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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.
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چشم حس همچون کف دستست و بس ** نیست کف را بر همهی او دسترس
- The eye of sense-perception is only like the palm of the hand: the palm hath not power to reach the whole of him (the elephant).
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چشم دریا دیگرست و کف دگر ** کف بهل وز دیدهی دریا نگر 1270
- The eye of the Sea is one thing, and the foam another: leave the foam and look with the eye of the Sea.
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جنبش کفها ز دریا روز و شب ** کف همیبینی و دریا نه عجب
- Day and night (there is) the movement of foam-flecks from the Sea: thou beholdest the foam, but not the Sea. Marvellous!
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ما چو کشتیها بهم بر میزنیم ** تیرهچشمیم و در آب روشنیم
- We are dashing against each other, like boats: our eyes are darkened, though we are in the clear water.
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ای تو در کشتی تن رفته به خواب ** آب را دیدی نگر در آب آب
- O thou that hast gone to sleep in the body's boat, thou hast seen the water, (but) look on the Water of the water.
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آب را آبیست کو میراندش ** روح را روحیست کو میخواندش
- The water hath a Water that is driving it; the spirit hath a Spirit that is calling it.
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موسی و عیسی کجا بد کفتاب ** کشت موجودات را میداد آب 1275
- Where were Moses and Jesus when the (Divine) Sun was giving water to the sown field of existent things?
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آدم و حوا کجا بد آن زمان ** که خدا افکند این زه در کمان
- Where were Adam and Eve at the time when God fitted this string to the bow?
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این سخن هم ناقص است و ابترست ** آن سخن که نیست ناقص آن سرست
- This (manner of) speech, too, is imperfect and maimed; the speech that is not imperfect is Yonder.
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گر بگوید زان بلغزد پای تو ** ور نگوید هیچ از آن ای وای تو
- If he (the saint) speak from that (source), thy foot will stumble; and if he speak naught of that, oh, alas for thee!
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ور بگوید در مثال صورتی ** بر همان صورت بچفسی ای فتی
- And if he speak in the likeness of a (material) form, thou wilt stick to that form, O youth.
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بستهپایی چون گیا اندر زمین ** سر بجنبانی ببادی بییقین 1280
- Thou art foot-bound on the earth, like grass: thou noddest thy head at a (breath of) wind, (though thou art) without certainty.
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لیک پایت نیست تا نقلی کنی ** یا مگر پا را ازین گل بر کنی
- But thou hast no (spiritual) foot that thou shouldest make a departure or perchance drag thy foot out of this mud.
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چون کنی پا را حیاتت زین گلست ** این حیاتت را روش بس مشکلست
- How shouldest thou drag thy foot away? Thy life is from this mud: ’tis mighty hard for this life of thine to go (on the Way to God).
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چون حیات از حق بگیری ای روی ** پس شوی مستغنی از گل میروی
- (But) when thou receivest life from God, O dependent one, then thou wilt become independent of the mud and wilt go (aloft).
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شیر خواره چون ز دایه بسکلد ** لوتخواره شد مرورا میهلد
- When the sucking (babe) is separated from its nurse, it becomes an eater of morsels and abandons her.
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بستهی شیر زمینی چون حبوب ** جو فطام خویش از قوت القلوب 1285
- Thou, like seeds, art in bondage to the milk of earth: seek to wean thyself by (partaking of) the spiritual food.