On the inner sense of “Let him who desires to sit with God sit with the Súfís.”

The ambassador became beside himself from these one or two cups (of spiritual discourse): neither embassage nor message remained in his memory.

He became distraught at the power of God. The ambassador arrived at this place (state) and became a king.

When the torrent reached the sea, it became the sea; when the seed reached the cornland, it became the crop of corn.

When the bread attained to connexion with the animal (man), the dead bread became living and endowed with knowledge.

When the wax and firewood were devoted to the fire, their dark essence became (filled with) light.

When the (powdered) stone of antimony went into the eyes, it turned to sight and there became a scout (one who observes the enemy from some point of vantage).

Oh, happy is the man who was freed from himself and united with the existence of a living one!

Alas for the living one who consorted with the dead! He became dead, and life sped away from him.

When you have fled (for refuge) to the Qur’án of God, you have mingled with the spirit of the prophets.

The Qur’án is (a description of) the states of the prophets, (who are) the fishes of the holy sea of (Divine) Majesty.

And if you read and do not accept (take to heart) the Qur’án, suppose you have seen the prophets and saints (what will that avail you?);

But if you are accepting (the Qur’án), when you read the stories (of the prophets), the bird, your soul, will be distressed in its cage.

The bird that is a prisoner in a cage, (if it) is not seeking to escape, ’tis from ignorance.

The spirits which have escaped from their cages are the prophets, (those) worthy guides.

From without comes their voice, (telling) of religion, (and crying), “This, this is the way of escape for thee.

By this we escaped from this narrow cage: there is no means of escape from this cage but this way,

(That) thou shouldst make thyself ill, exceedingly wretched, in order that thou mayst be let out from (the cage of) reputation.”

Worldly reputation is a strong chain: in the Way how is this less than a chain of iron?