For this (present) life seemed to him like a (state of) death: in his view the thing had become reversed.
کین حیات او را چو مرگی می‌نمود ** کار پیشش بازگونه گشته بود
He was begging death (as a gift) from the Unseen, he was crying, “Verily, my life is in my death.”2675
موت را از غیب می‌کرد او کدی ** ان فی موتی حیاتی می‌زدی
He had embraced death as (other people embrace) life, he had become in full accord with the destruction of his life.
موت را چون زندگی قابل شده ** با هلاک جان خود یک دل شده
As (with) ‘Alí, the sword and dagger were his sweet basil, the narcissus and eglantine were his soul's enemies.
سیف و خنجر چون علی ریحان او ** نرگس و نسرین عدوی جان او
A Voice came (to his ear), “Go from the desert to the city”— a wondrous Voice transcending the occult and the manifest.
بانگ آمد رو ز صحرا سوی شهر ** بانگ طرفه از ورای سر و جهر
He cried, “O Thou that knowest my secret, hair by hair, tell me, what service am I to do in the city?”
گفت ای دانای رازم مو به مو ** چه کنم در شهر از خدمت بگو
It (the Voice) said, “The service is this, that for the purpose of self abasement thou shouldst make thyself (like) ‘Abbás (the seller) of date-syrup.2680
گفت خدمت آنک بهر ذل نفس ** خویش را سازی تو چون عباس دبس
For a while take money from the rich and then deliver it to the lowly poor.
مدتی از اغنیا زر می‌ستان ** پس به درویشان مسکین می‌رسان
This is the service thou must do for some time.” He replied, “To hear is to obey, O Thou who art my soul's refuge.”
خدمتت اینست تا یک چند گاه ** گفت سمعا طاعة ای جان‌پناه
Many questions and answers and much conversation passed between the ascetic and the Lord of mankind,
بس سال و بس جواب و ماجرا ** بد میان زاهد و رب الوری