"Fresher than a bud"

Love of the dead does not last,
because the dead will not return.
But love of the living
is in every moment fresher than a bud,
both to the inward and the outward eye.
Choose the love of that Living One
who is everlasting, who offers you
the wine that increases life.
Do not say, "We have no entrance to that King."
Dealings with the generous are not difficult.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zânke `eshq-e mordegân pâyendeh nist
zânke mordeh su-ye mâ âyendeh nist
`Eshq-e zendeh dar ravân o dar batar
har dami bâshad ze ghonjeh tâzeh-tar
`Eshq-e ân zendeh gozin ku bâqist
kaz sharâb-e jân fazâyet sâqist
To ma-gu mâ-râ badân shah bâr nist
bâ karimân kâr-hâ doshvâr nist

-- Mathnawi I:217-219; 221
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

The image:
http://tinyurl.com/k2q7q

The Persian recitation:
http://tinyurl.com/zpxu8




A Persian interpretation:
http://tinyurl.com/pa9t8

"Fresher than a bud"