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تا ببیند مومن و گبر و جهود ** که درین صندوق جز لعنت نبود
- That true believer and Zoroastrian and Jew may see there was nothing in this chest but (cause for) cursing.”
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گفت زن هی در گذر ای مرد ازین ** خورد سوگندان که نکنم جز چنین
- “O husband,” cried the woman, “come now, give up this (idea)!” (However), he swore several times that he would do just as he had said.
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از پگه حمال آورد او چو باد ** زود آن صندوق بر پشتش نهاد 4490
- Early (next morning) he (went) like the wind, fetched a porter, and immediately put the chest on his back.
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اندر آن صندوق قاضی از نکال ** بانگ می‌زد که ای حمال و ای حمال
- (He set off with it, while) the cadi inside the chest shouted in an agony (of terror), “O porter! O porter!”
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کرد آن حمال راست و چپ نظر ** کز چه سو در می‌رسد بانک و خبر
- The porter looked to the right and the left to see from what direction the shouts and warnings were coming.
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هاتفست این داعی من ای عجب ** یا پری‌ام می‌کند پنهان طلب
- “I wonder,” said he, “is it a hátif, this voice which is calling me, or is it a peri (jinní) summoning me mysteriously?”
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چون پیاپی گشت آن آواز و بیش ** گفت هاتف نیست باز آمد به خویش
- When the shouts followed one another in succession and increased, he said, “’Tis not a hátif,” and recovered himself.
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عاقبت دانست کان بانگ و فغان ** بد ز صندوق و کسی در وی نهان 4495
- At last he perceived that the shouts and cries for help came from the chest and that somebody was concealed in it.
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عاشقی کو در غم معشوق رفت ** گر چه بیرونست در صندوق رفت
- The lover who has fallen passionately in love with an (earthly) object of affection has gone into the chest, though (in appearance) he is outside.
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عمر در صندوق برد از اندهان ** جز که صندوقی نبیند از جهان
- He has spent (wasted) his life in the chest on account of (worldly) cares: he can see nothing of the world except a chest.