When lifeless bread is companioned with life, the bread becomes living and is turned into the substance of that (life).
نان مرده چون حریف جان شود ** زنده گردد نان و عین آن شود
Dark faggots become the companions of fire: the darkness departed, and all was turned into light.
هیزم تیره حریف نار شد ** تیرگی رفت و همه انوار شد
When the dead ass fell into the salt-mine, it put aside asininity and mortality.
در نمکلان چون خر مرده فتاد ** آن خری و مردگی یک سو نهاد
The baptism of Allah is the dyeing-vat of Hú (the Absolute God): therein (all) piebald things become of one colour.1345
صبغة الله هست خم رنگ هو ** پیسها یک رنگ گردد اندر او
When he (the mystic) falls into the vat, and you say to him, “Arise,” he says in rapture, “I am the vat: do not blame (me).”
چون در آن خم افتد و گوییش قم ** از طرب گوید منم خم لا تلم
That “I am the vat” is the (same as) saying “I am God”: he has the colour of the fire, albeit he is iron.
آن منم خم خود انا الحق گفتن است ** رنگ آتش دارد الا آهن است
The colour of the iron is naughted in the colour of the fire: it (the iron) boasts of (its) fieriness, though (actually) it is like one who keeps silence.
رنگ آهن محو رنگ آتش است ** ز آتشی میلافد و خامشوش است
When it has become like gold of the mine in redness, then without tongue its boast is “I am the fire.”
چون به سرخی گشت همچون زر کان ** پس انا النار است لافش بیزبان
It has become glorified by the colour and nature of the fire: it says, “I am the fire, I am the fire.1350
شد ز رنگ و طبع آتش محتشم ** گوید او من آتشم من آتشم
I am the fire; if thou have doubt and suspicion, make trial, put thy hand upon me.
آتشم من گر ترا شک است و ظن ** آزمون کن دست را بر من بزن