From Mineral to Angel

از جمادی مردم و نامی شدم

I died as a mineral and became a plant;

وز نما مردم به حیوان برزدم

I died as a plant and rose to the animal;

مردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم

I died as an animal and became human:

پس چه ترسم کی ز مردن کم شدم

why then should I fear? When was I made less by dying?

حملهٔ دیگر بمیرم از بشر

Once more I shall die as a man,

تا بر آرم از ملایک پر و سر

to lift up my head and wings among the angels;

وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو

and from the angel too I must leap the stream:

کل شیء هالک الا وجهه

‘All things perish except His Face.’

بار دیگر از ملک قربان شوم

Once more I shall be sacrificed from the angel

آنچ اندر وهم ناید آن شوم

and become what cannot enter the imagination.

پس عدم گردم عدم چون ارغنون

Then I shall become non-being; non-being, like an organ,

گویدم که انا الیه راجعون

tells me, ‘To Him we are returning.’