از جمادی مردم و نامی شدم ** وز نما مردم به حیوان برزدم

I died to the inorganic state and became endowed with growth, and (then) I died to (vegetable) growth and attained to the animal.

مردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم ** پس چه ترسم کی ز مردن کم شدم

I died from animality and became Adam (man): why, then, should I fear? When have I become less by dying?

حمله‌ی دیگر بمیرم از بشر ** تا بر آرم از ملایک پر و سر

At the next remove I shall die to man, that I may soar and lift up my head amongst the angels;

وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو ** کل شیء هالک الا وجهه

And I must escape even from (the state of) the angel:everything is perishing except His Face.

بار دیگر از ملک قربان شوم ** آنچ اندر وهم ناید آن شوم 3905

Once more I shall be sacrificed and die to the angel: I shall become that which enters not into the imagination.

پس عدم گردم عدم چون ارغنون ** گویدم که انا الیه راجعون

Then I shall become non-existence: non-existence saith to me, (in tones loud) as an organ, Verily, unto Him shall we return.

مرگ دان آنک اتفاق امتست ** کاب حیوانی نهان در ظلمتست

Know death to be (the thing signified by) what the (Mohammedan) community are agreed upon, namely, that the Water of Life is hidden in the (Land of) Darkness.

همچو نیلوفر برو زین طرف جو ** همچو مستسقی حریص و مرگ‌جو

Grow from this river-bank, like the water-lily, greedy and craving for death as the sufferer from dropsy.

مرگ او آبست و او جویای آب ** می‌خورد والله اعلم بالصواب

The water is death to him, and (yet) he is seeking the water and drinking it— and God best knoweth the right course.

ای فسرده عاشق ننگین نمد ** کو ز بیم جان ز جانان می‌رمد 3910

Oh, the cold lover, clad in the felt (garment) of shame, who from fear of (losing) his life is fleeing from the Beloved!