Rumi's Masnavi - For that world (of Unity) is like a salt-mine: whatever has gone thither has become exempt from coloration (dyeing with various colours).

For that world (of Unity) is like a salt-mine: whatever has gone thither has become exempt from coloration (dyeing with various colours).

کان جهان هم‌چون نمکسار آمدست ** هر چه آنجا رفت بی‌تلوین شدست

Look at earth: it makes many-coloured (diverse) humankind to be (all) of one colour in their graves.

خاک را بین خلق رنگارنگ را ** می‌کند یک رنگ اندر گورها

This is the salt-mine for visible (material) bodies, (but) in sooth the salt-mine for ideal (supersensible) things is different.

این نمکسار جسوم ظاهرست ** خود نمکسار معانی دیگرست

The salt-mine for ideal things is ideal (spiritual and real): it remains new from eternity unto everlasting.

آن نمکسار معانی معنویست ** از ازل آن تا ابد اندر نویست

This (earthly) newness has oldness as its opposite, but that newness (belonging to the world of Reality) is without opposite or like or number. 1860

این نوی را کهنگی ضدش بود ** آن نوی بی ضد و بی ند و عدد

’Tis (even) as by the polishing action of the Light of Mustafá (Mohammed) a hundred thousand sorts of darkness became radiant.

آنچنان که از صقل نور مصطفی ** صد هزاران نوع ظلمت شد ضیا

Jew and polytheist and Christian and Magian—all were made of one colour by that Alp Ulugh (great hero).

از جهود و مشرک و ترسا و مغ ** جملگی یک‌رنگ شد زان الپ الغ

A hundred thousand shadows short and long became one in the light of that Sun of mystery.

صد هزاران سایه کوتاه و دراز ** شد یکی در نور آن خورشید راز

Neither a long (shadow) remained nor a short nor a wide: shadows of every kind were given in pawn to (absorbed in) the Sun.

نه درازی ماند نه کوته نه پهن ** گونه گونه سایه در خورشید رهن

But the unicolority that is (everywhere) at the Resurrection is (then) revealed and (made) manifest to the evil and the good (alike); 1865

لیک یک‌رنگی که اندر محشرست ** بر بد و بر نیک کشف و ظاهرست