Since that non-existence is congenial to your desire, why this avoidance of nonentity and non-existence?
چون انیس طمع تو آن نیستیست ** از فنا و نیست این پرهیز چیست
O (dear) soul, if you are not inwardly congenial to non-existence, why are you waiting in ambush for non-existence?1375
گر انیس لا نهای ای جان به سر ** در کمین لا چرایی منتظر
You have torn your heart away from all that you own, you have cast the net of your heart into the sea of non-existence.
زانک داری جمله دل برکندهای ** شست دل در بحر لا افکندهای
Wherefore, then, (this) flight from this sea of (heart's) desire that has put hundreds of thousands of prey into your net?
پس گریز از چیست زین بحر مراد ** که بشستت صد هزاران صید داد
Wherefore have you given the name “death” to (what is really) provision (for the spirit)? Observe the sorcery that has caused the provision (barg) to seem to you death (marg).
از چه نام برگ را کردی تو مرگ ** جادوی بین که نمودت مرگ برگ
The magic of His (God's) doing has bound both your eyes, so that desire for the (worldly) pit has come over your soul.
هر دو چشمت بست سحر صنعتش ** تا که جان را در چه آمد رغبتش
Through the contrivance of the Creator, in its (your soul's) fancy all the expanse above the pit is (full of) poison and snakes;1380
در خیال او ز مکر کردگار ** جمله صحرا فوق چه زهرست و مار
Consequently it has made the pit a refuge (for itself), so that (fear of) death has cast it into the pit.
لاجرم چه را پناهی ساختست ** تا که مرگ او را به چاه انداختست
(Having heard) what I have said concerning your misapprehensions, O dear friend, hear also the utterance of ‘Attár on this same (subject).
اینچ گفتم از غلطهات ای عزیز ** هم برین بشنو دم عطار نیز
Story of Sultan Mahmúd and the Hindú boy.
قصهی سلطان محمود و غلام هندو
He, God have mercy upon him, has told it: he has strung together the tale of King Mahmúd, the Ghází—
رحمة الله علیه گفته است ** ذکر شه محمود غازی سفته است