You have seen the reflexion of yourself in (the mirror of) my form and have risen in fury to fight with yourself,
عکس خود در صورت من دیدهای ** در قتال خویش بر جوشیدهای
Like the lion who went down into the well; (for) he fancied that the reflexion of himself was his enemy.”735
همچو آن شیری که در چه شد فرو ** عکس خود را خصم خود پنداشت او
Beyond any doubt, negation (not-being) is the opposite of (real) being, (and this is) in order that by means of the (one) opposite you may gain a little knowledge of the (other) opposite.
نفی ضد هست باشد بیشکی ** تا ز ضد ضد را بدانی اندکی
At this time there is no (means of) making (God) known except (by) denying the opposite: in this (earthly) life no moment is without a snare.
این زمان جز نفی ضد اعلام نیست ** اندرین نشات دمی بیدام نیست
O you who possess sincerity, (if) you want that (Reality) unveiled, choose death and tear off the veil—
بیحجابت باید آن ای ذو لباب ** مرگ را بگزین و بر دران حجاب
Not such a death that you will go into a grave, (but) a death consisting of (spiritual) transformation, so that you will go into a Light.
نه چنان مرگی که در گوری روی ** مرگ تبدیلی که در نوری روی
(When) a man grows up, his childhood dies; (when) he becomes a (fair-complexioned) Greek, he washes out the dye (swarthy colour) of the Ethiopian.740
مرد بالغ گشت آن بچگی بمرد ** رومیی شد صبغت زنگی سترد
(When) earth becomes gold, its earthly aspect remains not; (when) sorrow becomes joy, the thorn of sorrowfulness remains not.
خاک زر شد هیات خاکی نماند ** غم فرج شد خار غمناکی نماند
Hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “O seeker of the mysteries, (if) you wish to see a dead man living—
مصطفی زین گفت کای اسرارجو ** مرده را خواهی که بینی زنده تو
Walking on the earth, like living men; (yet he is) dead and his spirit is gone to heaven;
میرود چون زندگان بر خاکدان ** مرده و جانش شده بر آسمان