The world is like a caravanserai with two doors: entering by one door thou passest out through the other. Thou art sunk in heedless sleep and knowest of nothing; thou shalt die whether thou wilt or not. Be thou beggar or king thou shalt take with thee two ells of linen and ten bricks.

The revolving heavens have exercised much cunning, and there is none that shall escape them. Willy nilly thou must in the end be parted from all that thou hast. Though thy realm stretch from the Fish to the Moon, thou must in the end pass through this gate.

And though thou be an Alexander, this transitory world will one day provide a winding-sheet for all thy Alexander-like glory.

~ FARIDUDEEN ATTAR ~