Monday, August 10, 2009

THE FIRST TABLE

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
[The Table depicting the reality of the world of the heedless.]
Don’t call me to the world; - I came, and saw it was transitory.
Heedlessness was a veil; - I saw the light of truth was concealed.

All the beings in existence, - I saw were ephemeral, harmful.

If you say, being, I dressed in it; - Alas! It was non-being; I suffered much!

If you say, life, I tasted it; - I saw it was torment upon torment.

The mind became pure torture; - I saw permanence to be tribulation.

Life became pure whim; - I saw attainment to be pure loss.

Deeds became pure hypocrisy; - I saw hopes to be pure pain.

Union became parting itself; - I saw the cure to be the ill.

These lights became darkness; - I saw these friends to be orphans.

These voices became announcements
of death; - I saw the living to be dead.

Knowledge was transformed into fancy; - I saw in science a thousand ailments.

Pleasure became pure pain; - I saw existence to be compounded
non-existence.

If you say the Beloved, I found him; - Alas! On separation I suffered
grievous pain.
BEDİÜZZAMAN

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