Rumi's Masnavi - The ship of (self-)consciousness, when it is utterly wrecked, becomes (like) the sun in the blue vault (of heaven).

The ship of (self-)consciousness, when it is utterly wrecked, becomes (like) the sun in the blue vault (of heaven).

Inasmuch as you have not died, your agony has been prolonged: be extinguished in the dawn, O candle of Tiráz! 730

Know that the Sun of the world is hidden till our stars have become hidden.

Wield the mace against yourself: shatter egoism to pieces, for the bodily eye is (as) cottonwool in the ear.

You are wielding the mace against yourself, O base man: this egoism is the reflexion of yourself in (the mirror of) my actions.

You have seen the reflexion of yourself in (the mirror of) my form and have risen in fury to fight with yourself,

Like the lion who went down into the well; (for) he fancied that the reflexion of himself was his enemy.” 735

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.

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.

O you who possess sincerity, (if) you want that (Reality) unveiled, choose death and tear off the veil—

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.

(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

(When) earth becomes gold, its earthly aspect remains not; (when) sorrow becomes joy, the thorn of sorrowfulness remains not.

Hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “O seeker of the mysteries, (if) you wish to see a dead man living—

Walking on the earth, like living men; (yet he is) dead and his spirit is gone to heaven;

(One) whose spirit hath a dwelling-place on high at this moment, (so that) if he die, his spirit is not translated,

Because it has been translated before death: this (mystery) is understood (only) by dying, not by (using one's) reason; 745

Translation it is, (but) not like the translation of the spirits of the vulgar: it resembles a removal (during life) from one place to another—

If any one wish to see a dead man walking thus visibly on the earth,

Let him behold Abú Bakr, the devout, (who) through being a true witness (siddíq) became the Prince of the Resurrected.

In this (earthly) life look at the Siddíq (Abú Bakr), that you may believe more firmly in the Resurrection.”

Mohammed, then, was a hundred (spiritual) resurrections here and now, for he was dissolved (naughted) in dying to (temporal) loosing and binding. 750

Ahmad (Mohammed) is the twice-born in this world: he was manifestly a hundred resurrections.

They asked him concerning the Resurrection, saying, “O (thou who art the) Resurrection, how long is the way to the Resurrection?”

And often he would say with mute eloquence, “Does any one ask (me who am) the Resurrection concerning the Resurrection?”

Hence the Messenger of good tidings said, (speaking) symbolically, “Die before ye die, O nobles,

Even as I have died before death and brought from Yonder this fame and renown.” 755

Do thou, then, become the (spiritual) resurrection and (thereby) see (experience) the resurrection: this (becoming) is the necessary condition for seeing (knowing and experiencing the real nature of) anything.

Until thou become it, thou wilt not know it completely, whether it be light or darkness.

(If) thou become Reason, thou wilt know Reason perfectly; if thou become Love, thou wilt know Love's (flaming) wick.

I would declare plainly the proof of this assertion, if there were an understanding fit to receive it.

Figs are very cheap in this vicinity, if a fig-eating bird should arrive as a guest. 760

(All), whether men or women, in the whole world are continually in the death-agony and are dying.

Regard their words as the (final) injunctions which a father gives at that moment to his son,

That thereby consideration and pity may grow (in thy heart), so that the root of hatred and jealousy and enmity may be cut off.

Look on thy kinsman with that intention, so that thy heart may burn (with pity) for his death-agony.

“Everything that is coming will come”: deem it (to have come) here and now, deem thy friend to be in the death-agony and in the act of losing (his life). 765

And if (selfish) motives debar (thee) from this insight, cast these motives out of thy bosom;

And if thou canst not (cast them out), do not stand inertly in a state of incapacity: know that with (every) incapable there is a goodly Incapacitator.

Incapacity is a chain: He laid it upon thee: thou must open thine eye to (behold) Him who lays the chain.

Therefore make humble entreaty, saying, “O Guide (in the ways) of life, I was free, (and now) I have fallen into bondage: what is the cause of this?

I have planted my foot in evil more firmly (than ever), for through Thy omnipotence verily I am (engaged) in a losing business all the time. 770

I have been deaf to Thy admonitions: while professing to be an idol-breaker, I have (really) been an idol-maker.

Is it more incumbent (on me) to think of Thy works or of death? (Of death): death is like autumn, and Thou art (the root which is) the origin of the leaves.”

For years this death has been beating the drum, (but only when it is) too late is your ear moved (to listen).

In his agony he (the heedless man) cries from his (inmost) soul, “Alas, I am dying!” Has Death made you aware of himself (only) now?

Death's throat is exhausted with shouting: his drum is split with the astounding blows (with which it has been beaten). 775

(But) you enmeshed yourself in trivialities: (only) now have you apprehended the mystery of dying.

Comparison of (the behaviour of) the heedless man who wastes his life and (only) begins to repent and ask pardon (of God) when he lies in extreme distress on his death-bed to the yearly mourning of the Shí‘ites of Aleppo at the Antioch Gate (of the city) during the ‘Áshúrá; and how a poet, who was a stranger, arrived (there) on his journey and asked what was the cause of these shrieks of mourning.

On the Day of ‘Áshúrá all the people of Aleppo gather at the Antioch Gate till nightfall,

Men and women, a great multitude, and keep up a constant lamentation for the (Holy) Family.