مکر آن باشد که زندان حفره کرد ** آن که حفره بست آن مکری ست سرد
The (right) plot is that he (the prisoner) digs a hole in his prison (in order to escape); if he blocks up the hole, that is a foolish plot.
این جهان زندان و ما زندانیان ** حفره کن زندان و خود را وارهان
This world is the prison, and we are the prisoners: dig a hole in the prison and let yourself out!
چیست دنیا از خدا غافل بدن ** نی قماش و نقره و میزان و زن
What is this world? To be forgetful of God; it is not merchandise and silver and weighing-scales and women.
مال را کز بهر دین باشی حمول ** نعم مال صالح خواندش رسول
As regards the wealth that you carry for religion's sake, “How good is righteous wealth (for the righteous man)!” as the Prophet recited.
آب در کشتی هلاک کشتی است ** آب اندر زیر کشتی پشتی است985
Water in the boat is the ruin of the boat, (but) water underneath the boat is a support.
چون که مال و ملک را از دل براند ** ز آن سلیمان خویش جز مسکین نخواند
Since he cast out from his heart (the desire for) wealth and possessions, on that account Solomon did not call himself (by any name) but “poor.”
کوزه‌‌ی سر بسته اندر آب زفت ** از دل پر باد فوق آب رفت
The stoppered jar, (though) in rough water, floated on the water because of its wind-filled (empty) heart.
باد درویشی چو در باطن بود ** بر سر آب جهان ساکن بود
When the wind of poverty is within (any one), he rests at peace on the surface of the water of the world;
گر چه جمله‌‌ی این جهان ملک وی است ** ملک در چشم دل او لا شی است
Although the whole of this world is his kingdom, in the eye of his heart the kingdom is nothing.
پس دهان دل ببند و مهر کن ** پر کنش از باد کبر من لدن990
Therefore stopper and seal the mouth of your heart, and fill it from the Divine ventilator.
جهد حق است و دوا حق است و درد ** منکر اندر نفی جهدش جهد کرد
Exertion is a reality, and medicine and disease are realities: the sceptic in his denial of exertion practised (and thereby affirmed) exertion.
مقرر شدن ترجیح جهد بر توکل
How the superiority of exertion to trust in God was established.
زین نمط بسیار برهان گفت شیر ** کز جواب آن جبریان گشتند سیر
The lion gave many proofs in this style, so that those necessitarians became tired of answering (him).
روبه و آهو و خرگوش و شغال ** جبر را بگذاشتند و قیل و قال
Fox and deer and hare and jackal abandoned (the doctrine of) necessity and (ceased from) disputation.
عهدها کردند با شیر ژیان ** کاندر این بیعت نیفتد در زیان
They made covenants with the furious lion, (ensuring) that he should incur no loss in this bargain,
قسم هر روزش بیاید بی‌‌جگر ** حاجتش نبود تقاضای دگر995
(That) the daily ration should come to him without trouble, and that he should not need to make a further demand.
قرعه بر هر که فتادی روز روز ** سوی آن شیر او دویدی همچو یوز
Day by day the one on whom the lot fell would run to the lion as (swiftly as) a cheetah.
چون به خرگوش آمد این ساغر به دور ** بانگ زد خرگوش کاخر چند جور
When this cup (of death) came round to the hare, the hare cried out, “Why, how long (are we to endure this) injustice?”
انکار کردن نخجیران بر خرگوش در تاخیر رفتن بر شیر
How the beasts of chase blamed the hare for his delay in going to the lion.
قوم گفتندش که چندین گاه ما ** جان فدا کردیم در عهد و وفا
The company (of beasts) said to him: “All this time we have sacrificed our lives in troth and loyalty.
تو مجو بد نامی ما ای عنود ** تا نرنجد شیر رو رو زود زود
Do not thou seek to give us a bad name, O rebellious one! Lest the lion be aggrieved, go, go! Quick! Quick!”
جواب گفتن خرگوش نخجیران را
How the hare answered the beasts.
گفت ای یاران مرا مهلت دهید ** تا به مکرم از بلا بیرون جهید1000
“O friends,” said he, “grant me a respite, that by my cunning ye may escape from calamity,
تا امان یابد به مکرم جانتان ** ماند این میراث فرزندانتان
That by my cunning your lives may be saved and this (safety) remain as a heritage to your children.”
هر پیمبر امتان را در جهان ** همچنین تا مخلصی می‌‌خواندشان
After this manner every prophet in the world used to call the peoples to a place of deliverance,
کز فلک راه برون شو دیده بود ** در نظر چون مردمک پیچیده بود
For he had seen from Heaven the way of escape, (though) in (their) sight he was contracted (despicable) like the pupil of the eye.
مردمش چون مردمک دیدند خرد ** در بزرگی مردمک کس ره نبرد
Men regarded him as small like the pupil: none attained to (understanding of) the (real) greatness (worth) of the pupil.
اعتراض نخجیران بر سخن خرگوش
How the beasts objected to the proposal of the hare.
قوم گفتندش که ای خر گوش دار ** خویش را اندازه‌‌ی خرگوش دار1005
The company (of beasts) said to him: “O donkey, listen (to us)! Keep thyself within the measure of a hare!
هین چه لاف است این که از تو بهتران ** در نیاوردند اندر خاطر آن
Eh, what brag is this—(an idea) which thy betters never brought into their minds?
معجبی یا خود قضامان در پی است ** ور نه این دم لایق چون تو کی است
Thou art self-conceited, or Destiny is pursuing us; else, how is this speech suitable to one like thee?
جواب خرگوش نخجیران را
How the hare again answered the beasts.
گفت ای یاران حقم الهام داد ** مر ضعیفی را قوی رایی فتاد
He said: “O friends, God gave me inspiration: to a weakling there came a strong judgement (wise counsel).”
آن چه حق آموخت مر زنبور را ** آن نباشد شیر را و گور را
That which God taught to the bees is not (belonging) to the lion and the wild ass.
خانه‌‌ها سازد پر از حلوای تر ** حق بر او آن علم را بگشاد در1010
It (the bee) makes houses of juicy halwá (sweetmeat): God opened to it the door of that knowledge;
آن چه حق آموخت کرم پیله را ** هیچ پیلی داند آن گون حیله را
That which God taught to the silkworm—does any elephant know such a device?
آدم خاکی ز حق آموخت علم ** تا به هفتم آسمان افروخت علم
Adam, created of earth, learned knowledge from God: (his) knowledge shot beams up to the Seventh Heaven.
نام و ناموس ملک را در شکست ** کوری آن کس که در حق درشک است
He (Adam) broke the name and fame (pride) of the angels, to the confusion of that one who is in doubt concerning God.
زاهد چندین هزاران ساله را ** پوز بندی ساخت آن گوساله را
He (God) made the ascetic of six hundred thousand years (Iblís) a muzzle for that young calf (Adam),
تا نتاند شیر علم دین کشید ** تا نگردد گرد آن قصر مشید1015
That he (Adam) might not be able to drink the milk of knowledge of religion, and that he might not roam around that lofty castle.
علمهای اهل حس شد پوز بند ** تا نگیرد شیر ز آن علم بلند
The sciences of the followers of (external) sense became a muzzle, so that he (the believer in sense-perception) might not receive milk from that sublime knowledge.
قطره‌‌ی دل را یکی گوهر فتاد ** کان به دریاها و گردونها نداد
(But) into the blood-drop (core) of the heart there fell a jewel which He (God) gave not to the seas and skies.
چند صورت آخر ای صورت پرست ** جان بی‌‌معنیت از صورت نرست
How long (this regard for) form? After all, O form-worshipper, has thy reality-lacking soul not (yet) escaped from form?
گر به صورت آدمی انسان بدی ** احمد و بو جهل خود یکسان بدی
If a human being were a man in virtue of form, Ahmad (Mohammed) and Bú Jahl would be just the same.
نقش بر دیوار مثل آدم است ** بنگر از صورت چه چیز او کم است1020
The painting on the wall is like Adam: see from the (pictured) form what thing in it is wanting.
جان کم است آن صورت با تاب را ** رو بجو آن گوهر کمیاب را
The spirit is wanting in that resplendent form: go, seek that jewel rarely found!
شد سر شیران عالم جمله پست ** چون سگ اصحاب را دادند دست
The heads of all the lions in the world were laid low when They (God) gave a hand to (bestowed favour on) the dog of the Companions (of the Cave).
چه زیان استش از آن نقش نفور ** چون که جانش غرق شد در بحر نور
What loss does it suffer from that abhorred shape, inasmuch as its spirit was plunged in the ocean of light?
وصف صورت نیست اندر خامه‌‌ها ** عالم و عادل بود در نامه‌‌ها
’Tis not in pens to describe (the outward) form: (what is written) in letters is (qualities like) “learned” and “just”;
عالم و عادل همه معنی است بس ** کش نیابی در مکان و پیش و پس1025
(And qualities like) “learned” and “just” are only the spiritual essence which thou wilt not find in (any) place or in front or behind.
می‌‌زند بر تن ز سوی لامکان ** می‌‌نگنجد در فلک خورشید جان
The sun of the spirit strikes (with its beams) on the body from the quarter where (the relation of) place does not exist: it (that sun) is not contained in the sky.
ذکر دانش خرگوش و بیان فضیلت و منافع دانستن
An account of the knowledge of the hare and an explanation of the excellence and advantages of knowledge.
این سخن پایان ندارد هوش دار ** گوش سوی قصه‌‌ی خرگوش دار
This topic hath no end. Give heed! Attend to the story of the hare.
گوش خر بفروش و دیگر گوش خر ** کاین سخن را در نیابد گوش خر
Sell your asinine (corporeal) ear and buy another ear, for the asinine ear will not apprehend this discourse.
رو تو روبه بازی خرگوش بین ** مکر و شیر اندازی خرگوش بین
Go, behold the foxy tricks played by the hare; behold the cunning of the hare and how he overthrew the lion.
خاتم ملک سلیمان است علم ** جمله عالم صورت و جان است علم1030
Knowledge is the seal of the kingdom of Solomon: the whole world is form, and knowledge is the spirit.