibition.
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از برای دیدنش مردم بسی ** اندر آن ظلمت همی‌شد هر کسی 1260
- In order to see it, many people were going, every one, into that darkness.
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دیدنش با چشم چون ممکن نبود ** اندر آن تاریکیش کف می‌بسود
- As seeing it with the eye was impossible, (each one) was feeling it in the dark with the palm of his hand.
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آن یکی را کف به خرطوم اوفتاد ** گفت همچون ناودانست این نهاد
- The hand of one fell on its trunk: he said, “This creature is like a water-pipe.”
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آن یکی را دست بر گوشش رسید ** آن برو چون بادبیزن شد پدید
- The hand of another touched its ear: to him it appeared to be like a fan.
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آن یکی را کف چو بر پایش بسود ** گفت شکل پیل دیدم چون عمود
- Since another handled its leg, he said, “I found the elephant's shape to be like a pillar.”
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آن یکی بر پشت او بنهاد دست ** گفت خود این پیل چون تختی بدست 1265
- Another laid his hand on its back: he said, “Truly, this elephant was like a throne.”
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همچنین هر یک به جزوی که رسید ** فهم آن می‌کرد هر جا می‌شنید
- Similarly, whenever any one heard (a description of the elephant), he understood (it only in respect of) the part that he had touched.
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از نظرگه گفتشان شد مختلف ** آن یکی دالش لقب داد این الف
- On account of the (diverse) place (object) of view, their statements differed: one man entitled it “dál,” another “alif.”
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در کف هر کس اگر شمعی بدی ** اختلاف از گفتشان بیرون شدی
- If there had been a candle in each one's hand, the difference would have gone out of their words.