When you demand nothing of the world,
nor of God,
when you want nothing,
seek nothing,
expect nothing,
then the supreme state
will come to you
uninvited and unexpected.

I need your strength and wisdom.

O Great Spirit,

Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me.
I come before you, one of your children.
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold
The red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made.
My ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my people, the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
I see strength not to be superior to my brothers,
But to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself.
Make me ever ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades as a fading sunset my spirit may come to you without shame..

Why should I fear?

از جمادی مُردم و نامی شدم — وز نما مُردم به حیوان سرزدم

مُردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم — پس چه ترسم؟ کی ز مردن کم شدم؟

حملهٔ دیگر بمیرم از بشر — تا برآرم از ملائک بال و پر

وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو — کل شیء هالک الا وجهه

بار دیگر از ملک پران شوم — آنچه اندر وهم ناید آن شوم

  پس عدم گردم عدم چو ارغنون — گویدم کانا الیه راجعون

 

I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels bless'd; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e'er conceived.
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones,
To Him we shall return.