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منبلی‌ام زخم جو و زخم‌خواه ** عافیت کم جوی از منبل براه
- I am an idle vagabond, seeking blows and desiring blows: do not seek rectitude from the vagabond on the road.
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منبلی نی کو بود خود برگ‌جو ** منبلی‌ام لاابالی مرگ‌جو
- (I am) not the vagabond who in sooth is a seeker of provender: I am the reckless vagabond (who is) the seeker of death.
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منبلی نی کو به کف پول آورد ** منبلی چستی کزین پل بگذرد
- (I am) not the vagabond who gets small money into his palm, (but) the nimble vagabond who would cross this bridge (to the world hereafter)—
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آن نه کو بر هر دکانی بر زند ** بل جهد از کون و کانی بر زند 3950
- Not the one who cleaves to every shop; nay, but (the one who) springs away from (phenomenal) existence and strikes upon a mine (of reality).
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مرگ شیرین گشت و نقلم زین سرا ** چون قفص هشتن پریدن مرغ را
- Death and migration from this (earthly) abode has become as sweet to me as leaving the cage and flying (is sweet) to the (captive) bird—
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آن قفص که هست عین باغ در ** مرغ می‌بیند گلستان و شجر
- The cage that is in the very midst of the garden, (so that) the bird beholds the rose-beds and the trees,
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جوق مرغان از برون گرد قفص ** خوش همی‌خوانند ز آزادی قصص
- (While) outside, round the cage, a multitude of birds is sweetly chanting tales of liberty:
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مرغ را اندر قفص زان سبزه‌زار ** نه خورش ماندست و نه صبر و قرار
- At (the sight of) that verdant place neither (desire for) food remains to the bird in the cage, nor patience and rest,
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سر ز هر سوراخ بیرون می‌کند ** تا بود کین بند از پا برکند 3955
- (But) it puts out its head through every hole, that perchance it may tear off this fetter from its leg.
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چون دل و جانش چنین بیرون بود ** آن قفص را در گشایی چون بود
- Since its heart and soul are (already) outside like this, how will it be when you open the cage?”