#1
چنین گفت گویندهٔ پهلوی
✦
شگفت آیدت کاین سخن بشنوی
“Thus spoke the narrator of Pahlavi lore: wondrous it shall seem to thee when thou nearest this tale.”
#2
یکی شاه بد هند را نام کید
✦
نکردی جز از دانش و رای صید
“There was a king in India named Kaid, who hunted for nothing save knowledge and wise counsel.”
#3
دل بخردان داشت و مغز ردان
✦
نشست کیان افسر موبدان
“He possessed the heart of the wise and the brain of chieftains; he sat on the Kianian throne wearing the crown of high priests.”
#4
دمادم به ده شب پس یکدگر
✦
همی خواب دید این شگفتی نگر
“Ten nights in continuous succession, he saw dreams—behold this wonder!”
#5
به هندوستان هرک دانا بدند
✦
به گفتار و دانش توانا بدند
“Whosoever in India was learned and mighty in speech and wisdom,”
#6
بفرمود تا ساختند انجمن
✦
هرانکس که دانا بد و رای‌زن
“He ordered them to assemble—everyone who was wise and a counsellor.”
#7
همه خوابها پیش ایشان بگفت
✦
نهفته پدید آورید از نهفت
“He recounted all his dreams to them, revealing what was hidden from secrecy.”
#8
کس آن را گزارش ندانست کرد
✦
پراندیشه شدشان دل و روی زرد
“None among them knew how to interpret them; their hearts grew anxious and their faces turned pale.”
#9
یکی گفت با کید کای شهریار
✦
خردمند وز مهتران یادگار
“One of them said to Kaid: 'O King, wise and a keepsake of the great ones!”
#10
یکی نامدارست مهران به نام
✦
ز گیتی به دانش رسیده به کام
“There is a renowned man named Mehran, who has reached his heart's desire in knowledge of the world.”
#11
به شهر اندرش خواب و آرام نیست
✦
نشستش به جز با دد و دام نیست
“He finds no sleep or rest in the city; he dwells nowhere save among wild beasts and animals.”
#12
ز تخم گیاهای کوهی خورد
✦
چو ما را به مردم همی نشمرد
“He eats of the seeds of mountain herbs and does not count us among human beings.”
#13
نشستنش با غرم و آهو بود
✦
ز آزار مردم به یکسو بود
“He abides with mountain goats and gazelles, staying aloof from the harm of men.”
#14
ز چیزی به گیتی نیابد گزند
✦
پرستنده مردی و بختی بلند
“He receives no harm from anything in the world—a God-worshipping man of exalted fortune.”
#15
مرین خوابها را به جز پیش اوی
✦
مگو و ز نادان گزارش مجوی
“Recount these dreams to none but him, and seek no interpretation from the ignorant.'”
#16
چنین گفت با دانشی کید شاه
✦
کزین پرهنر بگذری نیست راه
“King Kaid, full of knowledge, replied: 'There is no bypassing this man of great talent.'”
#17
هم‌انگه باسپ اندر آورد پای
✦
به آواز مهران بیامد ز جای
“Instantly he put his foot in the stirrup and set out towards the call of Mehran.”
#18
حکیمان برفتند با او به هم
✦
بدان تا سپهبد نباشد دژم
“The sages rode alongside him so that the monarch should not be disheartened.”
#19
جهاندار چون نزد مهران رسید
✦
بپرسید داننده را چون سزید
“When the ruler of the world arrived near Mehran, he greeted the wise man as was fitting.”
#20
بدو گفت کای مرد یزدان‌پرست
✦
که در کوه با غرم داری نشست
“He said to him: 'O God-worshipping man, who dwellest in the mountains with wild goats!”
#21
به ژرفی بدین خواب من گوش دار
✦
گزارش کن و یک به یک هوش دار
“Listen deeply to this dream of mine; interpret it and pay mind to each one.”
#22
چنان دان که یک شب خردمند و پاک
✦
بخفتم بارام بی‌ترس و باک
“Know that one night, pure and wise, I slept in peace without fear or dread.”
#23
یکی خانه دیدم چو کاخی بزرگ
✦
بدو اندرون ژنده پیلی سترگ
“I saw a house like a great palace, and within it stood a massive, huge elephant.”
#24
در خانه پیداتر از کاخ بود
✦
به پیش اندرون تنگ سوراخ بود
“The door of the house was more conspicuous than the palace, but before it was a narrow hole.”
#25
گذشتی ز سوراخ پیل ژیان
✦
تنش را ز تنگی نکردی زیان
“The fierce elephant passed through that narrow hole, and its body suffered no harm from the tightness.”
#26
ز روزن گذشتی تن و بوم اوی
✦
بماندی بدان خانه خرطوم اوی
“Its body and shape passed through the window, yet its trunk remained behind in that house.”
#27
دگر شب بدان گونه دیدم که تخت
✦
تهی ماندی از من ای نیک‌بخت
“On the second night, I saw in like manner that my throne remained empty of me, O fortunate one!”
#28
کیی برنشستی بران تخت عاج
✦
به سر بر نهادی دل‌افروز تاج
“A king sat upon that ivory throne and placed a radiant crown upon his head.”
#29
سه دیگر شب از خوابم آمد شتاب
✦
یکی نغز کرپاس دیدم به خواب
“On the third night, my sleep turned to haste; I saw a fine piece of silk cloth in my dream.”
#30
بدو اندر آویخته چار مرد
✦
رخان از کشیدن شده لاژورد
“Four men were pulling at it, their faces turned lapis-blue from the strain.”
#31
نه کرپاس جایی درید آن گروه
✦
نه مردم شدی از کشیدن ستوه
“Yet the fine silk tore nowhere, nor did those men grow weary of pulling.”
#32
چهارم چنان دیدم ای نامدار
✦
که مردی شدی تشنه بر جویبار
“The fourth dream I saw, O renowned one, was a man standing thirsty beside a stream.”
#33
همی آب ماهی برو ریختی
✦
سر تشنه از آب بگریختی
“A fish was pouring water upon him, yet the thirsty man fled from the water.”
#34
جهان مرد و آب از پس او دوان
✦
چه گوید بدین خواب نیکی گمان
“The man fled and the water ran after him—what good interpretation can be given for this dream?”
#35
به پنجم چنان دید جانم به خواب
✦
که شهری بدی هم به نزدیک آب
“On the fifth night, my soul saw in sleep a city situated near the water.”
#36
همه مردمش کور بودی به چشم
✦
یکی را ز کوری ندیدم به خشم
“All its people were blind of eye, yet I saw no one enraged by their blindness.”
#37
ز داد و دهش وز خرید و فروخت
✦
تو گفتی همی شارستان برفروخت
“In justice, giving, buying, and selling, it was as though the city was ablaze with prosperity.”
#38
ششم دیدم ای مهتر ارجمند
✦
که شهری بدندی همه دردمند
“The sixth dream I saw, O honored chief, was a city where all were sick and in pain.”
#39
شدندی بپرسیدن تن درست
✦
همی دردمند آب ایشان بجست
“They went to inquire after the healthy, and the sick sought water for them.”
#40
همی گفت چونی به درد اندرون
✦
تنی دردمند و دلی پر ز خون
“He would ask: 'How art thou in thy pain, O thou whose body is suffering and heart full of blood?'”
#41
رسیده به لب جان ناتن‌درست
✦
همه چارهٔ تن‌درستان بجست
“With his own soul near death, the unwell person sought cures for those who were whole.”
#42
چو نیمی ز هفتم شب اندر گذشت
✦
جهنده یکی باره دیدم به دشت
“When half of the seventh night had passed, I saw a swift steed in the plain.”
#43
دو پا و دو دست و دو سر داشتی
✦
به دندان گیا نیز بگذاشتی
“It had two legs, two arms, and two heads, and it grazed grass with its teeth.”
#44
چران داشتی از دو رویه دهن
✦
نبد بر تنش جای بیرون شدن
“It grazed using mouths on both sides, yet possessed no place of exit on its body.”
#45
بهشتم سه خم دیدم ای پاکدین
✦
برابر نهاده بروی زمین
“The eighth dream: I saw three jars, O pure-hearted one, placed side by side upon the earth...”
#46
دو پرآب و خمی تهی در میان
✦
گذشته به خشکی برو سالیان
“Two vats brimmed with water, and an empty one stood between, upon which dry years had passed.”
#47
ز دو خم پر آب دو نیک مرد
✦
همی ریختند اندرو آب سرد
“From the two full vats, two righteous men kept pouring cool water into the empty vessel.”
#48
نه از ریختن زین کران کم شدی
✦
نه آن خشک را دل پر از نم شدی
“Yet the water in the outer vats never diminished, nor was the dry heart of the middle vessel ever moistened.”
#49
نهم شب یکی گاو دیدم به خواب
✦
بر آب و گیا خفته بر آفتاب
“On the ninth night I beheld a cow in sleep, resting beneath the sun by water and verdant grass.”
#50
یکی خوب گوساله در پیش اوی
✦
تنش لاغر و خشک و بی‌آب روی
“Before her stood a comely calf, its body scrawny, withered, and devoid of vigor.”
#51
همی شیر خوردی ازو ماده گاو
✦
کلان گاو گوساله بی زور و تاو
“The mother cow nursed from the calf—a mighty beast drinking from a youngling devoid of strength and spirit.”
#52
اگر گوش داری به خواب دهم
✦
نرنجی همی تا بدین سر دهم
“If you grant me your ear for the tenth dream, without growing weary, I shall recount it to its end.”
#53
یکی چشمه دیدم به دشتی فراخ
✦
وزو بر زبر برده ایوان و کاخ
“I saw a spring upon a spacious plain, and above it towered grand halls and lofty palaces.”
#54
همه دشت یکسر پر از آب و نم
✦
ز خشکی لب چشمه گشته دژم
“The entire plain was soaked with water and moisture, yet the spring's own lip had turned parched and dark.”
#55
سزد گر تو پاسخ بگویی نهان
✦
کزین پس چه خواهد بدن در جهان
“Now it is fitting that you reveal the secret answer in private, of what shall come to pass in the world hereafter.”