Friday, January 30, 2009

[Sunlight] "A treasure of gold in this dust bowl"

~

Here, Sunlight offers four presentations of Rumi's Ghazal (Ode)
996 -- a version from Coleman Barks, and translations from Jonathan
Star, Annemarie Schimmmel, and A.J. Arberry.

(Note on Sunlight practices: When comparative presentations are
offered, versions and translations are placed in what the the
Sunlight editors generally consider to be the ascending order of
reliability and accuracy. Versions [interpretations of previously
existing translations done by others] are placed first, and, when
possible, the translations from which the versions were derived are
placed last.)

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

Someone says, Sanai is dead.
No small thing to say.

He was not bits of husk,
or a puddle that freezes overnight,
or a comb that cracks when you use it,
or a pod crushed open on the ground.

He was fine powder in a rough clay dish.
He knew what both worlds were worth:
A grain of barley.

One he slung down, the other up.

The inner soul, that presence of which most know nothing,
about which poets are so ambiguous,
he married that one to the beloved.

His pure gold wine pours on the thick wine dregs.
They mix and rise and separate again
to meet down the road. Dear friend from Marghaz,
who lived in Rayy, in Rum, Kurd from the mountains,
each of us returns home.

Silk must not be compared with striped canvas.

Be quiet and clear now
like the final touchpoints of calligraphy.

Your name has been erased
from the roaring volume of speech.

-- Poetic version by Coleman Barks
(From a translation by A.J. Arberry)
"The Essential Rumi"
Castle Books, 1997

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

Someone said, "Master San'ai is dead."

The death of such a master is no small thing.
He was not chaff blown about by the wind,
Nor a puddle frozen over in winter.
He was not a comb broken in the hair,
Nor a seed crushed on the ground.

He was a piece of gold in a pile of dust.
The value he put on both worlds
was equal to one barleycorn.

He let his body fall back into the earth
and bore the witness of his soul to heaven.
But there is a second soul
of which common men are not aware.
I tell you before God,
That one merged straight with the Beloved!

What was once mixed is now separate:
The pure wine rose to the top,
The dregs settled to the bottom.

During their travels, everyone walks together -
people from Marv and Rayy, the Kurds and Romans.
But soon each returns to his homeland.
How can fine silk stay bound to rough wool?

He has reached the final stage.
The King has erased his name
from the book of words . . . .
O Master, now that you're gone from this world,
How can we reach you
but in silence?

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

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

Said someone: "Look! Master Sana'i is
dead!"
Ah, such a man's death is no small affair!
He was no straw that is gone with the
wind,
He was no water that froze in the cold,
He was no comb that broke in the hair,
He was no grain that was crushed by the
earth,
He was a golden treasure in the dust
As he considered both the worlds a grain.
He cast the dust form back into the dust,
He carried heavenward both soul and mind.
The dregs were mixed here with the purest
wine;
The wine then rose; the dregs were settling
down.
The second soul, which people do not
know -
By God! he gave it to the Friend, to God!
They all meet during travel, O my friend -
From Marw and Rayy, and Kurds, and
Byzantine,
But ev'ryone returns to his own home -
Why should fine silk become a friend of
wool?
Be quiet, quiet! For the King of Speech
Erased your name now from the book of
speech!

-- Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
"Look! This is Love - Poems of Rumi"
Shambhala, 1991

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

Someone said, "Master Sana'i is dead." The death of such a
master is no small thing.
He was not chaff which flew on the wind, he was not water
which froze in the cold;
He was not a comb that split on a hair, he was not a seed
crushed by the earth.
He was a treasure of gold in this dust bowl, for he reckoned
both worlds as one barleycorn.
The earthly mould he flung to the earth, the soul of reason he
carried to the heavens.
The second soul of which men know nothing - we talk ambig-
uously - he committed to the Beloved.
The pure wine mingled with the wine-dregs, rose to the top of
the vat and separated from the dregs.
They meet together on the journey, dear friend, native of
Marghaz, of Rayy, of Rum, Kurd;
Each one returns to his own home - how should silk be com-
pared with striped cloth?
Be silent, like (a letter's) points, inasmuch as the King has
erased your name from the volume of speech.

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

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

~


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

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Thursday, January 29, 2009

[Sunlight] "Borrowed certainty"

~

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

If your knowledge of fire has been turned
to certainty by words alone,
then seek to be cooked by the fire itself.
Don't abide in borrowed certainty.
There is no real certainty until you burn;
if you wish for this, sit down in the fire.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ze âtesh az `elmet yaqin shod az sokhan
pokhtagi ju dar yaqin manzel ma-kon
Tâ na-suzi nist ân `ayn al-yaqin
in yaqin khvâhi dar âtesh dar neshin

-- Mathnawi II :860-861
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~


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

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

[Sunlight] Traveling alone, traveling together -- Ghazal 1671

~

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

Whether we speak of joy or heartache, let us sit
As a congregation and speak together.
Should our companion travel far, we will do the
Same; should he move less, so will we.
Let us and our companions have the same heart
And breath and attack Rustic's battle lines like fire!
Though we be men, travelling alone we will
achieve only lamentation and mourning, like women.
If we go on the hajj without companions, we
will surely not reach the Kaaba.
We are the strings on a harp -- as parts of it, let
us sing high and low!
We were all in Adam's congregation, let us
return together to Adam!
Our point is hidden -- Adam is but an expedient:
Let us pitch our tents on the shore of the Greatest Ocean!
When the Solomon of Subsistence comes to His
Throne, we will kiss His signet ring a hundred thousand
times.

-- Ghazal 1671
Translation by Professor William Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, 1983

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

~


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

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

[Sunlight] "Your worst enemy"

~

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

If your grasping ego had not waylaid you from within,
would bandits have any power to lay a hand on you?
Because of this demanding jailor, desire,
the heart is captive to greed, desire, and harm.
Because of that inner jailor, you've become a crazed thief
even more susceptible to that jailor's power.
Pay attention to the wise council of the Prophet:
"Your worst enemy is between your two sides."*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar nah nafs az andarun râhet zadi
rah-zanân-râ bar to dasti kay bodi
Ze ân `avân-e moqtazi keh shahvatast
del asir-e hers o âz o âfatast
Ze ân `avân-e serr shodi dozd o tabâh
tâ `avânân-râ be-qahr-e tost râh
Dar khabar be-shenaw to in pand-e neku
Bayna janbaykum lakum a`dâ `adu*

*Hadith of Prophet Muhammad.

-- Mathnawi III: 4063-4066
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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

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Monday, January 26, 2009

[Sunlight] Love With No Object

~

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

There is a way of loving not attached to what is loved.
Observe how water is with

the ground, always moving toward the ocean, though the ground
tries to hold water's foot

and not let it go. This is how we are with wine and beautiful
food, wealth and power,

or just a dry piece of bread: we want and we get drunk with
wanting, then the headache

and bitterness afterward. Those prove that the attachment took
hold and held you back. Now you

proudly refuse help. "My love is pure. I have an intuitive
union with God. I don't need

anyone to show me how to be free!" This is not the case.
A love with no object

is a true love. All else, shadow without substance. Have you
seen someone fall in

love with his own shadow? That's what we've done. Leave
partial loves and find one

that's whole. Where is someone who can do that? They're
so rare, those hearts that carry

the blessing and lavish it over eveything. Hold out your
beggar's robe and accept

their generosity. Anything not coming from that will damage
the cloth, like a sharp stone

tearing your sincerity. Keep that intact, and use clarity;
call it reason or discernment,

you have within you a deciding force that knows what to
receive, what to turn from.

-- Mathnawi III: 2248-80
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperCollins, 2001

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

~


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

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Friday, January 23, 2009

[Sunlight] "That beauty is a borrowed thing"

~

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

Anyone madly in love with a dead thing has hope for
something that lives.
The carpenter has turned toward wood in hope of
serving a moon-faced beloved.
Strive in the hope of a Living One who does not become
inanimate after a day or two!
Choose not a mean companion out of meanness, for
intimacy with him is but a borrowed thing.
If your intimates other than God possess faithfulness,
what happened to your father and mother?
If you can depend on someone other than God, where
are your nursemaid and tutor?
Your intimacy with milk and breasts has gone, your
dread of grammar school has gone.
That was a ray upon the wall of their existence:
The radiance has returned to the Sun.
When that ray falls upon something, you become its
lover, oh courageous man!
Whatever you love in existence has received a gold
plating from God's Attributes.
When the gold returns to its origin and the copper
remains, your nature becomes disgusted and divorces it.
Pull yourself back from those things gold-plated with
His Attributes, continue not in your ignorance to call the
counterfeit coin "beautiful."
That beauty of the counterfeit coin is a borrowed
thing; beneath its comeliness lies the substance of
uncomeliness.
Gold leaves the surface of the counterfeit coin for the
Mine – you also, go to that Mine where it is going!
Light goes from the wall to the Sun - go to the Sun that
always moves in proportion!
From now on take water from heaven for you have
seen no faithfulness from the drainpipe!

-- Mathnawi III: 545-560
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~


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

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

[Sunlight] "Violence is not the means"

~

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

Violence is not the means of avoiding calamity:
the means is good will, tolerance, and kindness.
The Prophet said, "Alms is a means of averting calamity:
cure your diseased ones by giving alms, O youth."

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Chareh-ye daf`-e balâ na-bud setam
châreh ehsân bâshad o `afv o karam
Goft "al-Sadaqah maradd lil-balâ
dâwi mardâka bi-sadaqah yâ fatâ"

-- Mathnawi VI:2590-2591
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

[Sunlight] O Master, Come Here! -- Ghazal 36

~


Today, Sunlight offers two presentations of Ghazal (Ode) 36 - a
version by Jonathan Star, and a translation by Azima Melita Kolin and
Maryam Mafi:


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

"O Master, Come Here!"


O master, come here!
O master, come here!

O lost lover,
enchanted by the universe, come here!
O heart ever-thirsty,
O righteous king, come here!

You are the feet, you are the hands,
you are the life of all that lives;
Drunken flight of the nightingale,
toward this garden - come here!

You are the ears, the eyes,
and the senses beyond.
You are the wanderer without food -
To this banquet, come here!

You are hidden from view,
and all that is seen
Dancing carefree -
come here!

You are the light of day,
the joy of love,
the searing pain of sorrow.
O night-glow of the moon,
Cloud of sweet dew, come here!

O wisdom of all worlds,
knower of all knowledge,
At times you are here,
At times you are gone;
Now rise up and stay forever.

O blood-stained heart
your jubilee and madness are over -
the grapes have turned to wine.
Please, no more tears, just come here!

O sleepless nights, begone.
O needless sorrow, begone.
O tired intellect, begone.
To that awakened land, come here!

O weary heart, come here,
O wounded soul, come here;
And if the doorway is blocked,
Through the wall, come here!

O beauty of Noah, come here,
O longing of the soul, come here,
O cure for the weary, come here,
O medicine for the sick, come here.

O face of shining moonlight, come here,
O waters of the heart, come here,
O happiness of lovers, come here,
O blindness of fools, come here.

O voice of the soul . . .
Enough! The tongue is getting tired.

Without another breath,
Without another word, come!

-- Ghazal 36
Version by Jonathan Star, from
a translation by Shahram Shiva
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

Come my Master, come don't turn away from me,
come my deceitful Moon!
Look at this forlorn and thirsty lover,
come my drunken King!
You are my life, my senses, you are everything!
Be the rising Moon in my dark nights
I am thirsty for your light.
Use my hands, look through my eyes,
listen with my ears.
You are the soul of every living thing.
Come, come back dancing like the rays of the Sun
And chase away the shadows.
You are the banner of the New World
and the mind is at your feet.
Come back my love
my broken heart cannot bear more passion,
no more promises.

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

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

~


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

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

[Sunlight] "Wasn't it first merely a thought?"

~

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

Even though you're not equipped,
keep searching:
equipment isn't necessary on the way to the Lord.
Whoever you see engaged in search,
become her friend and cast your head in front of her,
for choosing to be a neighbor of seekers,
you become one yourself;
protected by conquerors,
you will yourself learn to conquer.
If an ant seeks the rank of Solomon,
don't smile contemptuously upon its quest.
Everything you possess of skill, and wealth and handicraft,
wasn't it first merely a thought and a quest?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Garcheh âlat nistet to mi talab
nist âlat hâjat andar râh-e Rabb
Harke-râ bini talab-gâr ay pesar
yâr-e u shaw pish-e u andâz sar
Kaz jevâr-e tâlebân tâleb shavi
vaz zelâl-e ghâlebân ghâleb shavi
Gar yeki muri Solaymân be-jost
ma-negar andar jostan-e u sost sost
Harcheh dâri to ze mâl o pisheh-'i
nah talab bud avval va andisheh-'i?

-- Mathnawi III: 1445-1449
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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

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Monday, January 19, 2009

[Sunlight] Childhood Friends

~

Childhood Friends

You may have heard, it's the custom
for Kings to let warriors stand on
the left, the side of the heart, and
courage. On the right, they put the
Chancellor, and various secretaries,
because the practice of bookkeeping
and writing usually belongs to the
right hand.

In the center, the Sufis, because in
meditation they become mirrors.
The King can look at their faces
and see his original state.

Give the beautiful ones mirrors,
and let them fall in love with
themselves.

That way they polish their souls
and kindle remembering in others.

A close childhood friend once came
to visit Joseph. They had shared the
secrets that children tell each other
when they're lying on their pillows
at night before they go to sleep.
These two were completely truthful
with each other.

The friend asked, "What was it like
when you realized your brothers were
jealous and what they planned to do?"

"I felt like a lion with a chain around
its neck. Not degraded by the chain, and
not complaining, but just waiting for my
power to be recognized."

"How about down in the well, and in
prison? How was it then?"

"Like the moon when it's getting
smaller, yet knowing the fullness to
come. Like a seed pearl ground in the
mortar for medicine, that knows it will
now be the light of the human eye.

Like a wheat grain that breaks open in
the ground, then grows, then gets
harvested, then crushed in the mill for
flour, then baked, then crushed again
between teeth to become a person's
deepest understanding.

Lost in Love, like songs the planters
sing the night after they sow the seed."

There is no end to any of this.
Back to something else the good man
and Joseph talked about.

"Ah my friend, what have you brought me?
You know a traveler should not arrive
empty handed at the door of a friend
like me. That's going to the grinding
stone without your wheat. God will ask
at the Resurrection, 'Did you bring Me
a present? Did you forget? Did you think
you wouldn't see Me?'

Joseph kept teasing,
"Lets have it. I want my gift!"

The guest began, "You can't imagine how
I've looked for something for you.
Nothing seemed appropriate. You don't
take gold down into a goldmine, or a
drop of water to the Sea of Oman!

Everything I thought of was like
bringing cumin seed to Kirmanshah where
cumin comes from.

You have all seeds in your barn. You
even have my love and my soul, so I
can't even bring those.

I've brought you a mirror. Look at
yourself, and remember me."

He took the mirror out from his robe
where he was hiding it.

What is the mirror of being?
Non-being.

Always bring a mirror of non-existence
as a gift. Any other present is foolish.

Let the poor man look deep into
generosity. Let the bread see a hungry
man. Let kindling behold a spark from
the flint.

An empty mirror and your worst
destructive habits, when they are held
up to each other,
that's when the real making begins.
That's what art and crafting are.

A tailor needs a torn garment to
practice his expertise. The trunks of
trees must be cut and cut again
so they can be used for fine carpentry.

Your doctor must have a broken leg to
doctor. Your defects are the ways that
glory gets manifested. Whoever sees
clearly what's diseased in himself
begins to gallop on the Way.

There is nothing worse
than thinking you are well enough.
More than anything, self-complacency
blocks the workmanship.

Put your vileness up to a mirror and
weep. Get that self-satisfaction flowing
out of you! Satan thought, "I am better
than Adam," and that *better than* is
still strongly in us.

Your stream-water may look clean,
but there's unstirred matter on the
bottom. Your Sheikh can dig a side
channel that will drain that waste off.

Trust your wound to a Teacher's surgery.
Flies collect on a wound. They cover it,
those flies of your self-protecting
feelings, your love for what you think
is yours.

Let a teacher wave away the flies
and put a plaster on the wound.

Don't turn your head. Keep looking at
the bandaged place. That's where the
light enters you.

And don't believe for a moment
that you're healing yourself.

-- Mathnawi, I, 3150-3175, 3192-3227
Version by Coleman Barks
(Developed from the translation by Nicholson)
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

~


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

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Friday, January 16, 2009

[Sunlight] "Alive with other life" -- Quatrain 403

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 403:

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

We have this way of talking,
and we have another.
Apart from what we wish
and what we fear my happen,
we are alive with other life,
as clear stones
take form in the mountains.

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

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

I have a tongue
beside this tongue
I have a hell and paradise
beside the ones you know
free spirited humans are
alive in others' souls
their pure diamond
is from another source

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

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

~

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

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Thursday, January 15, 2009

[Sunlight] "Each creature glorifies You in a different way"

~

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

Each creature glorifies You in a different way,
and each is unaware of the states of the other.
The human being doesn't believe that stones utter praise,
but inanimate things are masters of worship.
The seventy-two sects are dubious about each other's state.
Since I pay no attention to the glorification of one who speaks,
how should my heart recognize
the worship offered by the mute?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Har yeki tasbih bar naw`i degar
guyad va az hâl-e ân in bi khabar
dami monker ze tasbih-e jamâd
va ân jamâd andar `ebâdat ostâd
Balke haftâd o do mellat har yeki
bi khabar az yekdegar va andar shakki
Chon man az tasbih-e nâteq ghâfelam
chon be-dânad sobheh-ye sâmet delam

-- Mathnawi III: 1496-1498; 1500
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

[Sunlight] Tired of hunting, I surrender

~


Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1419, from Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shams" ("The Collection of Shams"), in translations by Nader
Khalili, and Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi:


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

i was ready to tell
the story of my life
but the ripple of tears
and the agony of my heart
wouldn't let me

i began to stutter
saying a word here and there
and all along i felt
as tender as a crystal
ready to be shattered

in this stormy sea
we call life
all the big ships
come apart
board by board

how can i survive
riding a lonely
little boat
with no oars
and no arms

my boat did finally break
by the waves
and i broke free
as i tied myself
to a single board

though the panic is gone
i am now offended
why should i be so helpless
rising with one wave
and falling with the next

i don't know
if i am
nonexistence
while i exist
but i know for sure
when i am
i am not
but
when i am not
then i am

now how can i be
a skeptic
about the
resurrection and
coming to life again

since in this world
i have many times
like my own imagination
died and
been born again

that is why
after a long agonizing life
as a hunter
i finally let go and got
hunted down and became free

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

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

I was going to tell you my story
but waves of pain drowned my voice.
I tried to utter a word but my thoughts
became fragile and shattered like glass.
Even the largest ship can capsize
in the stormy sea of love,
let alone my feeble boat
which shattered to pieces leaving me nothing
but a strip of wood to hold on to.
Small and helpless, rising to heaven
on one wave of love and falling with the next
I don't even know if I am or I am not.
When I think I am, I find myself worthless,
when I think I am not, I find my value.
Like my thoughts, I die and rise again each day
so how can I doubt the resurrection?
Tired of hunting for love in this world,
at last I surrender in the valley of love
and become free.

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

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

~


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

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

[Sunlight] "The ultimate end of all hands"

~

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

Hand is above hand, child, in skill and in strength,
up to the Essence of God.
The ultimate end of all hands is the Hand of God:
the ultimate end of all torrents is undoubtedly the sea.
From it the clouds take their origin,
and in it, too, the torrent has an end.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dast bar bâlâ dastast ay fatâ
dar fann o dar zur tâ Zât-e Khodâ
Montahâ-ye dast-hâ Dast-e Khodâst
bahr bi shakk montahâ-ye sayl-hâst
Ham azu girand mâyeh abr-hâ
ham bedu bâshad nehâyat-e sayl-râ

-- Mathnawi, IV:3162-3164
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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

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Monday, January 12, 2009

[Sunlight] "Sunlight washes a dark face" -- Ghazal 3438

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Light again, and the one who brings light!
Change the way you live!

From the ocean vat, wine fire in each cup!
Two or three of the long dead wake up.
Two or three drunks become lion hunters.

Sunlight washes a dark face.
The flower of what's true opens in the face.
Meadowgrass and garden ground grow damp again.
A strong light like fingers massages our heads.
No dividing these fingers from those.

Draw back the lock bolt.
One level flows into another.
Heat seeps into everything.
The passionate pots boil.
Clothing tears into the air.
Poets fume shreds of steam,
never so happy as out in the light.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 3438
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
Castle Books, 1997

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

~


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

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Friday, January 09, 2009

[Sunlight] Bravery, compassion and pain -- Ghazal 2206

~


Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2206, from Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shams" ("The Collection of Shams), in a version by Professor Coleman
Barks, and in translation by Professor William Chittick:


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

"Not Here"

There's courage involved if you want
to become truth. There is a broken-

open place in a lover. Where are
those qualities of bravery and sharp

compassion in this group? What's the
use of old and frozen thought? I want

a howling hurt. This is not a treasury
where gold is stored; this is for copper.

We alchemists look for talent that
can heat up and change. Lukewarm

won't do. Halfhearted holding back,
well-enough getting by? Not here.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Brother! To be a lover you must have pain!
Where is your pain? Sincerity and patience require
a man. Where is the man?
How much longer will your invocation be
congealed and your meditation paralyzed? Where
are passionate cries and a yellow face?
I am not looking for the elixir or gold. Where
is a receptive piece of copper? How can even a
lukewarm disciple attain passionate love? What
then if he's cold?

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

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

~


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

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Thursday, January 08, 2009

[Sunlight] The sign of intimate friendship

~

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

It is a sign of intimate friendship
when speech flows freely from the heart;
without intimacy, the flow is blocked.
When the heart has seen the sweetheart,
how can it remain bitter?
When a nightingale has seen the rose,
how can it keep from singing?

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

Jush-e notq az del neshân-e dustist
bastegi-ye notq az bi olfatist
Del keh delbar did kay mânad torosh
bolboli gol did kay manad khamosh

-- Mathnawi VI:2638-2639
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~


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

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Wednesday, January 07, 2009

[Sunlight] Looking for God -- Quatrain 44

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 44:

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

I pretended to leap
to see if I could live there.

Someday I must actually arrive there,
or nothing will be left to arrive.

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

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

i imagine marching
to heaven drunk
looking for God
if He is to be found
either my feet
must help me
reach my dream
or i'll lose my head
as i've lost my heart

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

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

~

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

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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

[Sunlight] "Pay attention, don't stir up the water"

~

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

The human being is like the water of the river:
when it becomes turbid, you can't see to the bottom.
The bottom of the river is full of jewels and pearls:
pay attention, don't stir up the water,
for originally it's pure and free from pollution.
The human spirit resembles the atmosphere:
when air is mixed with dust, it veils the sky,
and prevents the eye from seeing the sun;
but when the dust is gone, the air once again becomes pure.
Despite your complete darkness, God may offer you visions,
that you might find the way of deliverance.

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

Zânkeh mardom hast hamchon âb-e ju
chon shavad tireh na-bini qa`r-e u
Qa`r-e ju por-e gawharast o por ze dorr
hin ma-kon tireh keh hast u sâf horr
Jân-e mardom hast mânand havâ
chon be-gard âmikht shod pardeh-ye samâ
Mâne` âmad u ze did-e âftâb
chonkeh gardesh raft shod sâfi o nâb
Bâ kamâl-e tiregi Haqq vâqe`ât
mi namudet tâ ravi râh-e najât

-- Mathnawi IV: 2482-2386
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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

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Monday, January 05, 2009

[Sunlight] "A very topsy-turvy game"

In resuming posts after vacation, the Sunlight list takes this
opportunity to recognize Peter Bridge, who is retiring as moderator.
Grateful thanks to Peter for his dedication, support and countless
contributions to Sunlight over the past ten years!

~

God's reversal of things: Mathnawi V: 420-458, a poetic version
from Coleman Barks, and the literal translation from Reynold A.
Nicholson, from which Barks developed his version

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

"The Question"

One dervish to another, "What was your vision of God's presence"?
I haven't seen anything.
But for the sake of conversation, I'll tell you a story.

God's presence is there in front of me - a fire on the left,
a lovely stream on the right.
One group walks toward the fire, into the fire, another
toward the sweet flowing water.
No one knows which are blessed and which not.
Whoever walks into the fire appears suddenly in the stream.
And then a head goes under on the water surface, that head
pokes out of the fire.
Most people guard against going into the fire,
and so end up in it.
Those who love the water of pleasure and make it their devotion
are cheated with this reversal.
The trickery goes further.
The voice of the fire tells the truth saying, "I am not fire.
I am fountainhead. Come into me and don't mind the sparks."

If you are a friend of God, fire is your water.
You should wish to have a hundred thousand sets of mothwings,
so you could burn them away, one set a night.
The moth sees light and goes into fire. You should see fire
and go toward light. Fire is what of God that is world-consuming.
Water, world-protecting.
Somehow each gives the appearance of the other. To these eyes
you have now, what looks like water
burns. What looks like fire
is a great relief to be inside.
You've seen a magician make a bowl of rice
seem a dish of tiny, live worms.
Before an assembly with one breath he made the floor swarm
with scorpions that weren't there.
How much more amazing God's tricks.
Generation after generation lies down, defeated, they think,
but they're like a woman underneath a man, circling him.
One molecule-mote-second thinking of God's reversal
of comfort and pain is better
than any attending ritual. That splinter
of intelligence is substance.

The fire and water themselves:
accidental, done with mirrors."

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

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

~~Explaining that everyone knows the mercy of God, and
everyone knows the worth of God; and all are fleeing from the
wrath of God and clinging to the mercy of God; but the Most
High God has concealed wraths in mercy and mercies in wrath.
This is God's mystification and disguise and contrivance to the
end that the discerning who see by the Light of God may be
separated from those who see (only) the present and the visible;
for (He created death and life) that He might try you, which of
you is most righteous in his works.~~

One dervish said to another, "Tell (me), what was thy vision
of the Presence of God?*
He replied, "My vision was ineffable*; but for the sake of
argument I will briefly declare a parable thereof.
I beheld Him with a fire on His left, and on the right a stream
(like) Kawthar:
One party put forth their hands towards the fire, (while)
another party were rejoicing and intoxicated (with desire) for
that Kawthar.
But 'twas a very topsy-turvy (mystifying) game in the path
of every one doomed to perdition or blessed with salvation*.
Whoever went from the middle towards the water, he was at
once found to be in the fire;
Whoever went towards the right (hand) and the limpid water
would put forth his head from the fire on the left;
And he who went towards the fiery left, would emerge on
the right.
Few were they who hit upon (understood) the mystery of this
occult (matter); consequently the people were swindled by
this game.
Troop by troop and rank by rank, (they were) one their guard
against the fire and fleeing greedily and in haste towards the
water.
Of necessity, they lifted up their heads (emerged) from (amidst)
the fire. Take warning, take warning, O heedless man!
The fire was crying, 'O crazy fools, I am not fire, I am a
delectable fountain.
A spell has been cast on thine eyes, O sightless one: come
into me and never flee from the sparks.
O (thou who art as) Khalil (Abraham), here are no sparks and
smoke: "tis naught but the sorcery and deceit of Nimrod.
If, like the Friend of God, thou art wise, the fire is thy water,
and thou art the moth.'"
The soul of the moth* is always crying, "Oh, alas, would that
I had a hundred thousand wings,
That they might be consumed without mercy by the fire,
to the blindness (confusion) of the eyes and hearts of the profane!
The ignorant man pities me from stupidity: I pity him from
clairvoyance.
Especially this fire (of Love), which is the soul of (all) waters
(delights); (but) the behavior of the (ignorant) moth* is contrary
to ours.
It sees the light and goes into a Fire; the heart (of the mystic)
sees the fire and goes into a Light."
Such (a deceptive) game is played by* the Glorious God in
order that you may see who belongs to the kin of Khalil
(Abraham).
A fire has been given the semblance of water, and in fire
a fountain has been opened.
A magician by his art makes a dish of rice (appear to be) a dish
full of (tiny) worms in the assembly;
(Or) by the breath (power) of magic he has caused a room to
appear full of scorpions, though in truth there were no scorpions.
When sorcery produces a hundred such illusions, how (much
greater) must be the cunning of the Creator of sorcery?
Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after
generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman
(lying) flat beneath (sub marito).
Their magicians were slaves and servants, and fell into the
trap (of divine cunning) like wagtails.
Hark, read the Qur'an and behold lawful magic (in) the over-
throw of plots (huge) as the mountains*.
"I am not (like) Pharaoh that I should come to the Nile*;
"Tis not fire; (in reality) 'tis flowing water, (while) the other*,
through (Divine) cunning, is water whereof the (real) nature
is fire.
Excellently well said the complaisant* Prophet, "A mote of
intelligence is better for thee than fasting and performing the
ritual prayer,"
Because thy intelligence is the substance, (whereas) these two
(things) are accidents: these two are made obligatory in (the
case of persons who possess) the full complement of it*,
In order that the mirror (intelligence) may have (a bright)
lustre; for purity comes to the breast (heart) from piety.
But if the mirror is fundamentally depraved, (only) after a
long time does the polisher get it back* (to purity);
While (in the case of) the fine mirror, which is (like) a goodly
planting-ground, a little polishing is enough for it.

-- Translation by Reynold A. Nicholson
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Published and Distributed by
The Trustees of The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial," 1990

* "What was thy vision of God?": literally, "how didst thou behold
the Presence of God?"
* "My vision was ineffable": literally, "I beheld (Him) nohow."
* "in the path of every one doomed to perdition or blessed with
salvation":
literally, "before the feet of every one (who was) damned or blessed."
* "The soul of the moth": "The lover of God."
* "The ignorant moth": "Lover of the World."
* "Such game is played by": "literally, came from."
* "Read the Qur'an": Cf. Qur'an, XIV, 47.
* "I am not Pharaoh that I should come to the Nile":
The speaker is the "moth" (V. 439) which typifies the lover of God.
* "tis the flowing water, (while) the other": "I.e., the water of
worldliness
in which Pharaoh was drowned."
* "Complaisant": literally, "passing easily from one thing to another";
hence, generous in dealing with others.
* "These two are made obligatory in the full complement of it":
literally,
they are not obligatory in the case of madmen or young boys.
* "after a long time does the polisher get it back": literally, "bring it
to hand again."

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