First, he tempted me...by Rumi

First, he tempted me
with infinite caresses.

He burnt me in the end
with pain and sorrow.

In this game of chess
I had to lose myself
in order to win Him.

~Rumi
Translation by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Whispers of the Beloved
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 1999