The mystery of “Die before death” is this, that the prizes come after dying (and not before).
سر موتوا قبل موت این بود ** کز پس مردن غنیمت‌ها رسد
Except dying, no other skill avails with God, O artful schemer.
غیر مردن هیچ فرهنگی دگر ** در نگیرد با خدای ای حیله‌گر
One (Divine) favour is better than a hundred kinds of (personal) effort: (such) exertion is in danger from a hundred kinds of mischief.
یک عنایت به ز صد گون اجتهاد ** جهد را خوفست از صد گون فساد
And the (Divine) favour depends on dying: the trustworthy (authorities) have put this way (doctrine) to the test.3840
وآن عنایت هست موقوف ممات ** تجربه کردند این ره را ثقات
Nay, not even his (the mystic's) death is (possible) without the (Divine) favour: hark, hark, do not tarry anywhere without the (Divine) favour!
بلک مرگش بی‌عنایت نیز نیست ** بی‌عنایت هان و هان جایی مه‌ایست
That (favour) is (like) an emerald, and this (carnal self) is (like) an old viper: without the emerald how should the viper be made blind?
آن زمرد باشد این افعی پیر ** بی زمرد کی شود افعی ضریر
Story of two brothers, one of whom had a few hairs on his chin while the other was a beardless boy. They went to sleep in a house for celibates. One night, as it happened, the boy lateribus congestis nates obtexit. Denique paedicator adrepsit, lateres ab ejus tergo callide et molliter summovit. [One night, as it happened, the boy piled bricks on his buttocks (as protection). At length, a crawler (sodomizer) crept (near) and craftily and softly took off the bricks from behind him.] The boy awoke and began to quarrel, saying, “Where are these bricks? Where have you taken them to? Why did you take them?” He replied, “Why did you put these bricks there?” etc.
حکایت آن دو برادر یکی کوسه و یکی امرد در عزب خانه‌ای خفتند شبی اتفاقا امرد خشت‌ها بر مقعد خود انبار کرد عاقبت دباب دب آورد و آن خشت‌ها را به حیله و نرمی از پس او برداشت کودک بیدار شد به جنگ کی این خشت‌ها کو کجا بردی و چرا بردی او گفت تو این خشت‌ها را چرا نهادی الی آخره
A beardless boy and a youth with a few hairs on his chin came to a festive gathering, for there was an assembly-place in the town.
امردی و کوسه‌ای در انجمن ** آمدند و مجمعی بد در وطن
The select party remained busy (enjoying themselves) till the day was gone and a third of the night had passed.
مشتغل ماندند قوم منتجب ** روز رفت و شد زمانه ثلث شب
The two (brothers) did not leave that house for celibates: they lay down to sleep there for fear of (meeting) the night-patrol.3845
زان عزب‌خانه نرفتند آن دو کس ** هم بخفتند آن سو از بیم عسس
The youth had four hairs on his chin, but his face was like the full-moon (in beauty).
کوسه را بد بر زنخدان چار مو ** لیک هم‌چون ماه بدرش بود رو