Rumi's Masnavi - At night there was no light and thou didst not see the colours; then it (the light) was made manifest by the opposite of light (by darkness).

At night there was no light and thou didst not see the colours; then it (the light) was made manifest by the opposite of light (by darkness).

شب نبد نوری ندیدی رنگها ** پس به ضد نور پیدا شد ترا

(First) comes the seeing of light, then the seeing of colour; and this thou knowest immediately by the opposite of light (darkness).

دیدن نور است آن گه دید رنگ ** وین به ضد نور دانی بی‌‌درنگ‌‌

God created pain and sorrow for the purpose that happiness might be made manifest by means of this opposite. 1130

رنج و غم را حق پی آن آفرید ** تا بدین ضد خوش دلی آید پدید

Hidden things, then, are manifested by means of their opposite; since God hath no opposite, He is hidden;

پس نهانیها به ضد پیدا شود ** چون که حق را نیست ضد پنهان بود

For the sight fell (first) on the light, then on the colour: opposite is made manifest by opposite, like Greeks and Ethiopians.

که نظر بر نور بود آن گه به رنگ ** ضد به ضد پیدا بود چون روم و زنگ‌‌

Therefore thou knewest light by its opposite: opposite reveals opposite in (the process of) coming forth.

پس به ضد نور دانستی تو نور ** ضد ضد را می‌‌نماید در صدور

The Light of God hath no opposite in (all) existence, that by means of that opposite it should be possible to make Him manifest:

نور حق را نیست ضدی در وجود ** تا به ضد او را توان پیدا نمود

Necessarily (therefore) our eyes do not perceive Him, though He perceives (us): see this (fact) from (the case of) Moses and the mountain (Sinai). 1135

لاجرم أبصارنا لا تدرکه ** و هو یدرک بین تو از موسی و که‌‌

Know that form springs from spirit (reality) as the lion from the jungle, or as voice and speech from thought.

صورت از معنی چو شیر از بیشه دان ** یا چو آواز و سخن ز اندیشه دان‌‌

This speech and voice arose from thought; thou knowest not where is the sea of thought,

این سخن و آواز از اندیشه خاست ** تو ندانی بحر اندیشه کجاست‌‌