Sunlight: April 2008

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

[Sunlight] “Without clouds shedding tears”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Without the eyes – two clouds – the lightning of the heart:
The fire of God's threat, how could it be allayed?
How would the herbage grow of union, sweet to taste?
How would the fountains all gush forth with water pure?
How would the rosebed tell its secret to the meadow?
How would the violet make contracts with jasmine?
How would the plane tree lift its hands in prayer, say?
How would the trees' heads toss free in the air of Love?
How would the blossoms shake their sleeves in days of
spring
To shed their lovely coins about the garden wide?
How would the tulip's cheek be red like flames and blood?
How would the rose draw out its gold now from its purse?
How would the ringdoves call like seekers, "Where, oh
where?"
How would the stork repeat his laklak from his soul,
To say: "O Helper high, Thine is the kingdom, Thine!"
How would the dust reveal the secrets of its heart?
How would the sky become a garden full of light?

-- Mathnawi II: 1655-64
Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
"I Am Wind, You are Fire"
Shambhala, 1992

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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

[Sunlight] "When the heart becomes whole"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the heart becomes whole,
it will know the flavors of falsehood and truth.
When Adam's greed for the forbidden fruit increased,
it robbed his heart of health.
Discernment flies
from one who is drunken with desire.
He who puts down that cup
lightens the inner eye,
and the secret is revealed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon shavad az ranj o `ellat del salim
ta`m-e kezb o râst-râ bâshad `alim
Hers-e dam chon su-ye gandom fozud
az del-e dam salimi-râ robud
Pas dorugh o `ashveh-'et-râ gush kard
gherreh gasht va zahr-e qâtel nush kard
Kazhdom az gandom na-dânast ân nafs
mi parad tamyiz az mast-e havas
Khalq mast ârzu'and o havâ
z-ân pazirâ'and dastân terâ
Har keh khvod-râ az havâ khu bâz kard
chashm-e khvod-râ âshnâyi râz kard

-- Mathnawi II: 2738-2743
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Monday, April 28, 2008

[Sunlight] "Open the window of your heart" -- Ghazal 110

Here, Sunlight offers three different presentations of Ghazal
(Ode) 110, from Rumi's Diwan-e Shams, accompanied by a Persian
transliteration:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do not worry if our harp breaks
thousands more will appear.
We have fallen in the arms of love where all is music.
If all the harps in the world were burned down,
still inside the heart
there will be hidden music playing.
Do not worry if all the candles in the world flicker and die
we have the spark that starts the fire.
The songs we sing
are like foam on the surface of the sea of being
while the precious gems lie deep beneath.
But the tenderness in our songs
is a reflection of what is hidden in the depths.
Stop the flow of your words,
open the window of your heart and
let the spirit speak.

-- Translation by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
"Rumi: Hidden Music"
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't worry about saving these songs!
And if one of our instruments breaks,
it doesn't matter.

We have fallen into the place
where everything is music.

The strumming and the flute notes
rise into the atmosphere,
and even if the whole world's harp
should burn up, there will still be
hidden instruments playing.

So the candle flickers and goes out.
We have a piece of flint, and a spark.

This singing-art is sea foam.
The graceful movements come from a pearl
somewhere on the ocean floor.

Poems reach up like the edge of driftwood
along the beach, wanting and wanting!

They derive
from a slow and powerful root
that we can't see.

Stop the words now.
Open the window in the center of your chest,
and let the spirits fly in and out.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
(from a translation by John Moyne)
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Go ahead and) break our harp, O lofty one, (for) thousands of
other harps exist here!
Since we have fallen into the talons* of Love, what (does it
matter) to us (if) harp and reed-pipe are scarce?!
Even if (all) the lutes and harps of the world are burned up,
there is many a hidden harp (remaining), O friend!
Its strumming and melody have gone (up) to the heavens, although
it doesn't come into the ears of the deaf.
Even if (all) the lamps and candles of the world are put out, what
sorrow (is that)!-- since (flint) stone and iron exist (very)
securely!
Songs are (mere) straw (floating) on the sea; no pearl will come
to the surface of the ocean.
But know (that) the grace of the straw (is) from the pearl-- for
the reflection of its reflected gleam is (also shining) upon us!
Songs are entirely (just) a branch of the yearning for union--
(and) branch and root are not at all equal.
(So) close your mouth and open the window of (your) heart, and
by that way be talking with the spirits!

-- Translation by Ibrahim Gamard
(Revision copyright 11/11/99)

*talons [chang]: a pun, since this word (also meaning claws,
clutches) has a second meaning of "harp."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tô be-sh'kan chang-é mâ-râ ay mu`allâ
hazâr-ân chang-é dêgar hast în-jâ

chô mâ dar chang-é `ishq andar fotâd-êm
che kam ây-ad bar mâ chang-o sornâ

rabâb-o chang-é `âlam gar be-sôz-ad
basî changê-yé penhânê-st yâr-â

tarang-o tantan-ash rafta ba-gardûn
agar-che n-ây-ad ân dar gôsh-é Samâ

cherâgh-o sham`-é `âlam gar be-mîr-ad
che gham chûn sang-o âhan hast bar jâ

ba-rôy-é baHr khâshâk-ast aghânî
na-y-ây-ad gawharê bar roy-é daryâ

wa-lêkin luTf-é khâshâk az gohar dân
ke `aks-é `aks-é barq-é ô bar mâ

aghânî jomla far`-é shawq-é aSlî-st
barâbar nêst far`-o aSl aSlâ

dahân bar band-o be-g'shâ rawzan-é del
az ân rah bâsh bâ arwâH gôyâ

(Meter: oXXX oXXX oXX)

-- Transliteration courtesy of Ibrahim Gamard

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Friday, April 25, 2008

[Sunlight] "Hunger is the sultan of remedies"

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Indeed hunger is the sultan of remedies.
Place hunger in the soul--
Regard it not with such contempt!
Hunger makes all unpleasant things pleasant--
But without it, all pleasant things are rejected.

A man was eating bread made from bran.
Someone asked him, "How is it you have an appetite for this?"
He replied, "When hunger has been doubled through patience,
Barley bread becomes halva in my eyes." . . .

God has given hunger to His elect so that
They may become mighty lions.

-- Mathnavi V: 2832-35, 38
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

[Sunlight] No ruin is empty of treasure

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You may despair of finding a true friend of God;
but since the treasure does exist in this world,
consider no ruin empty of treasure.
Go to every dervish at random,
and when you find the sign of a true saint,
keep his company regularly.
If the inner eye has not been granted to you,
always think that treasure could be in anybody.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chonke ganji hast dar `âlam ma-ranj
hich viran-râ ma-dân khâli ze ganj
Qasd-e har darvish mi-kon az gazâf
chon neshân yâbi be-jedd mi-kon tavâf
Chon terâ ân chashm-e bâten bin na-bud
ganj mi pandâr andar har vojud

-- Mathnawi II: 2153-2155
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

[Sunlight] "Stay awake for an entire night" -- Ghazal 258

Here, Sunlight offers Rumi's Ghazal (Ode) 258, in two forms -- a
poetic translation from Nader Khalili, and a version by Coleman
Barks:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

if you stay awake
for an entire night
watch out for a treasure
trying to arrive

you can keep warm
by the secret sun of the night
keeping your eyes open
for the softness of dawn

try it for tonight
challenge your sleepy eyes
do not lay your head down
wait for heavenly alms

night is the bringer of gifts
Moses went on a ten-year journey
during a single night
invited by a tree
to watch the fire and light

Mohammed too made his passage
during that holy night
when he heard the glorious voice
when he ascended to the sky

day is to make a living
night is only for love
commoners sleep fast
lovers whisper to God all night

all night long
a voice calls upon you
to wake up
in the precious hours

if you miss your chance now
when your body is left behind
your soul will lament
death is a life of no return

-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE VIGIL

Don't go to sleep one night.
What you most want will come to you then.
Warmed by a sun inside, you'll see wonders.
Tonight, don't put your head down.

Be tough, and strength will come.
That which adoration adores
appears at night. Those asleep
may miss it. One night Moses stayed awake
and asked, and saw a light in a tree.

Then he walked at night for ten years,
until finally he saw the whole tree
illuminated. Muhammad rode his horse
through the night sky. The day is for work.
The night for love. Don't let someone
bewitch you. Some people sleep at night.

But not lovers. They sit in the dark
and talk to God, who told David,
"Those who sleep all night every night
and claim to be connected to us, they lie."

Lovers can't sleep when they feel the privacy
of the beloved all around them. Someone
who's thirsty may sleep for a little while,
but he or she will dream of water, a full jar
beside a creek, or the spiritual water you get
from another person. All night, listen
to the conversation. Stay up.
This moment is all there is.

Death will take it away soon enough.
You'll be gone, and this earth will be left
without a sweetheart, nothing but weeds
growing inside thorns.

I'm through. Read the rest of this poem
in the dark tonight.
Do I have a head? And feet?

Shams, so loved by Tabrizians, I close my lips.
I wait for you to come and open them.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanfrancisco, 1995.

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

[Sunlight] "Please God, offer honey to musicians"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please God, offer honey to musicians
who bring us such joy!
Give them strong and untiring hands
to keep playing their music.
Give them vision so, like birds in love,
they can bring Your message to our ears.
Let them drink plenty from Your river and
grace them with Your strength
so their music becomes the pillar of Your glory.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2342
Translated by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
"Rumi: Hidden Music"
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Monday, April 21, 2008

[Sunlight] Climb to the Execution Place -- Ghazal 1138

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Grief settles thick in the throat
and lungs: thousands of sorrows

being suffered, clouds of cruelty,
all somehow from love. Wail and be

thirsty for your own blood. Climb
to the execution place. It is time.

The Nile flows red: the Nile flows
pure. Dry thorns and aloe wood are

the same until fire touches. A
warrior and a mean coward stand here

similar until arrows rain. Warriors
love battle. A subtle lion with

strategy gets the prey to run toward
him, saying Kill me again. Dead

eyes look into living eyes. Don't
try to figure this out. Love's work

looks absurd, but trying to find a
meaning will hide it more. Silence.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1138
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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Friday, April 18, 2008

[Sunlight] The Presence of Your Face -- Ghazal 171

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 171, in a version by Coleman
Barks, and in a literal translation, with footnotes, from Dr. Ibrahim
Gamard:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I see Your Face, the stones start spinning!
You appear; all studying wanders.
I lose my place.

Water turns pearly.
Fire dies down and doesn't destroy.

In Your Presence I don't want what I thought
I wanted, those three little hanging lamps.

Inside Your Face the ancient manuscripts
seem like rusty mirrors.

You breathe; new shapes appear,
and the music of a Desire as widespread
as Spring begins to move
like a great wagon.
Drive slowly.
Some of us walking alongside
are lame!

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1941 When you reveal those rose-colored cheeks (of
yours),you make the stones whirl* from joy.
Put (your) head out from the veil once again, for the
sake of amazed lovers;
So that knowledge may lose the way, (and) the
intellectual may shatter (his) learning;
So that water may become a pearl* from your reflection,
(and) fire may quit war.
1945 With (the presence of) your beauty, I don't desire the
(lovely full) moon or those few little hanging lanterns (in
the heavens).
(And) with (the presence of) your face, I don't call the
ancient rusty sky a "mirror."
You breathed into and created this narrow world* in
another form once again.
O Venus,* make that harp melodious again, in desire for
his Mars-like eyes!

-- From "The Dîwân-é Kabîr" (or "Dîvân-é Shams-é Tabrîzî,"
"Kulliyât-é Shams") of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard
(7/01)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, &
transliteration)

Footnotes:

(1941) you make the stones whirl: possibly a reference
to the rotation of millstones.
(1944) So that water may become a pearl: pearls were
believed to form when a drop of rain-water fell into the sea
and was consumed by an oyster. Here the process is imagined
as an immediate transformation.
(1947) You breathed into and created this narrow world:
in this line the Divine Beloved (God) is in the foreground.
It is a characteristic of Persian sufi poetry to be
ambiguous about whether the human beloved or the Divine
Beloved is addressed. Here, there is a reference to the
Divine creation with breath and sound: "He is the Originator
of the heavens and the earth. And if He decrees a thing, He
says to it, "Be!' And it is." (Qur'ân 2:117)
(1948) Venus: the planet associated with music and joy.

*******************

1941 chôn namây-î ân rokh-é gol-rang-râ
az Tarab dar charkh âr-î sang-râ

bâr-é dêgar sar berûn kon az Hijâb
az barây-é `âshiq-ân-é dang-râ

tâ ke dânesh gom kon-ad mar râh-râ
tâ ke `âqil be-sh'kan-ad farhang-râ

tâ ke âb az `aks-é tô gawhar shaw-ad
tâ ke âtesh wâ-hel-ad mar jang-râ

1945 man na-khwâh-am mâh-râ bâ Husn-é tô
w-ân dô-se qindîl-ak-é âhang-râ

man na-goy-am âyena bâ roy-é tô
âsmân-é kohna-yé por-rang-râ

dar damîd-î w-afrîd-î bâz tô
shakl-é dêgar în jahân-é tang-râ

dar hawây-é chashm-é chûn mirrîkh-é ô
sâz deh ay zuhra bâz ân chang-râ

(meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

[Sunlight] "Get yourself a Pir!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The real fortune and highway of success
lies in the business that comes to you after utter defeat.
Give up the business that has no reality:
pay attention, old donkey, get yourself a Pir!*
May none but the pir be your master and captain!--
not the old man of the rolling sky, Father Time,
but the Pir of right guidance.
What is required is self-surrender,
not long toil: it's useless to rush about in error.
From now on I won't seek the way to the highest heaven:
I will seek the Pir, I will seek the Pir, the Pir, the Pir!
The Pir is the ladder to Heaven:
by whom is the arrow made to fly? By the bow.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kâr o bâri ket resad ba`d-e shekast
andar ân eqbâl o menhâj rahast
Kâr o bâri keh na-dârad pâ o sar
tark kon hay Pir khar ay pir khar
Ghayr-e Pir ostâd o sar lashkar ma-bâd
pir-e gardun ni vali Pir-e rashâd
Shart taslimast nah kâr-e darâz
sud na-bud dar zalâlat tark tâz
Man na-juyam zin sepas râh-e asir
Pir juyam Pir juyam Pir Pir
Pir bâshad nardobân-e âsmân
tir parrân az keh gardad az kamân

-- Mathnawi VI: 4119-4121; 4123-4125
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

*Pir, the spiritual guide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

[Sunlight] "One dawn" -- Quatrain 2840

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

unknown existence
undiscovered beauty
that's how you are
so far
but
one dawn
just like a sun
right from within
you will arise

-- Quatrain 2840
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Dancing the Flame"
Cal-Earth Press, 2001

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

[Sunlight] "That knowledge depended on this journeying"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The seeker said to himself,
"If I'd known the real meaning of this being with God,
how should I have gone searching for Him?
But that knowledge depended on this journeying:
that knowing can't be gained by thinking,
no matter how precise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ba`d az ân guyad "Agar dânastami
in ma`iyat-râ kay U-râ jostami
Dânesh ân bud mawquf-e safar
na-âyad ân dânesh be-tizi fekr"

-- Mathnawi VI:4183-4184
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Friday, April 11, 2008

[Sunlight] Slaking your spiritual thirst

Today, Sunlight offers a selection from Mathnawi VI, verses
66-73, in an interpretive version by Coleman Barks, and in the
translation by Reynold Nicholson upon which Barks based his version.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maybe you can't drink the entire Oxus River
but don't deny you're thirsty!

You want a spirit-drenching?
Dig a hole in this book, the Mathnawi,
this island. Make holes
so the ocean can flow up through.
Dig and make it porous
until it's all seawater.

Wind moves word-leaves off the surface
showing one color, clearness.

Beneath you, coral branches
and ocean-peaches.

When the Mathnawi sinks
with your digging, it loses its words.
Speaker, listener, language,
Bread-giver, bread-taker, bread.
The categories dissolve
into One Water.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still, if it is impossible to drain (drink) the Oxus, one cannot
deny one's self as much (water) as will slate thirst.
If you are thirsting for the spiritual Ocean, make a breach in
the island of the Mathnawi.
Make such a great breach that at every moment you will see
the Mathnawi to be only spiritual.
When the wind sweeps away the straw from the (surface of)
the river-water, the water displays its unicolouredness.
Behold the fresh branches of coral, behold the fruits grown
from the water of the spirit!
When it (the Mathnawi) is made single (and denuded) of
words and sounds and breaths, it leaves all that (behind) and
becomes the (spiritual) Ocean.
The speaker of the word and the hearer of the word and the
words (themselves) - all three become spirit in the end.
The bread-giver and the bread-receiver and the wholesome
bread become single (denuded) of their forms and are turned
into earth . . .

-- Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Published and Distributed by
The Trustees of The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Thursday, April 10, 2008

[Sunlight] "Draw the Water"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time is limited, and the abundant water flowing away.
Drink, before you fall to pieces.
There is a famous conduit, full of the Water of Life:
draw the Water, so that you may become fruitful.
We are drinking the water of Khidr*
from the river of the speech of the saints:
Come, thirsty one!
Even if you don't see the water, as skillfully as a blind person,
bring the jug to the river and dip it in.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vaqt tang va mi ravad âb-e farâkh
pish az ân kaz hajr gardi shâkh shâkh
Shohreh kârizist por-e Âb-e hayât
Âb kash tâ bar damad az to nabât
Âb-e Khezr az ju-ye notq-e awliyâ
mi khvorim ay teshneh-ye ghâfel biyâ
Gar na-bini âb kurâneh be-fann
su-ye ju âvor sabu dar juy zan

*Khidr is the immortal "Green Man" who appears as a guide to those who
are worthy.

-- Mathnawi III: 4300-4304
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Wednesday, April 09, 2008

[Sunlight] "Don't go to sleep" -- Ghazal 947

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

don't go to sleep
this night
one night is worth
a hundred thousand souls

the night is generous
it can give you
a gift of the full moon
it can bless your soul
with endless treasure

every night when you feel
the world is unjust
never ending grace
descends from the sky
to soothe your souls

the night is not crowded like the day
the night is filled with eternal love
take this night
tight in your arms
as you hold a sweetheart

remember the water of life
is in the dark caverns
don't be like a big fish
stopping the life's flow
by standing in the mouth of a creek

even Mecca is adornedwith black clothes
showing that the heavens
are ready to grace
the human soul

even one prayer
in the Mecca of a night
is like a hundred
no one can claim
sleep can build
a temple like this

during a night
the blessed prophet
broke all the idols and
God remained alone
to give equally to all
an endless love

-- Ode (Ghazal) 947
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Tuesday, April 08, 2008

[Sunlight] Behold this human being

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O body that has become the spirit's dwelling place,
enough is enough:
how long can the Sea abide in a water-skin?
O you who are a thousand Gabriels
in the form of a human being,
O you who are many messiahs inside Jesus's donkey,
O you who are a thousand Ka`bahs
concealed in a house of prayer,
O you who cause `ifrît and devil to fall into error,
you are the spaceless Object of worship in space,
you destroy the devils' business,
for they say, "How should I pay homage to this clay?
How should I bestow on a mere form
a title signifying obedience?"
This human being is not form: rub your eye well,
so that you may behold in him
the radiance of the light of God's glory!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ay tan-e gashteh vesâq-e jân bas ast
chand tânad Bahr dar mashki neshast
Ay hazârân Jebra'il andar bashar
ay masihân-e nehân dar jawf-e khar
Ay hazârân Ka`beh penhân dar kanis
ay ghalat andâz-e `efrit o belis
Sajdeh-gâh-e lâ makâni dar makân
mar belisân-râ ze to virân dokkân
Keh "Cherâ man khedmat-e in tin konam
surati-râ man laqab chon din konam?"
Nist surat cheshm-râ niku be-mâl
tâ be-bini sha`sha`eh-ye nur-e jalâl

-- Mathnawi VI: 4583-4588
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Monday, April 07, 2008

[Sunlight] Joyous spring has arrived -- Ghazal 1121

Sunlight presents Ode 1121, in a poetic version by
Coleman Barks and in a translation by A.J. Arberry:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spring, and no one can be still,
with all the messages coming through.

We walk outside as though going to meet visitors,
wild roses, trilliums by the water.

A tight knot loosens.
Something which died in December
lifts a head out,
and opens.

Trees, the tribe gathers!
Who has a chance
against such an elegant assemblage?

Before this power,
human beings are chives to be chopped,
gnats to be waved away.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"These Branching Moments,"
Copper Beech Press, 1988

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joyous spring has arrived and the Beloved's message has come,
we are drunk with love and intoxicated and cannot be still.
O my darling one, go forth to the garden, do not leave the
beauties of the meadow in expectation.
Strangers from the Unseen have arrived in the meadow; go
forth, for it is a rule that "the newcomer is visited."*
Following your footsteps the rose has come into the rosebower,
to greet and meet you the thorn has become soft of cheek.
Cypress, give ear, for the lily in exposition of you has become
all tongue by the bank of the river.
The bud was tightly knotted; your grace looses knots; the rose
blossoms thanks to you, and scatters it petals over you.
You might say that it is the resurrection, that there have raised
their heads from the earth those who rotted in December and
January, the dead of yesteryear.
The seed which had died has now found life, the secret which
earth held has now become revealed.
The bough which held fruit is glorying for joy, the root which
had none is shamefast and ashamed.
After all, the trees of the spirit will become even so, the tree of
excellent boughs and fortunate will be manifest.
The king of spring has drawn up his army and made his
provisions; the jasmine has seized the shield, the green grass
Dhu `l-Faqar.
They say, "We will cut off the head of So-and-so like chives;
behold that visibly enacted in the handiwork of the Creator."
Yes; when the succour of divine assistance arrives, Nimrod is
brought to destruction by a gnat*.

--Translation by A. J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
The University of Chicago Press, 1968

* Rumi quotes an Arabic rule of etiquette.
* Nimrod died of a gnat-bite, see Nicholson on Math. I:1189.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Thursday, April 03, 2008

[Sunlight] "Partake of God's food"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When it comes to material food, if you eat too little,
you'll stay hungry like the crow and become angry and anemic;
if you eat your fill, you'll get indigestion.
Partake of God's food, which is easily absorbed,
and ride like a ship on the ocean of spirit.
Be patient and persistent in fasting: keep expecting God's Food.
For God, who acts with goodness and is long-suffering,
bestows His gifts on those who are hopeful.
The full-fed person doesn't wait expectantly for bread,
wondering when it might arrive;
but the one who is without food keeps asking, "Where is it?"
hungrily hopeful, that one watches for it.
Unless you are hopeful, that abundant felicity will not come to you.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar khvori kam gorosneh mâni cho zâgh
var khvori por girad ârughet demâgh
Az ta`âm Allâh o qut khvosh govâr
bar chonân daryâ cho kashti shaw sovâr
Bâsh dar ruzeh shakibâ o moserr
dam be-dam qut-e Khodâ-râ montazer
K-ân Khodâ-ye khub kâr bord-bâr
hadyeh-hâ-râ mi dehad dar entezâr
Entezâr-e nân na-dârad mard-e sir
keh sabok âyad vazifeh yâ keh dir
Bi navâ har dam hami guyad keh ku
dar majâ`at montazer dar jost o ju
Chon na-bâshi montazer na-âyad beh-to
ân navâleh-ye dawlat haftâd-e to

-- Mathnawi V: 1746-1753
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Wednesday, April 02, 2008

[Sunlight] “Be occupied with what you really value”

Today, Sunlight offers a selection from the Mathnawi, Volume II,
verses 1505 - 1507, in a translation by Professor William Chittick,
and in a version by Camille and Kabir Helminski, accompanied by a
Persian transliteration.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whenever you entrust your heart to a thought,
something will be taken from you inwardly.
Whatever you think and acquire, the thief will
enter from that side where you feel safe.
So busy yourself with that which is better, so
that something less may be taken from you.

-- Mathnawi II:1505-1507
Translation by William Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany 1983

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No matter what plans you make,
no matter what you acquire,
the thief will enter from the unguarded side.
Be occupied, then, with what you really value
and let the thief take something less.

-- Mathnawi II:1505-1507
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harcheh andishi o tahsili koni
mi dar âyad dozd az ân su k-aymani
Pas bedân mashghul shaw kân behtarast
tâ ze to chizi bord kân kehtarast

-- Mathnawi II:1505-1507
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Tuesday, April 01, 2008

[Sunlight] "The body is a narrow house"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The body is a narrow house,
and the soul within is cramped.
God ruined it so that He might make it a royal palace.
I am cramped like the embryo in the womb:
I've become nine months old.
This migration is now urgent,
but unless the throes of childbirth overtake my mother,
what am I to do?
In this prison I am amidst the fire.
My mother, my bodily nature,
with its death throes is birthing spirit,
so that the lamb may be released from the ewe,
and begin to graze in the green fields.
Come, open your womb, for this lamb has grown big.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khâneh-ye tang va darun jân chang lut
kard virân tâ konad qasr-e moluk
Chang-lu kam chon janin andar rahem
noh maheh gashtam shod in naqlân mohemm
Gar na-bâshad dard-e zeh bar mâdaram
man darin zendân miyân-e âzaram
Mâdar-e tab`am ze dard-e marg-e khvish
mi konad rah tâ rahad bareh ze mish
Tâ charad ân bareh dar sahrâ-ye sabz
hin rahem bo-g'shâ keh gasht in bareh gabz

-- Mathnawi III: 3555-3559
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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