O watchman, use your rattle before the caravan is ruined (by the robbers).
پیش از آنک اشکسته گردد کاروان ** آن زمان چوبک بزن ای پاسبان
Story of the watchman who kept silence till the robbers had carried off the entire stock of the merchants, but afterwards made an outcry and did the duty of a watchman.
حکایت پاسبان کی خاموش کرد تا دزدان رخت تاجران بردند به کلی بعد از آن هیهای و پاسبانی می‌کرد
A certain watchman fell asleep. The robbers carried off the goods and secreted the (various) articles under any piece of earth.
پاسبانی خفت و دزد اسباب برد ** رختها را زیر هر خاکی فشرد
(When) it was day, the caravaneers awoke: they saw that stock and money and camels were gone.
روز شد بیدار شد آن کاروان ** دید رفته رخت و سیم و اشتران
Then they said to him, “O watchman, tell (us) what has happened. Where are this stock and these goods?”
پس بدو گفتند ای حارس بگو ** که چه شد این رخت و این اسباب کو
He replied, “The robbers came unexpectedly, and hastily carried off the stock from before me.”545
The party (of merchants) said to him, “O man (weak) as a sandhill, what were you doing, then? Who are you, O recreant?”
قوم گفتندش که ای چو تل ریگ ** پس چه می‌کردی کیی ای مردریگ
“I was (only one,” said he, “and they were a band, armed and brave and formidable.”
گفت من یک کس بدم ایشان گروه ** با سلاح و با شجاعت با شکوه
He (the spokesman of the merchants) said, “If you had no hope (of overcoming them) in battle, (why didn't you) shout, ‘Gentlemen, spring up (from your beds)?’”
گفت اگر در جنگ کم بودت امید ** نعره‌ای زن کای کریمان برجهید
He replied, “At that moment they produced knives and swords, crying, ‘Silence! or we will kill you ruthlessly.’
گفت آن دم کارد بنمودند و تیغ ** که خمش ورنه کشیمت بی‌دریغ
At that time I shut my mouth in terror; at this time (I can utter) screams and calls for help and cries of distress.550
آن زمان از ترس بستم من دهان ** این زمان هیهای و فریاد و فغان