Not from Baghdád and not from Mosul and not from Tiráz’: you will draw out a long journey in (saying) ‘not’ and ‘not.’
نه ز بغداد و نه موصل نه طراز ** در کشی در نی و نی راه دراز
Just say where you come from and escape (from further discussion): in this case it is folly to elaborate the point at issue.
خود بگو من از کجاام باز ره ** هست تنقیح مناط اینجا بله
Or (suppose) I asked, ‘What had you for breakfast?’ you would say, ‘Not wine and not roast-meat,
یا بپرسیدم چه خوردی ناشتاب ** تو بگویی نه شراب و نه کباب
Not qadíd and not tharíd and not lentils’: tell me what you did eat, only (that) and no more.
نه قدید و نه ثرید و نه عدس ** آنچ خوردی آن بگو تنها و بس
Wherefore is this long palaver?” “Because,” said the minstrel, “my object is recondite.720
این سخن‌خایی دراز از بهر چیست ** گفت مطرب زانک مقصودم خفیست
Before (until) you deny (all else), affirmation (of God) evades (you): I denied (everything) in order that you might get a scent of (perceive the means of attaining to) affirmation.
می‌رمد اثبات پیش از نفی تو ** نفی کردم تا بری ز اثبات بو
I play the tune of negation: when you die, death will declare the mystery.
در نوا آرم بنفی این ساز را ** چون بمیری مرگ گوید راز را
[Commentary on his (the Prophet's) saying—peace be upon him!— ‘Die before ye die.’ ‘O friend, die before thy death if thou desirest life; for by so dying Idrís became a dweller in Paradise before (the rest of) us.’]
تفسیر قوله علیه‌السلام موتوا قبل ان تموتوا بمیر ای دوست پیش از مرگ اگر می زندگی خواهی کی ادریس از چنین مردن بهشتی گشت پیش از ما
You have suffered much agony, but you are (still) in the veil, because dying (to self) was the fundamental principle, and you have not fulfilled it.
جان بسی کندی و اندر پرده‌ای ** زانک مردن اصل بد ناورده‌ای
Your agony is not finished till you die: you cannot reach the roof without completing the ladder.
تا نمیری نیست جان کندن تمام ** بی‌کمال نردبان نایی به بام
When two rungs out of a hundred are wanting, the striver will be forbidden to (set foot on) the roof.725
چون ز صد پایه دو پایه کم بود ** بام را کوشنده نامحرم بود