Monday, June 30, 2008

[Sunlight] Sleep on -- Ghazal 314

~


Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 314, in a version by Coleman
Barks, and in translations by by Kolin and Mafi, and by A.J. Arberry:

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

Those who don't feel this Love
pulling them like a river,
those who don't drink dawn
like a cup of spring water
or take in sunset like supper,
those who don't want to change,

let them sleep.

This Love is beyond the study of theology,
that old trickery and hypocrisy.
If you want to improve your mind that way,

sleep on.

I've given up on my brain.
I've torn the cloth to shreds
and thrown it away.

If you're not completely naked,
wrap your beautiful robe of words
around you,

and sleep.

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

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

You who possess not Love, it is lawful to you – sleep on; be
gone, for Love and Love's sorrow is our portion – sleep on.
We have become motes of the sun of sorrow for the Beloved;
you in whose heart this passion has never arisen, sleep on.
In endless quest of union with Him we hurry like a river, you
who are not anguished by the question "Where is He?" – sleep on.
Love's path is outside the two and seventy sects; since your
love and way is mere trickery and hypocrisy, sleep on.
His dawn-cup is our sunrise, his crepuscule our supper, you
whose yearning is for viands and whose passion is for supper,
sleep on.
In quest of the philosopher's stone we are melting like copper,
you whose philosopher's stone is the bolster and bedfellow,
sleep on.
Like a drunkard you are falling and rising on every side, for
night is past and now is the time for prayer; sleep on.
Since fate has barred slumber to me, young man, be gone; for
sleep has passed you by and you can now fulfil slumber; sleep on.
We have fallen into Love's hand – what will Love do? Since
you are in your own hand, depart to the right hand – sleep on.
I am the one who drinks blood; my soul, you are the one who
eats viands; since viands for certainty demand slumber, sleep
on.
I have abandoned hope for my brain and my head too; you
aspire to a fresh and juicy brain – sleep on.
I have rent the garment of speech and let words go; you who
are not naked, possess a robe – sleep on.

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

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

"Sleep On"

Those of you who feel no love
sleep on.

Those of you who do not feel the sorrow of love
in whose heart has never risen
sleep on.

Those who do not long for union
who are not constantly asking, 'Where is He?'
sleep on.

Love's path is outside of all religious sects
if trickery and hypocrisy is your way
sleep on.

If you don't melt like copper in your quest
for the alchemical gold
sleep on.

If like a drunkard you fall left and right
unaware the night has passed and it's time for prayer
sleep on.

Fate has taken my sleep but since
it has not taken yours, young man
sleep on.

We have fallen into love's hands
since you are in your own
sleep on.

I am the one who is drunk on Love
since you are drunk on food
sleep on.

I have given up my head and have nothing more to say
but you can wrap yourself in the robe of words and
sleep on.

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

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

~


------------------------------------

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Friday, June 27, 2008

[Sunlight] "Let's fall in love again" -- Ghazal 1532

~

Here, Sunlight offers two translations of Ghazal (Ode) 1532,
from the Diwan-e Shams:

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

come
let's fall
in love
again

let's turn
all the dirt
in this world
to shiny gold

come
let's be
a new spring
a love reborn

find our aroma
from the essence
of all who
emit heavenly fragrance

like a fresh tree
bloom and spread
all the blessings
right from inside

-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

Let us fall in love again
and scatter gold dust all over the world.
Let us become a new spring
and feel the breeze drift in the heavens' scent.
Let us dress the earth in green,
and like the sap of a young tree
let the grace from within sustain us.
Let us carve gems out of our stony hearts
and let them light our path to Love.
The glance of Love is crystal clear
and we are blessed by its light.

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

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

~


------------------------------------

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Thursday, June 26, 2008

[Sunlight] Bring forward that One who has Real Being

~


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

In discourse, negation is used in order to affirm:
stop negating and begin affirming.
Come, stop saying "this is not" and "that is not":
bring forward that One who has Real Being.
Put aside negation and worship only that Real Being.

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

Nafy bahr-e sabat bâshad dar sokhan
nafy bo-g'zâr va sabat âghâz kon
"Nist in" o "Nist ân" hin vâ gozâr
ânkeh ân Hastet Ân-râ pish âr
Nafy bo-g'zâr va ham ân Hasti parast
in dar âmuz ay pedar ze ân tark-e mast

-- Mathnawi VI: 640-642
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


------------------------------------

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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

[Sunlight] "What is the Way?" -- Ghazal 374

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Someone asked, "What is the Way?" I said,
"This way is to abandon desires."
Oh lover of the King! Know that your way is to
seek the pleasure of that Generous Lord.
When you seek the Beloved's desire and
pleasure, seeking your own desire is forbidden.
The spirit will be totally transformed into love
for the Beloved, for the ascetic cell of the noble travelers is
Love.
His Love is not less than the top of some
mountain -- His Love's mountaintop is enough for me!
The cave where you can find the Friend is
Love -- then the spirit will gain the adornment of Love's
beauty.
Whatever purifies you is the correct road -- I will
not try to define it.
Be silent and hold fast to the shaykh-Love -- for
in the two worlds, he is your leader.

-- Ode 374
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~


------------------------------------

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

[Sunlight] "How much discernment the dark earth needs"

~

Today, Sunlight welsomes back our contributor Panevis, in
Tehran, who will be providing additional media resources as he is
able. A link to today's media is to be found at the end of the post.

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

The sky, so beautiful and glorious:
God said, "Then turn thy gaze toward it."
As regards this roof of light,
don't be content with just one look:
look many times; see:
"Are there any flaws?"
Since He has told you to look often
at this excellent roof, examining it for flaws,
know then, how much discernment the dark earth needs.

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

Asmâni keh bovad bâ zib o far
Haqq be-farmâyad keh "Thumma irji` basar"*
Yek nazar qâne` ma-shaw zir-e saqf-e nur
bâr-hâ be-negar be-bin "Hal min futûr"
Chonke goftet k-andarin saqf-e neku
bâr-hâ be-negar cho mard `ayb ju
Pas zamin-e tireh-râ dâni keh chand
didan va tamyiz bâyad dar pasand

-- Mathnawi II: 2946-2949
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

*al-Mulk, 4

media page:
http://tinyurl.com/3nynrv

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


~


------------------------------------

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Monday, June 23, 2008

[Sunlight] The Mathnawi Story of the Chinese Artists and the Greek Artists

~


^ ^ ^ ^ ^

"Chinese Art and Greek Art"

The Prophet said, "There are some who see Me
by the same Light in which I am seeing them.
Our natures are ONE.
Without reference to any strands
of lineage, without reference to texts or traditions,
we drink the Life-Water together."
Here's a story
about that hidden mystery:
The Chinese and the Greeks
were arguing as to who were the better artists.
The King said,
"We'll settle this matter with a debate."
The Chinese began talking,
but the Greeks wouldn't say anything.
They left.
The Chinese suggested then
that they each be given a room to work on
with their artistry, two rooms facing each other
and divided by a curtain.
The Chinese asked the King
for a hundred colors, all the variations,
and each morning they came to where
the dyes were kept and took them all.
The Greeks took no colors.
"They're not part of our work,"
They went to their room
and began cleaning and polishing the walls. All day
every day they made those walls as pure and clear
as an open sky.
There is a way that leads from all-colors
to colorlessness. Know that the magnificent variety
of the clouds and the weather comes from
the total simplicity of the sun and the moon.

The Chinese finished, and they were so happy.
They beat the drums in the joy of completion.

The King entered their room,
astonished by the gorgeous color and detail.

The Greeks then pulled the curtain dividing the rooms.
The Chinese figures and images shimmeringly reflected
on the clear Greek walls. They lived there,
even more beautifully, and always
changing in the light.

The Greek art is the Sufi way.
They don't study books of philosophical thought.

They make their loving clearer and clearer.
No wantings, no anger. In that purity
they receive and reflect the images of every moment,
from here, from the stars, from the void.

They take them in
as though they were seeing
with the Lighted Clarity
that sees them.

-- Mathnawi, I, 3462-3485, 3499
Version by Coleman Barks
"Delicious Laughter"
Maypop, 1990

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

~


------------------------------------

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Friday, June 20, 2008

[Sunlight] "Our drunkenness does not come from wine"

~

Today, Sunlight offers three interpretations of Quatrain 97:

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

Our drunkenness does not come from wine.
The joy of our gathering
does not come from the harp or rubaab.
With no celestial beauty to fill our cup,
Without friends, without singing, without wine,
We burst out like madmen,
rolling drunk on the floor.

-- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise
Bantam Books, 1992

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


We don't need wine to get drunk,
or instruments and singing to feel ecstatic.
No poets, no leaders, no songs,
yet we jump around totally wild.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Unseen Rain"
Threshold Books, 1986


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

i don't really need wine
to get drunk
i don't really need music
to feel delight
without a wine pal
music and dance
i'm intoxicated
happy and gone

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

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

~

------------------------------------

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Thursday, June 19, 2008

[Sunlight] Distracted by the objects of desire

~


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


People are distracted by objects of desire,
and afterwards repent of the lust they've indulged,
because they have indulged with a phantom
and are left even farther from Reality than before.
Your desire for the illusory is a wing,
by means of which a seeker might ascend to Reality.
When you have indulged a lust, your wing drops off;
you become lame and that fantasy flees.
Preserve the wing and don't indulge such lust,
so that the wing of desire may bear you to Paradise.
People fancy they are enjoying themselves,
but they are really tearing out their wings
for the sake of an illusion.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zin botân-e khalqân parishân mi shavand
shahvat rândeh pashimân mi shavand
Zânke shahvat bâ khayâli rândast
vaz Haqiqat dur-tar vâ mândast
Bâ khayâli mayl-e to chon par bovad
tâ bedân par bar Haqiqat bar shavad
Chon barândi shahvati paret berikht
lang gashti va ân khayâl az to gorikht
Par negah dâr va chonin shahvat ma-rân
tâ par-e maylet barad su-ye Jenân
Khalq pendârand `eshrat mi konand
bar khayâli par-e khvod bar mi konand

-- Mathnawi III: 2133-2138
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


------------------------------------

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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

[Sunlight] You'll realize how we've always been together -- Ghazal 1145

~


Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1145, from the Diwan-e
Shams, in poetic versions by Coleman Barks and Jonathan Star,
and in literal translations by A.J. Arberry and William Chittick:


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

No Room for Form

On the night when you cross the street
from your shop and your house
to the cemetery,

you'll hear me hailing you from inside
the open grave, and you'll realize
how we've always been together.

I am the clear consciousness-core
of your being, the same in
ecstacy as in self-hating fatigue.

That night, when you escape the fear of snakebite
and all irritation with the ants, you'll hear
my familiar voice, see the candle being lit,
smell the incense, the surprise meal fixed
by the lover inside all your other lovers.

This heart-tumult is my signal
to you igniting in the tomb.

So don't fuss with the shroud
and the graveyard road dust.

Those get ripped open and washed away
in the music of our finally meeting.

And don't look for me in a human shape,
I am inside your looking. No room
for form with love this strong.

Beat the drum and let the poets speak.
This is a day of purification for those who
are already mature and initiated into what love is.

No need to wait until we die!
There's more to want here than money
and being famous and bites of roasted meat.

Now, what shall we call this new sort of gazing-house
that has opened in our town where people sit
quietly and pour out there glancing
like light, like answering?

-- Poetic version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

"The Blast of the Trumpet"

Remember me.

I will be with you in the grave
on the night you leave behind
your shop and your family.
When you hear my soft voice
echoing in your tomb,
you will realize
that you were never hidden from my eyes.
I am the pure awareness within your heart,
with you during joy and celebration,
suffering and despair.

On that strange and fateful night
you will hear a familar voice --
you'll be rescued from the fangs of snakes
and the searing sting of scorpions.
The euphoria of love will sweep over your grave;
it will bring wine and friends, candles and food.

When the light of realization dawns,
shouting and upheaval
will rise up from the graves!
The dust of ages will be stirred
by the cities of ecstasy,
by the banging of drums,
by the clamor of revolt!

Dead bodies will tear off their shrouds
and stuff their ears in fright--
What use are the senses and the ears
before the blast of that Trumpet?

Look and you will see my form
whether you are looking at yourself
or toward that noise and confusion.

Don't be blurry-eyed,
See me clearly-
See my beauty without the old eyes of delusion.

Beware! Beware!
Don't mistake me for this human form.
The soul is not obscured by forms.
Even if it were wrapped in a hundred folds of felt
the rays of the soul's light
would still shine through.

Beat the drum,
Follow the minstrels of the city.
It's a day of renewal
when every young man
walks boldly on the path of love.

Had everyone sought God
Instead of crumbs and copper coins
T'hey would not be sitting on the edge of the moat
in darkness and regret.

What kind of gossip-house
have you opened in our city?
Close your lips
and shine on the world
like loving sunlight.

Shine like the Sun of Tabriz rising in the East.
Shine like the star of victory.
Shine like the whole universe is yours!

-- Poetic version by Jonathan Star
"Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved"
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997

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

Look on me, for I shall be your companion in the grave on
that night when you pass across from shop and house.
You will hear my greeting in the tomb, and you will be aware
that not for a moment you have been veiled from my eyes.
I am like reason and mind within your veil, alike in time of
pleasure and happiness and in the hour of pain and weariness.
On the strange night, when you hear the voice familiar, you
will escape from the bite of snake and leap away from the horror
of ant;
Love's intoxication will bring to your grave, as a gift, wine and
mistress and candle and meats and sweets and incense.
On the hour when we light the lamp of the intellect, what a
tumult of joy shall go up from the dead in the tombs!
The dust of the graveyard will be confounded by those cries,
by the din of the drum of resurrection, the pomp and panoply
of the uprising--
Shrouds rent asunder, two ears stopped up in terror; what
shall avail brain and ear before the blast of the trumpet?
On whatever side you gaze, you will behold my form, whether
you gaze on yourself or towards that uproar and confusion.
Flee from squinteyedness, and make good both your eyes, for
the evil eye on that day will be far from my beauty.
Beware of mistaking me in a human shape, for the spirit is
very subtle, and Love is exceedingly jealous.
What room is there for form, if the felt* be a hundredfold? It is
the rays of the soul's mirror that pitch the flag visibly.
Beat the drum, and wind towards the minstrels of the city; it is
the day of purification to the grown lads of the road of Love.
Had they sought God, instead of morsel and pence, you would
not have seen one blind man seated on the edge of the moat.
What sort of ogling-house have you opened in our city!
Mouth shut, shoot out glances, like light.

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

Prof. Arberry's note:

* Mirrors had covers of felt.

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

Look at me! I will be your intimate in the grave on
the night you pass from shop and home.
You will hear my salaams in the tomb and then
you will know that you were never hidden from my sight.
Behind your veil I am like your intellect and
awareness--at the time of joy and happiness, at the time of
suffering and infirmity.
When you hear the voice of a friend on that
lonely night, you will be delivered from the striking of the
serpents and the fear of the ants.
The winesickness of Love will bring you a gift
in the grave: wine, witnesses, candles, kabobs, sweetmeat, and
incense.
When we light intellect's lamp, what a shouting
and uproar will arise from the dead in their graves!
The dust of the graveyard will be bewildered by
the shouting and uproar, by the sound of the Resurrection's
drum, by the tremendous tumult of the Uprising.
He whose shroud is torn apart will cover his
ears in terror--but what are brain and ears next to the blast of
the Trumpet?
Wherever you look you will see my form
whether you look at yourself or at that noise and confusion.
Flee from cross-eyed vision and straighten out
your eyes for on that day, the evil eye will be far from my
beauty!
Beware! Beware! Gaze not at my human form!
Make no mistake, for the spirit is terribly subtle and Love
terribly jealous!
What place is this for form?! Were the felt
covering even a hundred fold, the radiance of the spirit's
mirror would show its banner.*
Strike the drums and wind your way to the
minstrels in the city! The young men of Love's way are
holding a day of purification.
If the blind men had sought out God instead of
morsels and money, not one of them would be left sitting on
the edge of the moat.
Why have you opened a tale bearer's house in
our city? Be a shut-mouth tale bearer, like light!** (D 1145)

-- Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love" (pp. 347-348, 374)
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983\

Prof. Chittick's notes:

*348, 1. 23-25 (D 1145/12)

Both N (25/12) and A (147/12) make the first misra' a single
compound sentence. In fact, "form" refers to form in the previous
verse (which A translates as "shape," thus hiding the
connection).
The poet protests that here you cannot speak about form, as he
just has. Why not? Because the spirit mirroring the divine Light
will show itself through the felt covering, i.e., its outward
manifestation--a "felt pouch" being where iron mirrors were kept
for safekeeping. Closer attention to Rumi's teaching about the
opposition between form/body and meaning/spirit would have
prevented the mistranslation.

**348, 1. 32-33 (1145-15)

"Tale bearer's house." A 147/15: "Ogling-house." N 25/15:
"House . . . as a dealer in amorous glances"
(ghammaz-khanah). The word ghammaz can support all three
interpretations, but the first meaning is suggested by the second
misra', which states that "light" (nur) is ghammaz. Light does not
"ogle" or "deal in amorous glances," but it does give information
and tell tales, since it makes things manifest. N's rendering is
better than A's, since he maintains some connection between
the first and second misra's. But the insufficiency of his
interpretation is shown by the fact that in the first misra' he adds
"amorous" to explain the sense of ghamaz, while in the second
he had to drop it, since "amorousness" is hardly an attribute of
light, whether in Persian or English.

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


~


------------------------------------

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

[Sunlight] Know the true definition of yourself

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suppose you know the definitions of all substances
and their derivatives,
what good is this to you?
Know the true definition of yourself.
That is indispensable.
Then, when you know your own definition, flee from it,
that you may attain to the One who cannot be defined,
O sifter of the dust.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hadd-e a`yân o `araz dânesteh gir
hadd-e khvod-râ dân keh na-bovad zin gozir
Chon be-dâni hadd-e khvod zin hadd goriz
tâ beh bi hadd dar resi ay khâk biz

-- Mathnawi V:564-565
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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Monday, June 16, 2008

[Sunlight] Drowsy -- Ghazal 1457

~

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

Drowsy, awake to everything, out
of myself, inside you, the work of

your wine vat where the grapes are
invisible. All one sees is stained

feet tromping about, making a juice
different from ordinary grapes. This

wine gives no hangover. But don't
condemn yourself for living in left-

over stupor. Someone built and set
the hangover trap you find yourself
in! It's the bottom of Joseph's pit,
where he becomes medicine, a clean

tent, a field of stubble and shine.
Shams is winter daylight. I more

resemble the long night coming after.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1457
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~


------------------------------------

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Friday, June 13, 2008

[Sunlight] "When I stepped outside" -- Quatrain 77

~

Today, Sunlight offers four interpretations of Quatrain 77:


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

Doing as others told me,
I was blind.
Coming when others called me,
I was lost.

Then I left everyone,
myself as well.
Then I found everyone,
myself as well.

-- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
"A Garden Beyond Paradise"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

for awhile
i chose myself to adore
losing me in me
i deserved no more
it seemed i couldn't
see myself
yet i knew
when i stepped out
then me and myself
i beheld

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


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

For years, copying other people, I tried to know myself.
From within, I couldn't decide what to do.
Unable to see, I heard my name being called.
Then I walked outside.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Open Secret"
Threshold Books, 1984

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

Imitating others,
I failed to find myself.
I looked inside and discovered
I only knew my name.
When I stepped outside
I found my real Self.

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

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


~


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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

[Sunlight] “The heart’s mirror has no limits”

~

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

The saints have polished their breasts until cleansed of
greed, cupidity, avarice, and hatred.
Without doubt the pure mirror is the heart acting as a
receptacle for infinite pictures.
The Moses-like saint possesses within his breast, in his
heart's mirror, the infinite, formless Form of the Unseen.
What does it matter if that Form is not contained by the
heavens, the divine Throne, the Footstool, or the Fish
supporting the earth?
These things are all delimited and defined, but the
heart's mirror has no limits - Know that!
Here the intellect must remain silent, or else lead us
astray. For the heart is with Him - indeed, the heart is He.

-- Mathnawi I, 3484-89
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983

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


~

------------------------------------

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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

[Sunlight] “That costly pearl”

~

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

These shells of bodies in the world,
though they are all living
by grace of the Sea of the Soul—
yet there isn't a pearl in every shell.
Open your eyes and look
into the heart of each one.
Find out what is within each one,
for that costly pearl is rarely found.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

in sadaf-hâ qavâleb dar jahân
garcheh jomleh zendeh-'and az bahr-e jân
Layk andar har sadaf na-bovad gohar
chashm be-goshâ dar del-e har yak negar
Kân cheh dârad vin cheh dârad mi gozin
zânke kam yâbast ân dorr-e samin

-- Mathnawi II:1023-1025
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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


~


------------------------------------

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Monday, June 09, 2008

[Sunlight] The story of the mouse and the camel

~

From Rumi's Mathnawi, Book II, verses 3436-3474, comes the story
of the mouse and the camel, in a version from Coleman Barks
(interpreted from the classic English translation by Reynold
Nicholson), in a partial translation by William Chittick, and in a
partial version by Kabir Helminski:


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

"The Mouse and the Camel"

A mouse caught hold of a camel's leading ˆrope
in his two forelegs and walked off with it,
imitating the camel-drivers.

The camel went along, letting the mouse feel heroic.
"Enjoy yourself," he thought. "I have something
to teach you, presently."

They came to the edge of a great river.
The mouse was dumbfounded.
"What are you waiting for? Step forward into
the river. You are my leader. Don't stop here."

"I'm afraid of being drowned."

The camel walked into the water. "It's only
just above the knee."

"Your knee! Your knee is a hundred times
over my head!"

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be leading a camel.
Stay with those like yourself. A mouse has
nothing really to say to a camel."

"Would you help me get across?"

"Get up on my hump. I am made
to take hundreds like you across."

You are not a prophet, but go humbly on the
Way of the Prophets and you can arrive where
they are. Don't try to steer the boat. Don't open
a shop by yourself. Listen. Keep silent.
You are not God's mouthpiece. Try to be an ear,
and if you do speak, ask for explanations.

The source of your arrogance and anger is your
lust and the rootedness of that is in your habits.

Someone who makes a habit of eating clay
gets mad when you try to keep him from it.
Being a leader can also be a poisonous habit,
so that when someone questions your authority,
you think, "He's trying to take over."
You may respond courteously, but inside you rage.

Always check your inner state
with the Lord of your Heart.
Copper doesn't know it's copper,
until it's changed to gold.

Your loving doesn't know its Majesty,
until it knows its helplessness.

-- Mathnawi: II, 3436-3474
Version by Coleman Barks
"This Longing"
Threshold Book, 1988

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

Since you are not a prophet, follow the Way!
Then one day you may come out of this pit and reach
a high station.

Since you are not a sultan, be a subject! Since
you are not the captain, take not yourself the helm!

Since you are not perfect, take not a shop alone!
Be pliant to the hand, so that you may become leavened
dough.

Listen to the text, Be silent! and be silent! Since
you have not become God's tongue, be an ear!

-- Mathnawi II: 3453-56
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983

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

Since you're not spiritually perfect,
don't open a shop on your own.
Be pliant to the hand,
so you may become leavened and kneaded like dough.
Listen to the Divine command, "Keep silence."*
Be mute.
Since you haven't become the tongue of God,
be an ear.
If you do speak,
let it be to ask for explanations:
speak as a humble beggar
at the hand of the spiritually great.

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Chon na'i kâmel dokkân tanhâ ma-gir
dast-khvosh mi bâsh tâ gardi khamir
"Ansetu"*-râ gush kon khâmush bâsh
chon zabân-e Haqq na-gashti gush bâsh
Var be-guyi shakl-e estefsâr gu
bâ shahanshâhân to meskin vâr gu

*al-A`râf, 204

-- Mathnawi II: 3455-3457
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


------------------------------------

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Friday, June 06, 2008

[Sunlight] Pouring out wine -- Ghazal 1135

~

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

Bring wine, oh Saki--may my head and turban
be Thy sacrifice! Bring the spirit's cup from wherever it is
found!
Come drunk and strolling, goblet in hand--let it
not be lawful for Thee to be the Saki and us to be so sober!
Bring the cup, for my spirit in its desire has left
me--what place is this for patience and repose?
Bring the cup of Life, whose nature is the same
as Thine--for it is the friend of wounded hearts and the
confidant of the mysteries.
Were a drop of that wine to fall upon barren
ground, at once a rosegarden would blossom.
Were that ruby wine to bubble up at midnight,
its lights would fill the heavens and the earth.
Marvellous wine! Marvellous flagon! Marvellous
Saki, May spirits be strewn before them, strewn!
Come, for in my heart secrets are concealed--
pass around the ruby wine and leave not a single veil in
place!
When Thou hast made me drunk, then behold
how a lion-catcher enters the hunt!
Blesses God! What a moment!--when our
gathering is full of the cup's fragrance and the light of the
Beloved's Face!
A thousand drunkards place their spirits on
trays, like moths before the candle--"Take this, and bring
wine!"
The sweet-voiced minstrels and shouting
drunkards make the wine itself giddy in the Wine-seller's
veins!
Behold the state of the young men of the cave
who drank it: For three hundred nine years they slept ruined
and drunk in the cave!*
What wine did Moses pour upon the sorcerers?
Drunkenly they surrendered their hands and feet like selfless
men! (Qur'an VII 124)
What did the Egyptian women see in Joseph's
face that made them cut their beautiful arms to shreds?
What did the Holy Saki pour upon Saint
George's head so that all heartache left him and he had no
fear of the unbelievers?
They killed him a thousand times, yet he kept
on going: "I am drunk and unaware of 'one' or a 'thousand.'"*
The companions who went naked before arrows
were ruined and drunk because of Muhammad the chosen.
No wrong! For Muhammad was not the Saki--
he was a cup full of wine, and God was the Saki of the pious.
Which wine did the son of Adham drink so that
like a drunkard he became disgusted with his rule and
kingdom?*
Which intoxication gave the call, "Glory to
me!"?* Which spoke the mystery, "I am God," and went to
the gallows?
The fragrance of that wine made water bright
and pure--like a drunkard it goes toward the ocean making
constant prostrations.
Love for this wine made the earth full of colors,
its radiance lit up fire's sweet face.
If not for this wine, why did wind become an
intimate and a tale bearer, the animator of pastures and
gardens and a book of saying?
What joy these four elements derive from
mixing! Look how plants, animals, and men are their result!
What awareness-taking wine has this black
night? For one cup of it knocks out the creatures.
Which Gentleness and handiwork of the Maker
should I describe? The Sea of His Power has no shore!
Let us drink the wine of Love and carry Love's
burden, like a camel drunk in the midst of a caravan--
Not such a drunkenness that will make you
wish for intellect, but one that will awaken both intellect and
spirit.
The drunkards will vomit everything other than
God, for "other than God" is but headache and winesickness.
How is this pure wine related to the wine of
the grape? This is the water of Life, that other carrion.
For a while that wine makes you a pig, for a
while a monkey--in the end that red water makes you black
faced.
The heart is the vat of God's wine, so remove
its stopper: The ill-mannered natural temperament has stopped
it up with clay.
When you remove part of the clay from the top
of the vat, its fragrance and a thousand benefits rise up.
If I should try to number those benefits, I would
not be able to count them by the Last Day.
Since we are incapable, let us rest with the
Prophet's prayer: "I cannot count Thy blessings!" since it is
time to stop counting, lift the spirit's cup!
Enter into the gathering of Shams al-Din's
lovers! For the sun in heaven steals light from his sun.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1135
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

* The story of the "Companions of the Cave," or the Seven-
sleepers of Ephesus, Qur'an XVIII 9 ff.
* Jirjis is said to have been a prophet, although historically he
seems to be identical with saint George, who was put to death
in the year 303.
* Ibrahim Adham is one of the great saints of early Islam.
* "Glory be to me" is a famous "ecstatic utterance" of Bayazid, a
great Muslim saint.


~

------------------------------------

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Thursday, June 05, 2008

[Sunlight] The burning away the cloak of temporality

~

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

When the kernel swells the walnut shell,
or the pistachio, or the almond, the husk diminishes.
As the kernel of knowledge grows,
the husk thins and disappears,
because the lover is consumed by the beloved.
Since the quality of being sought is the opposite of seeking,
revelation and divine lightning
consume the prophet with fire.
When the attributes of the Eternal shine forth,
the cloak of temporality is burned away.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Qeshr-e jawz o fostoq o bâdâm ham
maghz chon âgandeshân shod pust kam
Maghz-e `elm afzud kam shod pustesh
z-ânke `âsheq-râ be-suzad dustesh
Vasf-e matlubi cho zedd-e tâlebist
vahy o barq-e nur suzandeh-ye nabist
Chon tajalli kard awsâf-e Qadim
pas be-suzad vasf-e hâdes-râ gelim

-- Mathnawi III: 1388-1391
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


------------------------------------

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Wednesday, June 04, 2008

[Sunlight] Seek the King of Hearts, seek the Eternal Friend -- Ghazal 1789

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1789, in versions by Star and
Helminski, and in translation by Arberry:

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

"On the Threshold"

O lovers, O lovers,
heaven's drum calls my spirit and says,
It's time to leave this world.

Look!
The camel driver has risen,
The caravan is about to leave.
He says, "Forgive me for waking you . . . .
But why, O pilgrim, are you asleep?
Before you and behind you
the camel-bells are ringing.
It's time to go.

With each passing moment
a soul sets off to find itself.
From the stars,
suspended like candles
from the blue vault of heaven,
wondrous souls have appeared
and the Unseen has revealed itself.

The revolving spheres have lulled you
into a deep sleep.
Beware of this floating life.
Beware of this weighty slumber.

O heart, seek the King of Hearts.
O friend, seek the Eternal Friend.

O watchman, be wakeful –
the whole city could be lost
if you fall asleep!

Tonight, amidst the shouts and din of the city,
Amidst the light of candles and torches –
Tonight this fecund world
will give birth to eternity.

You were dust and now you are spirit.
You were ignorant and now you are wise.
The one who brought you here
will bring you still further.
Your pain will become your pleasure
as He draws you near.
Don't be afraid –
His flames are like cooling water.
To give your soul life is His sacred duty,
To break your binding chains is His only mission.

O foolish puppet, popping up from your box,
You call out to the world,
This is mine!
How long will you jump up?
If you don't bend your neck
He will bend it for you!

You put others down
and spin a web of deception.
O imposter,
You think God is a plaything in your hand?

O donkey, you belong with the straw.
O cauldron, you deserve to be blackened!
O outcast,
you deserve to be at the bottom of a well!

"In me there's another force
that gives rise to these harsh words.
Scalding water
is caused by fire, not water."

I have no stone in my hand,
no argument with anyone.
I put down no one,
for I am as sweet as a bed of roses.

That Supreme Source speaks through me . . . .
It has given you a hint – that is enough.

Now let me sit here,
on the threshold of two worlds,
Lost in the eloquence of silence.

-- Version by Jonathan Star
"In the Arms of the Beloved "
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997

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


"A Night for Departure"

O lovers, lovers, it is time
to set out from the world.
I hear a drum in my soul's ear
coming from the depths of the stars.

Our camel driver is a work;
the caravan is being readied.
He asks that we forgive him
for the disturbance he has caused us,
He asks why we travelers are asleep.

Everywhere the murmur of departure;
the stars, like candles
thrust at us from behind blue veils,
and as if to make the invisible more plain,
a wondrous people have come forth.

Beneath this water wheel of stars
your sleep has been heavy.
Observe that heaviness and beware...
for life is fragile and quick.

Heart, aim yourself at Love!
Friend, discover the Friend!
Watchman, wake up!
You're not here to sleep.

-- Version by Kabir Helminski
"Love is a Stranger"
Threshold Books, 1993

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

Lovers, lovers, it is time to migrate from the world; the drum
of departure is reaching my spirit's ear from heaven.
See, the driver has arisen, the camel train is arrayed, he has
begged us for quittance; caravaners, why are you asleep?
These sounds ahead and behind are the sounds of departure
and the camel-bells; every moment a soul and a breath is
setting off into placelessness.
From these inverted candles, from these indigo veils, there
issues a wondrous people that the things unseen may become
visible.
If heavy slumber fell upon you from this revolving sphere, alas
for this light life! Beware of this heavy slumber!
Heart, depart to the Sweetheart; friend, depart to the Friend;
watchman, be wakeful – a watchman should not sleep.
On every side are candles and torches, on every side noise
and tumult, for tonight the pregnant world gives birth to the eternal
world.
You were clay and became heart, you were ignorant and
became intelligent; he who has drawn you on so far will draw
you beyond [this world].
In drawing and drawing you his pains are delectable; his
flames are like water, do not frown thereon.
His business is to dwell in the soul, his business to break
penitence vows; by his abundant contrivance these motes are
trembling at heart.
Laughing stock, jumping out of your hole, as if to cry, "I am
the lord of the land," how long will you jump? Bend you neck,
or they will bent you like a bow.
You sowed the seeds of deceit, you indulged in mockery, you
deemed God nonexistent; now look, you cuckold!
Ass, you were apter for straw; a cauldron, you were better
black; you were better at the bottom of the well, you disgrace to
house and household!
In me there is Another from whom these angers leap; if water
scalds, it is through fire – realize this!
I have no stone in my hand; I have no quarrel with anyone; I
deal harshly with none, for I am gay as a rose bower.
My anger is therefore from that source; it is from the other
world; this side a world, that side a world – I am seated on the
threshold.
That man sits on the threshold who is mutely eloquent; you
have uttered this hint, that is enough; say no more, draw back
your tongue.

-- Translation by A. J. Arberry
Mystical Poems of Rumi 2
The University of Chicago Press, 1991

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

~


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Tuesday, June 03, 2008

[Sunlight] "I know very well who I am"

~

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

One day a roughneck said to a dervish,
"You're unknown to anyone here."
The dervish replied, "If the vulgar don't know me,
yet I know very well who I am."
What a pity, if the pain and spiritual illness had been reversed
and the bully had seen me as I really am,
while I was blind to myself.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Goft bâ darvish ruzi yek khasi
keh "Torâ injâ na-mi dânad kasi"
Goft u "Gar mi na-dânad `âmmiyam
khvish-râ man nik mi dânam kiyam"
Vây agar bar `aks budi dard o rish
u bodi binâ-ye man, man kur-e khvish

-- Mathnawi VI: 4331-4333
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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Monday, June 02, 2008

[Sunlight] "Dolls That Pull the Stuffing Out of Each Other'

~

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

"Dolls That Pull the Stuffing Out of Each Other"

You that give nourishment and steadiness and freedom,
give the bent soul strength

to stand up straight in the work it knows it's here
to do. Give us patience and

generosity and clarity to see through the images that
appear. There is a coarse

desire that wants world-power; there are armies that
kill their own relatives;

and there is the bitter pleasure of dolls that pull the
stuffing out of each other.

Read the passionate love stories again. Notice how
everyone perishes in what is

not love. Love is when the holy nothingness loves itself.
Jealousies come as kindness

turns cruel. If there were no legal punishment, no threat
of prison, people would shred

their enemies, the so-called lovers. Envy connects deeply
with the old ambition of fallen

angels, who do exist, and they have human helpers who try
to destroy anyone who

has loved and received wisdom from a teacher.

-- Mathnawi V: 1197-1225
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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


~


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