#1
چنین گفت رودابه روزی به زال
✦
که از داغ و سوگ تهمتن بنال
“Thus spoke Rudabeh to Zal one day: 'Lament and mourn the tragic anguish of Tahamtan!'”
#2
همانا که تا هست گیتی فروز
✦
ازین تیره‌تر کس ندیدست روز
“'Truly, as long as the world is lit by the sun, no one has ever witnessed a darker day than this.'”
#3
بدو گفت زال ای زن کم خرد
✦
غم ناچریدن بدین بگذرد
“Zal said to her: 'O woman of little wisdom, will the grief pass by refusing food?'”
#4
برآشفت رودابه سوگند خورد
✦
که هرگز نیابد تنم خواب و خورد
“Rudabeh grew enraged and swore an oath: 'Never shall my body taste sleep or food again!'”
#5
روانم روان گو پیلتن
✦
مگر باز بیند بران انجمن
“'May my soul follow the soul of that Elephant-bodied hero, that I might see him once more in that assembly!'”
#6
ز خوردن یکی هفته تن باز داشت
✦
که با جان رستم به دل راز داشت
“For an entire week she refrained from food, holding secret communion in her heart with Rostam's soul.”
#7
ز ناخوردنش چشم تاریک شد
✦
تن نازکش نیز باریک شد
“From starvation, her eyes grew dim and dark, and her delicate body became thin as a thread.”
#8
ز هر سو که رفتی پرستنده چند
✦
همی رفت با او ز بیم گزند
“Wherever she walked, several maidservants followed closely behind her for fear of harm.”
#9
سر هفته را زو خرد دور شد
✦
ز بیچارگی ماتمش سور شد
“By the end of the week, reason departed from her; in her helplessness, mourning turned to madness.”
#10
بیامد به بستان به هنگام خواب
✦
یکی مرده ماری بدید اندر آب
“At sleeping hour she entered the garden, and saw a dead serpent lying in the stream.”
#11
بزد دست و بگرفت پیچان سرش
✦
همی خواست کز مار سازد خورش
“She reached out and seized its coiled head, intending to make a meal of the snake.”
#12
پرستنده از دست رودابه مار
✦
ربود و گرفتندش اندر کنار
“The maidservant snatched the snake from Rudabeh's hand, and they gathered her into their arms.”
#13
کشیدند از جای ناپاک دست
✦
به ایوانش بردند و جای نشست
“They pulled her away from that unclean place and led her back to her hall and resting place.”
#14
به جایی که بودیش بنشاختند
✦
ببردند خوان و خورش ساختند
“They seated her in her rightful place, brought a feast-table, and prepared food for her.”
#15
همی خورد هرچیز تا گشت سیر
✦
فگندند پس جامهٔ نرم زیر
“She ate everything until she was satiated, and then they laid soft garments and bedding beneath her.”
#16
چو باز آمدش هوش با زال گفت
✦
که گفتار تو با خرد بود جفت
“When her senses returned, she said to Zal: 'Your advice was truly paired with wisdom.'”
#17
هرانکس که او را خور و خواب نیست
✦
غم مرگ با جشن و سورش یکیست
“'Whoever is deprived of food and sleep confounds the grief of death with feasts and celebrations.'”
#18
برفت او و ما از پس او رویم
✦
به داد جهان‌آفرین بگرویم
“'He has departed, and we too shall follow after him; let us surrender to the justice of the World-Creator.'”
#19
به درویش داد آنچ بودش نهان
✦
همی گفت با کردگار جهان
“She gave all her hidden treasures to the poor, praying constantly to the Creator of the World:”
#20
که ای برتر از نام وز جایگاه
✦
روان تهمتن بشوی از گناه
“'O You who are higher than any name or realm! Wash Tahamtan's soul clean of all sin!'”
#21
بدان گیتیش جای ده در بهشت
✦
برش ده ز تخمی که ایدر بکشت
“'Grant him a place in Paradise in that world, and let him reap the fruit of the good seeds he sowed here!'”