于是爱尔美差开口了，说，现在我们愿意问“死”。

他说：

你愿知道死的奥秘。

但是除了在生命的心中寻求以外，你们怎能寻见呢？

那夜中张目的枭鸟，他的眼睛在白昼是盲瞎的，不能揭露光明的神秘。

假如你真要瞻望死的灵魂，你应当对生的肉体大大地开展你的心。

因为生和死是同一的，如同江河与海洋也是同一的。

在你的希望和愿欲的深处，隐藏着你对于来生的默识；

如同种子在雪下梦想，你们的心也在梦想着春天。信赖一切的梦境吧，因为在那里面隐藏着永生之门。

你们的怕死，只是像一个牧人，当他站在国王的座前，被御手恩抚时的战栗。

在战栗之下，牧人岂不因为他身上已有了国王的手迹而喜悦么？

可是，他岂不更注意到他自己的战栗么？

除了在风中裸立，在日下消融之外，死还是什么呢？

除了把呼吸从不停的潮汐中解放，使他上升，扩大，无碍地寻求上帝之外，“气绝”又是什么呢？

只在你们从沉默的河中啜饮时，才真能歌唱。

只在你们达到山巅时，你们才开始攀援。

只在大地索取你们的四肢时，你们才真正地跳舞。

27

on death

ahen almitra spoke, saying, "we would ask now of death."

and he said:

you would know the secret of death.

but how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?

the owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.

if you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.

for life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.

in the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;

and like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.

trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.

your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour.

is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?

yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?

for what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

and what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek god unencumbered?

only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

and when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

and when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.