First Table

 

(This table depicts the true spirit of the heedless one’s world.)

 

Do not invite me to the world,

I came, and found it evil and mortal.

Heedlessness was a veil;

I saw the light of Truth concealed.

All things, the whole of creation,

I saw were mortal and full of harm.

Existence, indeed I put it on.

Alas. It was non-existence;

I suffered much.

As to life, I experienced it;

I saw it was torment within torment.

Intellect became pure retribution;

I saw permanence to be tribulation.

Life was like a wind, it passed in whims;

I saw perfection to be pure loss.

Deeds were only for show;

I saw ambitions to be pure pain.

Union was in fact separation;

I saw the cure to be the ailment.

These lights became darkness;

I saw these friends to be orphans.

These voices were announcements of death;

I saw the living to be dead.

Knowledge changed into whims;

I saw in science thousands of ailments.

Pleasures became unmixed pain;

I saw existence to be compounded non-existence.

I have found the True Beloved;

Ah. I suffered much pain because of separation.

 

Said Nursi