آن یکی دو دست بر زانوزنان ** وآن دگر از وهم واویلی‌کنان
One man (was) beating both hands against his knee, while another, from presentiment of evil, was uttering woeful cries.
از نفیر و فتنه و خوف نکال ** هر دلی رفته به صد کوی خیال
On account of the hubbub and distraction and the dread of punishment every heart went to (wander in) a hundred streets (haunts) of phantasy.
هر کسی فالی همی‌زد از قیاس ** تا چه آتش اوفتاد اندر پلاس
Every one was taking an omen (predicting) by conjecture (and trying to guess) what had set the rug on fire.
راه جست و راه دادش شاه زود ** چون زمین بوسید گفتش هی چه بود 2525
He (Dalqak) sought admission and the king at once granted it to him. When he kissed the earth (in homage), the king said to him, “Hey, what's the matter?”
هرکه می‌پرسید حالی زان ترش ** دست بر لب می‌نهاد او که خمش
Whenever any one asked that sour-faced man for some particulars, he laid his hand on his lips as though to say “Hush!”
وهم می‌افزود زین فرهنگ او ** جمله در تشویش گشته دنگ او
(Their) apprehension was increased by his gravity: all were perplexed and dumbfounded by him.
کرد اشارت دلق که ای شاه کرم ** یک‌دمی بگذار تا من دم زنم
Dalqak made a gesture, as though to say, “O gracious king, let me have a moment to take breath,
تا که باز آید به من عقلم دمی ** که فتادم در عجایب عالمی
That my wits may once come back to me, for I am fallen into a marvellous state (of exhaustion).”
بعد یک ساعت که شه از وهم و ظن ** تلخ گشتش هم گلو و هم دهن 2530
After a little while, during which both the throat and the mouth of the king were made bitter by (anxious) foreboding and surmise—
که ندیده بود دلقک را چنین ** که ازو خوشتر نبودش هم‌نشین
Because he had never seen Dalqak like this; for there was no companion more agreeable to him than he;