What is the means of ascension to Heaven? This not-being. Not-being is the creed and religion of the lovers (of God).
چیست معراج فلک این نیستی ** عاشقان را مذهب و دین نیستی
From self-abasement in the way of Love the fur jacket and rustic shoon became the prayer-niche of Ayáz.
پوستین و چارق آمد از نیاز ** در طریق عشق محراب ایاز
Even though he was beloved by the king (Mahmúd), and was charming and beauteous outwardly and inwardly—235
گرچه او خود شاه را محبوب بود ** ظاهر و باطن لطیف و خوب بود
(For) he had become devoid of any arrogance or ostentation or malice, and his face was a mirror for the beauty of the king—
گشته بی‌کبر و ریا و کینه‌ای ** حسن سلطان را رخش آیینه‌ای
(Yet ’twas only) because he was far removed from his (self-) existence, (that) the end of his affair was praiseworthy.
چونک از هستی خود او دور شد ** منتهای کار او محمود بد
The steadfastness of Ayáz was all the firmer forasmuch as he was taking (those) precautions in fear of arrogance.
زان قوی‌تر بود تمکین ایاز ** که ز خوف کبر کردی احتراز
He had been purified, and he had come and smitten the neck of (had beheaded) arrogance and selfishness.
او مهذب گشته بود و آمده ** کبر را و نفس را گردن زده
He was practising these devices either for the purpose of instructing (others) or for the sake of some principle of wisdom far removed from fear;240
یا پی تعلیم می‌کرد آن حیل ** یا برای حکمتی دور از وجل
Or (perhaps) the sight of his rustic shoon pleased him because (self-)existence is a shutter against the breeze of not-being,
یا که دید چارقش زان شد پسند ** کز نسیم نیستی هستیست بند
(And he looked at them) in order that the charnel-house which is (built) on not-being might open, and that he might feel the breeze of vitality and life.
تا گشاید دخمه کان بر نیستیست ** تا بیاید آن نسیم عیش و زیست