The Hare Brings News of the Lion’s Fall
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 1, section 73 of 171: How the hare brought to the beasts of chase the news that the lion had fallen into the well (مژده بردن خرگوش سوی نخجیران که شیر در چاه افتاد). Below, each of its 36 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the hare brought to the beasts of chase the news that the lion had fallen into the well مژده بردن خرگوش سوی نخجیران که شیر در چاه افتاد
چون که خرگوش از رهایی شاد گشت
سوی نخجیران دوان شد تا به دشت
When the hare was gladdened by deliverance (from the lion), he began to run towards the beasts until (he came to) the desert.
شیر را چون دید در چه کشته زار
چرخ می‌‌زد شادمان تا مرغزار
Having seen the lion miserably slain in the well, he was skipping joyously all the way to the meadow,
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.
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;
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;
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,
که بپرورد اصل ما را ذو العطا
تا درخت استغلظ آمد و استوی
Saying, “The Bounteous Giver nourished our root until the tree grew big and stood upright.”
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,
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,
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 that (Love) which surrounds the soul—do not ask of those things!
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!
در چنان ننگی و آن گه این عجب
فخر دین خواهد که گویندش لقب
He is in such a disgrace, and still—this is a wonder—he would fain be addressed by the title of Fakhr-i Dín.
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;
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?”
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.
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.
مژده مژده کان عدوی جانها
کند قهر خالقش دندانها
Glad news! Glad news! The enemy of your lives—his teeth have been torn out by the vengeance of his Creator.
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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