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دست میزد چون رهید از دست مرگ ** سبز و رقصان در هوا چون شاخ و برگ
- Clapping his hands because he had escaped from the hand of Death; fresh and dancing in the air, like bough and leaf.
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شاخ و برگ از حبس خاک آزاد شد ** سر بر آورد و حریف باد شد
- Bough and leaf were set free from the prison of earth, lifted their heads, and became comrades of the wind;
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برگها چون شاخ را بشکافتند ** تا به بالای درخت اشتافتند
- The leaves, when they had burst (forth from) the bough, made haste to reach the top of the tree;
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با زبان شطاه شکر خدا ** میسراید هر بر و برگی جدا
- With the tongue of (seed that put forth) its sprouts each fruit and tree severally is singing thanks to God,
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که بپرورد اصل ما را ذو العطا ** تا درخت استغلظ آمد و استوی 1345
- Saying, “The Bounteous Giver nourished our root until the tree grew big and stood upright.”
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جانهای بسته اندر آب و گل ** چون رهند از آب و گلها شاد دل
- (Even so) the spirits bound in clay, when they escape glad at heart from their (prisons of) clay,
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در هوای عشق حق رقصان شوند ** همچو قرص بدر بینقصان شوند
- Begin to dance in the air of Divine Love and become flawless like the full moon's orb,
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جسمشان در رقص و جانها خود مپرس ** و آن که گرد جان از آنها خود مپرس
- Their bodies dancing, and their souls—nay, do not ask (how their souls fare); and of that which surrounds the soul—nay, do not ask of those things!
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شیر را خرگوش در زندان نشاند ** ننگ شیری کاو ز خرگوشی بماند
- The hare lodged the lion in prison. Shame on a lion who was discomfited by a hare!
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در چنان ننگی و آن گه این عجب ** فخر دین خواهد که گویندش لقب 1350
- He is in such a disgrace, and still—this is a wonder—he would fain be addressed by the title of Fakhr-i Dín.
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ای تو شیری در تک این چاه فرد ** نفس چون خرگوش خونت ریخت و خورد
- O thou lion that liest alone at the bottom of this well, thy fleshly soul, like the hare, has shed and drunk thy blood;
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نفس خرگوشت به صحرا در چرا ** تو به قعر این چه چون و چرا
- Thy hare-soul is feeding in the desert, (whilst) thou art (lying) at the bottom of this well of “How?” and “Why?”
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سوی نخجیران دوید آن شیر گیر ** کابشروا یا قوم إذ جاء البشیر
- That lion-catcher (the hare) ran towards the beasts, crying, “Rejoice, O my people, since the announcer of joy is come.
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مژده مژده ای گروه عیشساز ** کان سگ دوزخ به دوزخ رفت باز
- Glad news! Glad news, O company of merry-makers! That hell-hound has gone back to Hell.
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مژده مژده کان عدوی جانها ** کند قهر خالقش دندانها 1355
- Glad news! Glad news! The enemy of your lives—his teeth have been torn out by the vengeance of his Creator.
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آن که از پنجه بسی سرها بکوفت ** همچو خس جاروب مرگش هم بروفت
- He who smote many heads with his claws—him too the broom of Death has swept away like rubbish.”
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جمع شدن نخجیران گرد خرگوش و ثنا گفتن او را
- How the beasts gathered round the hare and spoke in praise of him.
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جمع گشتند آن زمان جمله وحوش ** شاد و خندان از طرب در ذوق و جوش
- Then all the wild beasts assembled, joyous and laughing gleefully in rapture and excitement.
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حلقه کردند او چو شمعی در میان ** سجده آوردند و گفتندش که هان
- They formed a ring, he (the hare) in the midst like a candle: they bowed (in homage) and said to him, "Hark!"
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تو فرشتهی آسمانی یا پری ** نی تو عزراییل شیران نری
- “Art thou a heavenly angel or a peri? No, thou art the Azrael of fierce lions.
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هر چه هستی جان ما قربان تست ** دست بردی دست و بازویت درست 1360
- Whatever thou art, our souls are offered in sacrifice to thee. Thou hast prevailed. Health to thy hand and arm!
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راند حق این آب را در جوی تو ** آفرین بر دست و بر بازوی تو
- God turned this water into thy stream. Blessing on thy hand and arm!
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باز گو تا چون سگالیدی به مکر ** آن عوان را چون بمالیدی به مکر
- Explain how thou didst meditate with guile, and how thou didst guilefully wipe out that ruffian.
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باز گو تا قصه درمانها شود ** باز گو تا مرهم جانها شود
- Explain, in order that the tale may be the means of curing (our malady); explain, that it may be a salve for our souls.
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باز گو کز ظلم آن استم نما ** صد هزاران زخم دارد جان ما
- Explain! for in consequence of the iniquity of that tyrant our souls have myriads of wounds.”
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گفت تایید خدا بود ای مهان ** ور نه خرگوشی که باشد در جهان 1365
- “O Sirs,” said he, “it was (by) God's aid; else, who in the world is a hare (who am I, that I should have been able to do this)?