بس عظیم و بس فراخ و بس دراز ** سخت زفت زفت اندازه‌ی پیاز2605
(It was) very huge and very broad and very long, ever so big, as big as an onion.
مردم ده شهر مجموع اندرو ** لیک جمله سه تن ناشسته‌رو
The people of ten cities were assembled within it, but the whole (amounted to) three fellows with unwashed (dirty) faces.
اندرو خلق و خلایق بی‌شمار ** لیک آن جمله سه خام پخته‌خوار
Within it there were numberless people and folk, but the whole of them (amounted to) three beggarly fools.
جان ناکرده به جانان تاختن ** گر هزارانست باشد نیم تن
The soul that has not made haste towards the Beloved— (even) if it is thousands, (yet) it is (only) half a body.
آن یکی بس دور بین و دیده‌کور ** از سلیمان کور و دیده پای مور
One (of the three) was very far-sighted and blind-eyed— blind to Solomon and seeing the leg of the ant;
و آن دگر بس تیزگوش و سخت کر ** گنج و در وی نیست یک جو سنگ زر2610
And the second was very sharp of hearing and extremely deaf—a treasure in which there is not a barleycorn's weight of gold;
وآن دگر عور و برهنه لاشه‌باز ** لیک دامنهای جامه‌ی او دراز
And the other (the third) was naked and bare, pudendo patefacto, but the skirts of his raiment were long. [And the other (the third) was naked and bare, (the private parts of his) body exposed, but the skirts of his raiment were long.]
گفت کور اینک سپاهی می‌رسند ** من همی‌بینم که چه قومند و چند
The blind man said, “Look, an army is approaching: I see what people they are and how many.”
گفت کر آری شنودم بانگشان ** که چه می‌گویند پیدا و نهان
The deaf man said, “Yes; I heard their voices (and know) what they are saying openly and secretly.”
آن برهنه گفت ترسان زین منم ** که ببرند از درازی دامنم
The naked man said, “I am afraid they will cut off (something) from the length of my skirt.”
کور گفت اینک به نزدیک آمدند ** خیز بگریزیم پیش از زخم و بند2615
The blind man said, “Look, they have come near! Arise and let us flee before (we suffer) blows and chains.”
کر همی‌گوید که آری مشغله ** می‌شود نزدیکتر یاران هله
“Yes,” says the deaf man, “the noise is getting nearer. Come on, my friends!”
آن برهنه گفت آوه دامنم ** از طمع برند و من ناآمنم
The naked man said, “Alas, from covetousness they will cut off my skirt, and I am unprotected.”
شهر را هشتند و بیرون آمدند ** در هزیمت در دهی اندر شدند
They (the three) left the city and came forth and in their flight entered a village.
اندر آن ده مرغ فربه یافتند ** لیک ذره‌ی گوشت بر وی نه نژند
In that village they found a fat fowl, but not a mite of flesh on it: (’twas) abject—
A dried-up dead fowl, and its bones through being pecked at by crows had become bare like threads.
زان همی‌خوردند چون از صید شیر ** هر یکی از خوردنش چون پیل سیر
They were eating thereof as a lion (eats) of his prey: each of them (became) surfeited, like an elephant, with eating it.
هر سه زان خوردند و بس فربه شدند ** چون سه پیل بس بزرگ و مه شدند
All the three ate thereof and grew exceedingly fat: they became like three very great and big elephants,
آنچنان کز فربهی هر یک جوان ** در نگنجیدی ز زفتی در جهان
In such wise that each young man, because of fatness, was too stout to be contained in the world.
با چنین گبزی و هفت اندام زفت ** از شکاف در برون جستند و رفت
Notwithstanding such bigness and seven stout limbs, they sprang forth through a chink in the door and departed.
راه مرگ خلق ناپیدا رهیست ** در نظر ناید که آن بی‌جا رهیست2625
The way of creaturely death is an invisible way: it comes not into sight, for it is a way without locality.
نک پیاپی کاروانها مقتفی ** زین شکاف در که هست آن مختفی
Lo, the caravans are following one after another through this chink which is hidden (from view) in the door.
بر در ار جویی نیابی آن شکاف ** سخت ناپیدا و زو چندین زفاف
If you look on the door for that chink, you will not find it: (it is) extremely unapparent, though (there are) so many processions through it.
شرح آن کور دوربین و آن کر تیزشنو و آن برهنه دراز دامن
Explaining (what is signified by) the far-sighted blind man, the deaf man who is sharp of hearing, and the naked man with the long skirts.
کر امل را دان که مرگ ما شنید ** مرگ خود نشنید و نقل خود ندید
Know that Hope is the deaf man who has (often) heard of our dying, (but) has not heard of his own death or regarded his own decease.
حرص نابیناست بیند مو بمو ** عیب خلقان و بگوید کو بکو
The blind man is Greed: he sees other people's faults, hair by hair, and tells them from street to street,
عیب خود یک ذره چشم کور او ** می‌نبیند گرچه هست او عیب‌جو2630
(But) his blind eyes do not perceive one mote of his own faults, albeit he is a fault-finder.
عور می‌ترسد که دامانش برند ** دامن مرد برهنه چون درند
The naked man is afraid that his skirt will be cut off: how should they (any one) cut off the skirt of a naked man?
مرد دنیا مفلس است و ترسناک ** هیچ او را نیست از دزدانش باک
The worldly man is destitute and terrified: he possesses nothing, (yet) he has dread of thieves.
او برهنه آمد و عریان رود ** وز غم دزدش جگر خون می‌شود
Bare he came and naked he goes, and (all the while) his heart is bleeding with anxiety on account of the thief
وقت مرگش که بود صد نوحه بیش ** خنده آید جانش را زین ترس خویش
At the hour of death when a hundred lamentations are (being made) beside him, his spirit begins to laugh at its own fear.
آن زمان داند غنی کش نیست زر ** هم ذکی داند که او بد بی‌هنر2635
At that moment the rich man knows that he has no gold; the keen-witted man, too, knows that he is devoid of talent.
چون کنار کودکی پر از سفال ** کو بر آن لرزان بود چون رب مال
(’Tis) like (as when) a child's lap (is) filled with potsherds, for he (the child) is trembling for them, like the owner of riches.
گر ستانی پاره‌ای گریان شود ** پاره گر بازش دهی خندان شود
If you take a piece away, he begins to weep; and if you give the piece back to him, he begins to laugh.
چون نباشد طفل را دانش دثار ** گریه و خنده‌ش ندارد اعتبار
Since the child is not endued with knowledge, his weeping and laughter have no importance.
محتشم چون عاریت را ملک دید ** پس بر آن مال دروغین می‌طپید
Inasmuch as the magnate regarded that which is (only) a loan as (his) property, he was quivering (with anxiety) for that false wealth.
خواب می‌بیند که او را هست مال ** ترسد از دزدی که برباید جوال2640
He dreams that he has wealth and is afraid of the thief who may carry off his sack (of gold).
چون ز خوابش بر جهاند گوش‌کش ** پس ز ترس خویش تسخر آیدش
When Death pulls his ear and makes him start up from slumber, then he falls to mocking at his fears.
همچنان لرزانی این عالمان ** که بودشان عقل و علم این جهان
Even such (is) the trembling of these learned scholars who have the intelligence and knowledge of this world.
از پی این عاقلان ذو فنون ** گفت ایزد در نبی لا یعلمون
On account of these accomplished (and) intelligent men, God said in the Qur’án, They do not know.
هر یکی ترسان ز دزدی کسی ** خویشتن را علم پندارد بسی
Each (of them) is afraid of some one's stealing (his time): he fancies that he possesses a great deal of knowledge.
گوید او که روزگارم می‌برند ** خود ندارد روزگار سودمند2645
He says, “They are wasting my time,” (but) in truth he has no time that is profitable.
گوید از کارم بر آوردند خلق ** غرق بی‌کاریست جانش تابه حلق
He says, “The people have taken me away from my work,” (but) his soul is plunged in idleness up to the throat.
عور ترسان که منم دامن کشان ** چون رهانم دامن از چنگالشان
(Like) the naked man (he) is frightened and says, “I am trailing a (long) skirt: how shall I save my skirt from their clutches?”
صد هزاران فضل داند از علوم ** جان خود را می‌نداند آن ظلوم
He knows a hundred thousand superfluous matters connected with the (various) sciences, (but) that unjust man does not know his own soul.
داند او خاصیت هر جوهری ** در بیان جوهر خود چون خری
He knows the special properties of every substance, (but) in elucidating his own substance (essence) he is (as ignorant) as an ass,
که همی‌دانم یجوز و لایجوز ** خود ندانی تو یجوزی یا عجوز2650
Saying, “I know (what is) permissible and unpermissible.” Thou knowest not whether thou thyself art permissible or (unpermissible as) an old woman.
این روا و آن ناروا دانی ولیک ** تو روا یا ناروایی بین تو نیک
Thou knowest this licit (thing) and that illicit (thing), but art thou licit or illicit? Consider well!
قیمت هر کاله می‌دانی که چیست ** قیمت خود را ندانی احمقیست
Thou knowest what is the value of every article of merchandise; (if) thou knowest not the value of thyself, ’tis folly.
سعدها و نحسها دانسته‌ای ** ننگری سعدی تو یا ناشسته‌ای
Thou hast become acquainted with the fortunate and inauspicious stars; thou dost not look to see whether thou art fortunate or unwashed (spiritually foul and ill-favoured).
جان جمله علمها اینست این ** که بدانی من کیم در یوم دین
This, this, is the soul of all the sciences—that thou shouldst know who thou shalt be on the Day of Judgement.