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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.