نه چنان مرگی که در گوری روی ** مرگ تبدیلی که در نوری روی
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.
مرد بالغ گشت آن بچگی بمرد ** رومیی شد صبغت زنگی سترد 740
(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.
خاک زر شد هیات خاکی نماند ** غم فرج شد خار غمناکی نماند
(When) earth becomes gold, its earthly aspect remains not; (when) sorrow becomes joy, the thorn of sorrowfulness remains not.
مصطفی زین گفت کای اسرارجو ** مرده را خواهی که بینی زنده تو
Hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “O seeker of the mysteries, (if) you wish to see a dead man living—
می‌رود چون زندگان بر خاکدان ** مرده و جانش شده بر آسمان
Walking on the earth, like living men; (yet he is) dead and his spirit is gone to heaven;
جانش را این دم به بالا مسکنیست ** گر بمیرد روح او را نقل نیست
(One) whose spirit hath a dwelling-place on high at this moment, (so that) if he die, his spirit is not translated,
زانک پیش از مرگ او کردست نقل ** این بمردن فهم آید نه به عقل 745
Because it has been translated before death: this (mystery) is understood (only) by dying, not by (using one's) reason;
نقل باشد نه چو نقل جان عام ** هم‌چو نقلی از مقامی تا مقام
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—
هرکه خواهد که ببیند بر زمین ** مرده‌ای را می‌رود ظاهر چنین
If any one wish to see a dead man walking thus visibly on the earth,
مر ابوبکر تقی را گو ببین ** شد ز صدیقی امیرالمحشرین
Let him behold Abú Bakr, the devout, (who) through being a true witness (siddíq) became the Prince of the Resurrected.
اندرین نشات نگر صدیق را ** تا به حشر افزون کنی تصدیق را
In this (earthly) life look at the Siddíq (Abú Bakr), that you may believe more firmly in the Resurrection.”
پس محمد صد قیامت بود نقد ** زانک حل شد در فنای حل و عقد 750
Mohammed, then, was a hundred (spiritual) resurrections here and now, for he was dissolved (naughted) in dying to (temporal) loosing and binding.
زاده‌ی ثانیست احمد در جهان ** صد قیامت بود او اندر عیان
Ahmad (Mohammed) is the twice-born in this world: he was manifestly a hundred resurrections.
زو قیامت را همی‌پرسیده‌اند ** ای قیامت تا قیامت راه چند
They asked him concerning the Resurrection, saying, “O (thou who art the) Resurrection, how long is the way to the Resurrection?”
با زبان حال می‌گفتی بسی ** که ز محشر حشر را پرسید کسی
And often he would say with mute eloquence, “Does any one ask (me who am) the Resurrection concerning the Resurrection?”
بهر این گفت آن رسول خوش‌پیام ** رمز موتوا قبل موت یا کرام
Hence the Messenger of good tidings said, (speaking) symbolically, “Die before ye die, O nobles,
هم‌چنانک مرده‌ام من قبل موت ** زان طرف آورده‌ام این صیت و صوت 755
Even as I have died before death and brought from Yonder this fame and renown.”
پس قیامت شو قیامت را ببین ** دیدن هر چیز را شرطست این
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.
تا نگردی او ندانی‌اش تمام ** خواه آن انوار باشد یا ظلام
Until thou become it, thou wilt not know it completely, whether it be light or darkness.
عقل گردی عقل را دانی کمال ** عشق گردی عشق را دانی ذبال
(If) thou become Reason, thou wilt know Reason perfectly; if thou become Love, thou wilt know Love's (flaming) wick.
گفتمی برهان این دعوی مبین ** گر بدی ادراک اندر خورد این
I would declare plainly the proof of this assertion, if there were an understanding fit to receive it.
هست انجیر این طرف بسیار و خوار ** گر رسد مرغی قنق انجیرخوار 760
Figs are very cheap in this vicinity, if a fig-eating bird should arrive as a guest.
در همه عالم اگر مرد و زنند ** دم به دم در نزع و اندر مردنند
(All), whether men or women, in the whole world are continually in the death-agony and are dying.
آن سخنشان را وصیتها شمر ** که پدر گوید در آن دم با پسر
Regard their words as the (final) injunctions which a father gives at that moment to his son,
تا بروید عبرت و رحمت بدین ** تا ببرد بیخ بغض و رشک و کین
That thereby consideration and pity may grow (in thy heart), so that the root of hatred and jealousy and enmity may be cut off.