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3
1262-1271

  • 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.”

  • 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.

  • 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.”

  • 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.”

  • 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.

  • 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.”

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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.

  • 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!