#1
همی رفت منزل به منزل به راه
✦
ز ره رنجه و مانده یکسر سپاه
“They journeyed stage by stage along the road, the entire army weary and exhausted from the march.”
#2
ز شهر برهمن به جایی رسید
✦
یکی بی‌کران ژرف دریا بدید
“Leaving the city of the Brahmins, he reached a place where he beheld a deep and boundless sea.”
#3
بسان زنان مرد پوشیده روی
✦
همی رفت با جامه و رنگ و بوی
“The men there went with covered faces like women, adorned in garments, colors, and sweet perfumes.”
#4
زبانها نه تازی و نه خسروی
✦
نه ترکی نه چینی و نه پهلوی
“Their tongues were neither Arabic nor Persian, nor Turkish, nor Chinese, nor Pahlavi.”
#5
ز ماهی بدیشان همی خوردنی
✦
به جایی نبد راه آوردنی
“Their sole food came from the fish of the sea, for there was no route to bring provisions from elsewhere.”
#6
شگفت اندر ایشان سکندر بماند
✦
ز دریا همی نام یزدان بخواند
“Alexander remained filled with wonder at them, and looking upon the sea, he invoked the name of God.”
#7
هم‌انگاه کوهی برآمد ز آب
✦
بدو پاره شد زرد چون آفتاب
“At that very moment, a mountain arose from the water, bearing a yellow piece bright as the sun.”
#8
سکندر یکی تیز کشتی بجست
✦
که آن را ببیند به دیده درست
“Alexander sought a swift ship without delay, so he might observe that marvel clearly with his own eyes.”
#9
یکی گفت زان فیلسوفان به شاه
✦
که بر ژرف دریا ترا نیست راه
“One of the philosophers said to the king: 'You have no safe path across this deep sea.'”
#10
بمان تا ببیند مر او را کسی
✦
که بهره ندارد ز دانش بسی
“'Wait, and let someone go to inspect it who has no great store of wisdom to lose.'”
#11
ز رومی و از مردم پارسی
✦
بدان کشتی اندر نشستند سی
“Thirty men, chosen from among the Romans and the Persians, boarded that ship.”
#12
یکی زرد ماهی بد آن لخت کوه
✦
هم‌انگه چو تنگ اندر آمد گروه
“That piece of mountain was in truth a yellow fish; as soon as the group drew near to it,”
#13
فروبرد کشتی هم اندر شتاب
✦
هم آن کوه شد ناپدید اندر آب
“It swallowed the ship in an instant, and that mountain-like monster vanished into the water.”
#14
سپاه سکندر همی خیره ماند
✦
همی هرکسی نام یزدان بخواند
“Alexander's host stood frozen in utter astonishment, every man calling upon the name of God.”
#15
بدو گفت رومی که دانش بهست
✦
که داننده بر هر کسی بر مهست
“A Roman sage said to him: 'Knowledge is best, for the wise man is greater than all others.”
#16
اگر شاه رفتی و گشتی تباه
✦
پر از خون شدی جان چندین سپاه
“Had the king himself gone and perished, the soul of this entire army would be soaked in blood.'”
#17
وزان جایگه لشکر اندر کشید
✦
یکی آبگیری نو آمد پدید
“From that place he led his army onward, until a new lake appeared before them.”
#18
به گرد اندرش نی بسان درخت
✦
تو گفتی که چوب چنارست سخت
“Around it grew reeds tall as trees; you would have said they were made of hard plane wood.”
#19
ز پنجه فزون بود بالای اوی
✦
چهل رش بپیمود پهنای اوی
“Their height exceeded fifty cubits, and their breadth measured forty cubits across.”
#20
همه خانه‌ها کرده از چوب و نی
✦
زمینش هم از نی فروبرده پی
“All the dwellings were built of wood and reeds, their foundations sunk deep into the reed-bed ground.”
#21
نشایست بد در نیستان بسی
✦
ز شوری نخورد آب او هرکسی
“One could not linger long in that reed-bed, nor could anyone drink of its salty waters.”
#22
چو بگذشت زان آب جایی رسید
✦
که آمد یکی ژرف دریا پدید
“When he passed beyond that water, he arrived at a place where another deep sea appeared.”
#23
جهان خرم و آب چون انگبین
✦
همی مشک بویید روی زمین
“The realm was lush, the water sweet as honey, and the face of the earth exhaled the fragrance of musk.”
#24
بخوردند و کردند آهنگ خواب
✦
بسی مار پیچان برآمد ز آب
“They drank and prepared to sleep, but many coiling serpents emerged from the water.”
#25
وزان بیشه گزدم چو آتش به رنگ
✦
جهان شد بران خفتگان تار و تنگ
“And from the thicket came scorpions bright as fire; the world grew dark and narrow for the sleeping men.”
#26
به هر گوشه‌ای در فراوان بمرد
✦
بزرگان دانا و مردان گرد
“In every corner, multitudes perished—wise nobles and brave warriors alike.”
#27
ز یک سو فراوان بیامد گراز
✦
چو الماس دندانهای دراز
“From one flank advanced a throng of wild boars, their long tusks hard as diamond.”
#28
ز دست دگر شیر مهتر ز گاو
✦
که با جنگ ایشان نبد زور و تاو
“From the other side rushed lions larger than bulls, against whose assault no strength could stand.”
#29
سپاهش ز دریا بیکسو شدند
✦
بران نیستان آتش اندر زدند
“His troops withdrew to one side away from the sea and set fire to that reed-bed.”
#30
بکشتند چندان ز شیران که راه
✦
به یکبارگی تنگ شد بر سپاه
“They slew so many of the lions that the path was completely blocked for the army by their corpses.”