javāb-e-ḳhargosh nakHchīrāñ rā
How the hare again answered the beasts.
guft ai yārāñ haqam ilhām daad
mar za'īfe rā qavī rā-e-fitād
He said: O friends, God gave me inspiration:
to a weakling there came a strong judgement (wise counsel).
āñche haq āmoḳht mar zambūr rā
aañ na-bāshad sher rā-o-gor rā
That which God taught to the bees is not
(belonging) to the lion and the wild ass.
kHāna-hā sāzad pur-az halvā-e-tar
haq barū aañ 'ilm rā ba-gushād dar
It (the bee) makes houses of juicy halwá (sweetmeat):
God opened to it the door of that knowledge;
āñ-che haq āmoḳht kirm-e-pīla rā
hech piile dānad aañ guuñ hiila rā
That which God taught to the silkworm—
does any elephant know such a device?
ādam-e-ḳhākī za haq āmoḳht 'ilm
tā-ba-haftum āsmāñ afroḳht 'ilm
Adam, created of earth, learned knowledge from God:
(his) knowledge shot beams up to the Seventh Heaven.
nām-o-nāmūs-e-malak rā dar shikast
kūrī-e-āñkas ki dar haq dar guzasht
He (Adam) broke the name and fame (pride) of the angels,
to the confusion of that one who is in doubt concerning God.
zāhid-e-chandīñ hazārāñ saala rā
poz-bande sāḳht aañ gosāla rā
He (God) made the ascetic of six hundred thousand
years (Iblís) a muzzle for that young calf (Adam),
tā na-dānad sher-e-'ilm-e-dīñ kashīd
tā na-gardad gird-e-āñ qasr-e-mashīd
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.
'ilm-hā-e-ahl-e-his shud poz-band
tā na-gīrad sher zaañ ilm-e-buland
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.
qatra-e-dil rā yake gauhar fitād
kaañ ba-dariyā-hā-o-gardūñ-hā na-dād
(But) into the blood-drop (core) of the heart there fell a
jewel which He (God) gave not to the seas and skies.
chand sūrat ākHir ai sūrat-parast
jān-e-be-'mā'nīt az sūrat na-rast
How long (this regard for) form? After all, O form-worshipper,
has thy reality-lacking soul not (yet) escaped from form?
gar ba-sūrat aadmī insāñ bude
ahmad-o-bū-jahl ḳhud yaksāñ bude
If a human being were a man in virtue of form,
Ahmad (Mohammed) and Bú Jahl would be just the same.
naqsh bar dīvār misl-e-ādam ast
ba-nigar az sūrat che chīz-e-ū kamast
The painting on the wall is like Adam: see from
the (pictured) form what thing in it is wanting.
jaañ gumast aañ sūrat-e-bā-tāb rā
rau ba-jū aañ gauhar-e-kam-yāb rā
The spirit is wanting in that resplendent form:
go, seek that jewel rarely found!
shud sar-e-sherān-e-'ālam jumla past
chuuñ sag-e-as.hāb rā dādand dast
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).
che ziyānstash az aañ naqsh-e-nufūr
chūñki jānash ġharq shud dar bahr-e-nūr
What loss does it suffer from that abhorred shape,
in as much as its spirit was plunged in the ocean of light?
vasf-e-sūrat niist andar kHām-hā
'ālim-o-'ādil buvad dar nām-hā
’Tis not in pens to describe (the outward) form:
(what is written) in letters is (qualities like) learned and just;
'ādilm-o-'ādil hama mā'nīst bas
kish na-yābī dar makān-o-pesh-o-pas
(And qualities like) learned and just are only the spiritual
essence which thou wilt not find in (any) place or in front or behind.
mī zanad bar tan za sū-e-lā-makāñ
mī na-gunjad dar falak kHurshīd-e-jāñ
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.
jawab-e-KHargosh nakHchiran ra
How the hare again answered the beasts.
guft ai yaran haqam ilham dad
mar za'ife ra qawi ra-e-fitad
He said: O friends, God gave me inspiration:
to a weakling there came a strong judgement (wise counsel).
aanche haq aamoKHt mar zambur ra
aan na-bashad sher ra-o-gor ra
That which God taught to the bees is not
(belonging) to the lion and the wild ass.
kHana-ha sazad pur-az halwa-e-tar
haq baru aan 'ilm ra ba-gushad dar
It (the bee) makes houses of juicy halwá (sweetmeat):
God opened to it the door of that knowledge;
aan-che haq aamoKHt kirm-e-pila ra
hech pile danad aan gun hila ra
That which God taught to the silkworm—
does any elephant know such a device?
aadam-e-KHaki za haq aamoKHt 'ilm
ta-ba-haftum aasman afroKHt 'ilm
Adam, created of earth, learned knowledge from God:
(his) knowledge shot beams up to the Seventh Heaven.
nam-o-namus-e-malak ra dar shikast
kuri-e-ankas ki dar haq dar guzasht
He (Adam) broke the name and fame (pride) of the angels,
to the confusion of that one who is in doubt concerning God.
zahid-e-chandin hazaran sala ra
poz-bande saKHt aan gosala ra
He (God) made the ascetic of six hundred thousand
years (Iblís) a muzzle for that young calf (Adam),
ta na-danad sher-e-'ilm-e-din kashid
ta na-gardad gird-e-an qasr-e-mashid
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.
'ilm-ha-e-ahl-e-his shud poz-band
ta na-girad sher zan ilm-e-buland
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.
qatra-e-dil ra yake gauhar fitad
kan ba-dariya-ha-o-gardun-ha na-dad
(But) into the blood-drop (core) of the heart there fell a
jewel which He (God) gave not to the seas and skies.
chand surat aakHir ai surat-parast
jaan-e-be-'ma'nit az surat na-rast
How long (this regard for) form? After all, O form-worshipper,
has thy reality-lacking soul not (yet) escaped from form?
gar ba-surat aadmi insan bude
ahmad-o-bu-jahl KHud yaksan bude
If a human being were a man in virtue of form,
Ahmad (Mohammed) and Bú Jahl would be just the same.
naqsh bar diwar misl-e-adam ast
ba-nigar az surat che chiz-e-u kamast
The painting on the wall is like Adam: see from
the (pictured) form what thing in it is wanting.
jaan gumast aan surat-e-ba-tab ra
rau ba-ju aan gauhar-e-kam-yab ra
The spirit is wanting in that resplendent form:
go, seek that jewel rarely found!
shud sar-e-sheran-e-'alam jumla past
chun sag-e-ashab ra dadand dast
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).
che ziyanstash az aan naqsh-e-nufur
chunki jaanash gharq shud dar bahr-e-nur
What loss does it suffer from that abhorred shape,
in as much as its spirit was plunged in the ocean of light?
wasf-e-surat nist andar kHam-ha
'alim-o-'adil buwad dar nam-ha
’Tis not in pens to describe (the outward) form:
(what is written) in letters is (qualities like) learned and just;
'adilm-o-'adil hama ma'nist bas
kish na-yabi dar makan-o-pesh-o-pas
(And qualities like) learned and just are only the spiritual
essence which thou wilt not find in (any) place or in front or behind.
mi zanad bar tan za su-e-la-makan
mi na-gunjad dar falak kHurshid-e-jaan
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.
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