I am reminded of the story of the people of Sabá—how their (balmy) zephyr (sabá) was turned into pestilence (wabá) by the words of the foolish.2600
یادم آمد قصه‌ی اهل سبا ** کز دم احمق صباشان شد وبا
That (kingdom of) Sabá resembles the great big city (which) you may hear of from children in (their) tales.
آن سبا ماند به شهر بس کلان ** در فسانه بشنوی از کودکان
The children relate tales, (but) in their tales there is enfolded many a mystery and (moral) lesson.
کودکان افسانه‌ها می‌آورند ** درج در افسانه‌شان بس سر و پند
(Though) in (their) tales they say (many) ridiculous things, (yet) in all ruined places do thou ever seek the treasure.
هزلها گویند در افسانه‌ها ** گنج می‌جو در همه ویرانه‌ها
(Once) there was a city very huge and great, but its size was the size of a saucer, no more (than that).
بود شهری بس عظیم و مه ولی ** قدر او قدر سکره بیش نی
(It was) very huge and very broad and very long, ever so big, as big as an onion.2605
بس عظیم و بس فراخ و بس دراز ** سخت زفت زفت اندازه‌ی پیاز
The people of ten cities were assembled within it, but the whole (amounted to) three fellows with unwashed (dirty) faces.
مردم ده شهر مجموع اندرو ** لیک جمله سه تن ناشسته‌رو
Within it there were numberless people and folk, but the whole of them (amounted to) three beggarly fools.
اندرو خلق و خلایق بی‌شمار ** لیک آن جمله سه خام پخته‌خوار
The soul that has not made haste towards the Beloved— (even) if it is thousands, (yet) it is (only) half a body.
جان ناکرده به جانان تاختن ** گر هزارانست باشد نیم تن
One (of the three) was very far-sighted and blind-eyed— blind to Solomon and seeing the leg of the ant;
آن یکی بس دور بین و دیده‌کور ** از سلیمان کور و دیده پای مور
And the second was very sharp of hearing and extremely deaf—a treasure in which there is not a barleycorn's weight of gold;2610
و آن دگر بس تیزگوش و سخت کر ** گنج و در وی نیست یک جو سنگ زر
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.]
وآن دگر عور و برهنه لاشه‌باز ** لیک دامنهای جامه‌ی او دراز
The blind man said, “Look, an army is approaching: I see what people they are and how many.”
گفت کور اینک سپاهی می‌رسند ** من همی‌بینم که چه قومند و چند
The deaf man said, “Yes; I heard their voices (and know) what they are saying openly and secretly.”
گفت کر آری شنودم بانگشان ** که چه می‌گویند پیدا و نهان
The naked man said, “I am afraid they will cut off (something) from the length of my skirt.”
آن برهنه گفت ترسان زین منم ** که ببرند از درازی دامنم
The blind man said, “Look, they have come near! Arise and let us flee before (we suffer) blows and chains.”2615
کور گفت اینک به نزدیک آمدند ** خیز بگریزیم پیش از زخم و بند
“Yes,” says the deaf man, “the noise is getting nearer. Come on, my friends!”
کر همی‌گوید که آری مشغله ** می‌شود نزدیکتر یاران هله
The naked man said, “Alas, from covetousness they will cut off my skirt, and I am unprotected.”
آن برهنه گفت آوه دامنم ** از طمع برند و من ناآمنم
They (the three) left the city and came forth and in their flight entered a village.
شهر را هشتند و بیرون آمدند ** در هزیمت در دهی اندر شدند
In that village they found a fat fowl, but not a mite of flesh on it: (’twas) abject—
اندر آن ده مرغ فربه یافتند ** لیک ذره‌ی گوشت بر وی نه نژند
A dried-up dead fowl, and its bones through being pecked at by crows had become bare like threads.2620