Wednesday, September 30, 2009

[Sunlight] The Song of the Reed

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Mawlana Jalal-ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
was born on September 30, 1207

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In memory of the birth of Maulaana Jalalludin Balkhi, known as
Rumi, Sunlight offers the first verses from his Mathnawi, the story
of The Song of the Reed, in an interpretive version by Jonathan Star,
in translation by Dr. Franklin Lewis, and in translation by Dr.
Ibrahim Gamard, accompanied by a Persian transliteration.

Sunlight note: Dr. Gamard's unpublished translations of verses
from the Mathnawi received this review from Professor Lewis,
in "Rumi, Past and Present, East and West" (Oneworld, 2000): "Gamard
learned Persian out of devotion to Rumi and, judging from the samples
that have appeared on the Sunlight email list, the Gamard-Farhadi
translation ... preserves more of the poetic quality of the work than
Nicholson's parenthetic prose. (Further translations) will be warmly
welcomed."

Sunlight thanks Dr. Gamard for his generous contributions.


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

The Song of the Reed

Listen to the song of the reed,
How it wails with the pain of separation:

"Ever since I was taken from my reed bed
My woeful song has caused men and women to weep.
I seek out those whose hearts are torn by separation
For only they understand the pain of this longing.
Whoever is taken away from his homeland
Yearns for the day he will return.
In every gathering, among those who are happy or sad,
I cry with the same lament.
Everyone hears according to his own understanding,
None has searched for the secrets within me.
My secret is found in my lament
But an eye or ear without light cannot know it . . ."

The sound of the reed comes from fire, not wind
What use is one's life without this fire?
It is the fire of love that brings music to the reed.
It is the ferment of love that gives taste to the wine.
The song of the reed soothes the pain of lost love.
Its melody sweeps the veils from the heart.
Can there be a poison so bitter or a sugar so sweet
As the song of the reed?
To hear the song of the reed
everything you have ever known must be left behind.

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

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

Listen
as this reed
pipes its plaint
unfolds its tale
of separations:
Cut from my reedy bed
my crying
ever since
makes men and women
weep
I like to keep my breast
carved with loss
to convey
the pain of longing ---
Once severed
from the root
thirst for union
with the source
endures

I raise my plaint
in any kind of crowd
in front of both
the blessed and the bad
For what they think they hear me say, they love me --
None gaze in me my secrets to discern
My secret is not separate from my cry
But ears and eyes lack light to see it.

Not soul from flesh
nor flesh from soul are veiled
yet none is granted leave to see the soul.
Fire, not breath, makes music through that pipe --
Let all who lack that fire be blown away.
It is love's fire that inspires the reed
It's love's ferment that bubbles in the wine
The reed, soother to all sundered lovers --
its piercing modes reveal our hidden pain:
(What's like the reed, both poison and physic,
Soothing as it pines and yearns away?)
The reed tells the tale of a blood-stained quest
singing legends of love's mad obsessions

Only the swooning know such awareness
only the ear can comprehend the tongue

In our sadness time slides listlessly by
the days searing inside us as they pass.

But so what if the days may slip away?
so long as you, Uniquely Pure, abide.

Within this sea drown all who drink but fish
If lived by bread alone, the day seems long
No raw soul ever kens the cooked one's state
So let talk of it be brief; go in piece.

Break off your chains
My son, be free!
How long enslaved
by silver, gold?
Pour the ocean
in a pitcher,
can it hold more
than one day's store?
The jug, like a greedy eye,
never gets its fill
only the contented oyster holds the pearl

The one run ragged by love and haggard
gets purged of all his faults and greeds
Welcome, Love!
sweet salutary suffering
and healer of our maladies!

cure of our pride
of our conceits,
our Plato,
Our Galen!
By Love
our earthly flesh
borne to heaven
our mountains
made supple
moved to dance

Love moved Mount Sinai, my love,
and it made Moses swoon. [K7:143]

Let me touch those harmonious lips
and I, reed-like, will tell what may be told

A man may know a myriad of songs
but cut from those who know his tongue, he's dumb.
Once the rose wilts and the garden fades
the nightingale will no more sing his tune.

The Beloved is everything -- the lover, a veil
The Beloved's alive -- the lover carrion.
Unsuccored by love, the poor lover is
a plucked bird
Without the Beloved's
surrounding illumination
how perceive what's ahead
and what's gone by?

Love commands these words appear
if no mirror reflects them
in whom lies the fault?
The dross obscures your face
and makes your mirror
unable to reflect

-- Mathnawi I: 1 - 34
Translation by Professor Franklin D. Lewis
"Rumi -- Past and Present, East and West"
Oneworld, Oxford, 2000

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

The Song of the Reed
Mathnawi I: 1-18

Listen* to the reed (flute),* how it is complaining!* It is
telling about separations,*
(Saying), "Ever since I was severed from the reed field,* men and
women have lamented in (the presence of) my shrill cries.*
"(But) I want a heart (which is) torn, torn from separation, so
that I may explain* the pain of yearning."*
"Anyone one who has remained far from his roots,* seeks a return
(to the) time of his union.*
"I lamented in every gathering; I associated with those in bad or
happy circumstances.
"(But) everyone became my friend from his (own) opinion; he did
not seek my secrets* from within me.
"My secret is not far from my lament, but eyes and ears do not
have the light* (to sense it).
"The body is not hidden from the soul, nor the soul from the body;
but seeing the soul is not permitted."*
The reed's cry is fire* -- it's not wind! Whoever doesn't have
this fire, may he be nothing!*
It is the fire of Love that fell into the reeds. (And) it is the
ferment of Love that fell into the wine.*
The reed (is) the companion of anyone who was severed from a
friend; its melodies tore our veils.*
Who has seen a poison and a remedy like the reed? Who has seen
a harmonious companion and a yearning friend like the reed?
The reed is telling the story of the path full of blood;* it is
telling stories of Majnoon's (crazed) love.*
There is no confidant (of) this understanding* except the senseless!
* There is no purchaser of that tongue* except the ear [of the
mystic.]
In our longing,* the days became (like) evenings;* the days
became fellow-travellers with burning fevers.
If the days have passed, tell (them to) go, (and) don't worry.
(But) You remain!* -- O You, whom no one resembles in Purity!
Everyone becomes satiated by water,* except the fish. (And)
everyone who is without daily food [finds that] his days become
long.*
None (who is) "raw" can understand the state of the "ripe."*
Therefore, (this) speech must be shortened. So farewell!*

-- From "The Mathnawî-yé Ma`nawî" [Rhymed
Couplets of Deep Spiritual Meaning] of
Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard
(with grateful acknowledgement of R.A. Nicholson's
1926 translation)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, and
transliteration)

*Listen: states of spiritual ecstasy were induced in sufi gatherings
by listening to mystical poetry and music. During such a "mystical
concert" [samâ`-- literally, "audition" or "hearing" session] some
dervishes would enter a spiritual state of consciousness and
spontaneously begin to move. Sometimes they would stand up and
dance or whirl. They would listen to the poetry or music as if they
were hearing the voice of God, the Beloved. Such gatherings were
controversial, were criticized by orthodox Muslim leaders, and were
practiced by very few sufi orders-- usually with restrictions and high
standards for participants.

*the reed [nay]: a flute made by cutting a length of a naturally
hollow reed cane and adding finger holes. "The nay or reed-flute as
the poet's favourite musical instrument and has always been associated
with the religious services of the Mawlawí ["Whirling Dervish"]
Order, in which music and dancing are prominent features."
(Nicholson, Commentary). The reed flute symbolizes the soul which
is emptied of ego-centered desires and preoccupations and is filled
with a spiritual passion to return to its original nearness to God.
Rumi said, "The world (is) like a reed pipe [sornây], and He blows
into every hole of it; every wail it has (is) certainly from those two
lips like sugar. See how He blows into every (piece of) clay (and)
into every heart; He gives a need and He gives a love which raises up
a lament about misfortune." (Ghazal 532, lines 5664-5665) Rumi
also said, "We have all been part of Adam (and ) we have heard those
melodies in Paradise. Although (bodily) water and clay have cast
skepticism upon us, something of those (melodies) comes (back) to
our memory.... Therefore, the mystical concert has become the food
of the lovers (of God) for in it is the image of (heavenly) reunion."
(Mathnawî IV: 736-737, 742)

*separations: "The point is that while self-conscious lovers complain
of separation from the beloved one, and reproach her for her cruelty,
the mystic's complaint (shikáyat) is really no more than the tale
(hikákat) of his infinite longing for God-- a tale which God
inspires him to tell." (Nicholson, Commentary). Rumi said: "I'm
complaining [shikâyat mê-kon-am] about the Soul of the soul;
but I am not a complainer [shâkê] -- I'm relating words
[rawâyat mê-kon-am]. (My) heart keeps saying, 'I'm afflicted by
Him!' And I have been laughing at (its) feeble pretense." (Mathnawî I:
1781-82). "Be empty of stomach and cry out, in neediness (neyâz),
like the reed flute! Be empty of stomach and tell secrets like the
reed pen!" (Divan: Ghazal 1739, line 18239). "Lovers (are) lamenting
like the reed flute [nây], and Love is like the Flutist. So, what
things will this Love breathe into the reed pipe [sôr-nây] of
the body?! The reed pipe is visible, but the pipe-player is hidden.
In short, my reed pipe became drunk from the wine of His lips.
Sometimes He caresses the reed pipe, sometimes he bites it. (Such) a
sigh, because of this sweet-songed reed-breaking Flutist!" (Divan:
Ghazal 1936, lines 20374-20376)
Nicholson later changed his translation, based on the earliest
manuscripts of the Mathnawi, to "Listen to this reed how it
complains: it is telling a tale of separations" (from, "Listen to the
reed how it tells a tale, complaining of separations." This is what
the earliest known manuscript has. (This is the "Konya Manuscript,"
completed five years after Rumi died, and written by Muhammad ibn
Abdullâh Qûnyawî, a disciple of Rumi's son, Sultân Walad,
under his supervision together with Husâmuddîn Chelabî --
who was present with Rumi during the dictation of every verse of the
Mathnawi.) All manuscripts and editions after the 13th century
adopted a changed (and "improved") version of this line: "Listen
from the nay, how it tells a story... [be-sh'naw az nay chûn
Hikâyat mê-kon-ad / az jodâ'îy-hâ shikâyat
mê-kon-ad].

*the reed field [nay-estân]: lit., "place of reeds." A symbol for
the original homeland of the soul, when it existed harmoniously in the
presence of God. "... referring to the descent of the soul from the
sphere of Pure Being and Absolute Unity, to which it belongs and
would fain return." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*in (the presence of) my shrill cries: Nicholson later changed his
translation, based on the earliest manuscript, to: "man and woman
have moaned in (unison) with my lament" [dar nafîr-am] (from, "my
lament hath caused [az nafîr-am] man and woman to moan").

*explain: a pun on the two meanings of the same word [sharH],
"explanation" and "torn."

*the pain of yearning: The longing of love is painful, because of
separation-- yet also sweet. This is because the longing brings
remembrance of the beloved's beauty. Longing for nearness to a
human beloved, such as a spiritual master, is a means for the
spiritual disciple to increase his longing for nearness to God, the
only Beloved. Rumi said: "If thought of (longing) sorrow is
highway-robbing (your) joy, (yet) it is working out a means to
provide joy.... It is scattering the yellow leaves from the branch of
the heart so that continual green leaves may grow.... Whatever
(longing) sorrow sheds or takes from the heart, truly it will bring
better in exchange." (Mathnawi V:3678, 3680, 3683)

*roots: also means foundation, source, origin.

*union: also means being joined.

*my secrets: "The Perfect Man (prophet or saint) is a stranger in the
world, unable to communicate his sorrows or share his mystic
knowledge except with one of his own kind; he converses with all
sorts of people, worldly and spiritual alike, but cannot win from
them the heartfelt sympathy and real understanding which he craves.
This is the obvious sense of the passage, and adequate so far as it
goes, but behind it lies a far-reaching doctrine concerning the
spiritual "Descent of Man.' .... The whole series of planes forms the
so-called 'Circle of Existence', which begins in God and ends in
God and is traversed by the soul in its downward journey through
the Intelligences, the Spheres, and the Elements and then upward
again, stage by stage-- mineral, vegetable, animal, and man-- till as
Perfect man it completes its evolution and is re-united with the
Divine Soul..." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*the light: refers to the ancient Greek theory of Galen, that vision
is caused by an "inner light" within the eye. Similarly, the faculty
of hearing was believed to be caused by an "inner air" within the ear.

*not permitted: "As the vital spirit, though united with the body, is
invisible, so the inmost ground of words issuing from an inspired
saint cannot be perceived by the physical senses." (Nicholson,
Commentary) The reed flute's speech ends here, and Rumi's
commentary begins next.

*The reed's cry is fire: Nicholson, in his Commentary, quotes
Rumi's verse (Divan, Ghazal 2994, line 31831): "The flute is all afire
and the world is wrapped in smoke; / For fiery is the call of Love
that issues from the flute."

*may he be nothing [nêst bâd]: a pun on another meaning of these
words -- "it's not wind." It means, "May he experience absence of
self so that he may burn with yearning love for the presence of the
Beloved." Nicholson interpreted that this means, "The Mathnawí is
not mere words; its inspiration comes from God, whose essence is
Love. May those yet untouched by the Divine flame be naughted, i.e.
die to self!" He said that the words here [nêst bâd] "should
not be taken as an imprecation [== a cursing]; the poet, I think,
prays that by Divine grace his hearers may be enraptured and lose
themselves in God." (Commentary)

*into the wine: "i.e. Love kindles rapture in the heart and makes it
like a cup of foaming wine." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*tore our veils [parda-hâ]: a pun on the two meanings of this word,
"veils" and "melodies." The meaning of this line is that the sounds of
pure yearning from the reed flute tore through the veils covering up
the inward spiritual yearning of listening mystics -- the sufis, who
have had the capacity to understand the meaning of the reed flute's
melodious wails. This is a reference to the "mystical concert"
[samâ`] of the Mevlevi ("Whirling") dervishes in which the reed
flute is prominent.

*the path full of blood: "the thorny path of Love, strewn with
(Díwán, SP, XLIV, 6) 'with thousands slain of desire who
manfully yielded up their lives'; for Love 'consumes everything else
but the Beloved' (Math. V 588)." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*Majnoon's crazed love: "Majnún: the mad lover of Laylà: in
Súfí literature, a type of mystical self-abandonment."
(Nicholson, Commentary). Majnoon (lit., "jinn-possessed") was a
legendary Arab lover whose love for the beautiful Laylà [lit., "of
the night"] made him crazy. Majnoon's love for Layla also symbolizes the
perception of spiritual realities seen only by mystics, as in Rumi's
lines: "The Caliph said to Layla, Are you the one by whom Majnoon
became disturbed and led astray? You are not more (beautiful) than
other fair ones. She said, Be silent, since you are not Majnoon!"
(Mathnawi I: 407-08; see also V:1999-2019, 3286-99) This
"craziness" of being an ecstatic mystic lover of God is quite
different from the craziness of being psychotic or mentally ill.
*this understanding: "the spiritual or universal reason (`aql-i
ma`ád) and transcendental consciousness of those who have escaped
from the bondage of the carnal or discursive reason (`aql-i
ma`ásh)." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*the senseless [bê-hôsh]: a play on "understanding" (hôsh),
and also means devoid of understanding lacking reason, swooned and
insensible. The meaning is that no one can understand mystical
understanding except one who is able to transcend the intellect.
*that tongue: an idiom for language. The meaning is that only a
mystic who is capable of passing beyond the senses and ordinary
mind has an "ear" which can understand the "tongue" or language of
the heart. Nicholson explained: "i.e. every one desires to hear what
is suitable to his understanding; hence the mysteries of Divine Love
cannot be communicated to the vulgar" [== ordinary people].
(Commentary)

*longing [gham]: lit., "grief." An idiom here, meaning the suffering
of longing love.

*evenings [bê-gâh]: An idiom meaning "evening." Means that the
days became quickly used-up. Nicholson (1926) erred in translating
this idiom too literally as "untimely." (I am indebted to Dr. Ravan
Farhadi, an Afghan scholar, for this understanding of the idiom.)

*but You remain: 26. God is addressed directly as "Thou," or
perhaps indirectly as "Love." "The meaning is: 'What matter though
our lives pass away in the tribulation of love, so long as the Beloved
remains?'" (Nicholson, Commentary)

*water (âbash): Nicholson later corrected his translation to,
"except the fish, every one becomes sated with water" (from, "Whoever
is not a fish becomes sated with His water"). As Nicholson pointed
out, the word for "water" here [âbash] is a noun (as in III: 1960--
Commentary). It therefore does not mean "his water" or "water for
him" [âb-ash]. Nicholson also explained: "The infinite Divine grace
is to the gnostic [== mystic knower] what water is to the fish, but his
thirst can never be quenched." (Commentary)

*become long: Nicholson mentions this as "alluding to the proverb,
harkih bí-sír-ast rúz-ash dír-ast" [The day are long for
whoever is without satisfaction] (Commentary)

*the state of the ripe [pokhta]: refers to the spiritual state of the
spiritually mature, experienced, refined. This contrasts to the state
of the raw [khâm]-- the unripe, immature, inexperienced, uncooked,
the one who bears no fruit. Rumi has been quoted as saying, "The
result of my life is no more than three words: I was raw [khâm], I
became cooked [pokhta], I was burnt [sokht]." However, this is not
supported by the earliest manuscripts (collected by Faruzanfar), only
one of which contains the following: "The result for me is no more
than these three words: I am burnt, I am burnt, I am burnt (or: I am
inflamed, burned, and consumed-- Divan, Ghazal 1768, line 18521).
In Rumi's famous story of the man who knocked on the door of a
friend, the visitor was asked who he was and he answered, "Me."
He was told to go, for he was too "raw" [khâm]. The man was then
"cooked" by the fire of separation and returned a year later. Asked
who he was, he answered, "Only you are at the door, O beloved."
His spiritual friend then said, "Now, since you are me, O me, come
in. There isn't any room for two me's in the house!" (Mathnawi I:
3056-63)

*farewell: Here, Rumi's famous first eighteen verses end. Rumi's
close disciple, Husamuddin Chelebi had asked him one night: "'The
collections of odes [ghazalîyât] have become plentiful....
(But) if there could be a book with the quality of (the sufi poet
Sana'i's) 'Book of the Divine,' yet in the (mathnawi) meter of (the
sufi poet Attar's) 'Speech of the Birds,' so that it might be
memorized among the knowers and be the intimate companion of the
souls of the lovers ... so that they would occupy themselves with
nothing else...' At that moment, from the top of his blessed turban,
he [Rumi] put into Chelebi Husamuddin's hand a portion (of verses),
which was the Explainer of the secrets of Universals and particulars.
And in there were the eighteen verses of the beginning of the
Mathnawi: 'Listen to this reed, how it tells a tale...." (Aflaki, pp.
739-741) After that, Husamuddin was present with Rumi for every verse
he composed of the Mathnawi during the next twelve years until Rumi's
death. The number eighteen has been considered sacred in the Mevlevi
tradition ever since.

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

be-sh'naw în nay chûn shikâyat mê-kon-ad
az jodâ'îy-hâ hikâyat mê-kon-ad

k-az nayestân tâ ma-râ bo-b'rîda-and
dar nafîr-am mard-o zan nâlîda-and

sîna khwâh-am sharHa sharHa az firâq
tâ be-gôy-am sharH-é dard-é ishtiyâq

har kasê k-ô dûr mând az aSl-ê khwêsh
bâz jôy-ad rôzgâr-é waSl-é khwêsh

man ba-har jam`îyatê nâlân shod-am
joft-é bad-Hâl-ân-o khwash-Hâl-ân shod-am

har kasê az Zann-é khwad shod yâr-é man
az darûn-é man na-joft asrâr-é man

sirr-é man az nâla-yé man dûr nêst
lêk chashm-o gôsh-râ ân nûr nêst

tan ze-jân-o jân ze-tan mastûr nêst
lêk kas-râ dîd-é jân dastûr nêst

âtesh-ast în bâng-é nây-o nêst bâd
har-ke în âtesh na-dâr-ad nêst bâd

âtesh-é `ishq-ast k-andar nây fotâd
jôshesh-é `ishq-ast k-andar may fotâd

nay Harîf-é har-ke az yârê bor-îd
parda-hâ-ash parda-hâ-yé mâ darîd

ham-chô nay zahrê wo tiryâqê ke dîd?
ham-cho nay dam-sâz-o mushtâqê ke dîd?

nay HadîS-é râh-é por khûn mê-kon-ad
qiSSa-hâ-yé `ishq-é majnûn mê-kon-ad

maHram-é în hôsh joz bê-hôsh nêst
mar zabân-râ mushtarê joz gôsh nêst

dar gham-é mâ rôz-hâ bê-gâh shod
rôz-hâ bâ sôz-hâ ham-râh shod

rôz-hâ gar raft gô raw bâk nêst
tô be-mân ay ân-ke chûn tô pâk nêst

har-ke joz mâhê ze-âbash sêr shod
har-ke bê-rôzî-st rôz-ash dêr shod

dar na-yâb-ad Hâl-é pokhta hêch khâm
pas sokhon kôtâh bây-ad wa s-salâm

(meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)

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

~

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

[Sunlight] Where there is doubt, He establishes certainty

~

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


How long will you say, "I will conquer the whole world
and fill it with myself"?
Even if snow covered the world completely,
the sun could melt it with a glance.
A single spark of God's mercy
can turn poison into springwater.
Where there is doubt,
He establishes certainty.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chand guyi man be-giram `âlami
in jahân-râ por konam az khvod hami
Gar jahân por-e barf gardad sar ba-sar
tâb-e khur be-godâzdesh bâ yak nazar
Vezr-e U va sad vazir va sad hazâr
nist gardând Khodâ az yak sherâr
`Ayn-e ân takhyil-râ hekmat konad
`ayn-e ân zahr âb-râ sharbat konad
n gomân angiz-râ sâzad yaqin
mehr-hâ ruyând az asbâb-e kin

-- Mathnawi I:542-546
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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Monday, September 28, 2009

[Sunlight] Wake up to the call of prayer -- Ghazal 255

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 0255, from Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shams," in a translation by Kolin and Mafi, and in a version by Barks:

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

Wake up in the morning breeze
to the call for prayer and hear
the music fill the air.
Rejoice
and fill your cup with the wine of love.
Pass it around, pass it to me first,
so I can be drunk with ecstasy
but bind my feet so I don't wander.
My life, my strength, my faith are in your hands.
Launch me in the sea of love
and let me sail.

Shams, you are the Lord of all Kings
your words are my eternal treasure.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wake up with the morning breeze
and ask for a change. Open and fill yourself
with the wine that is your life.
Pass it around. Pass it to me first!
Revive me with your waking.
Listen to the harp-sound, and sing.
Dawn-music is your joy.
Give me your excitement, but let it ground me,
so I don't wander. Watch the ripples
on the surface. Then launch me
like a ship. Once I was only a piece of wood.
Then Moses threw me down,
and now I'm a powerful dragon. I was dead.
Jesus raised me. Muhammed spoke,
and this tree shimmered.

Say the word again, Shams,
so we can feel you, your light
within everything.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
(from a translation by John Moyne)
"These Branching Moments"
Copper Beach Press, 1988

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

~

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

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Friday, September 25, 2009

[Sunlight] Manifesting Prayer

~

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


Abandon the dry prayer of words,
for the tree presupposes the scattering of seeds.
Yet even if you have no seed, due to your prayer,
God will bestow upon you a palm tree
saying, "How well did he labor!"
Like Mary—she had heartfelt pain, but no seed:
an artful One made that withered palm tree green for her sake.
Because that noble Lady was loyal to God,
God fulfilled a hundred desires without desire on her part.

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

Pas do`â-ye khoshk hel ay nikbakht
keh fashânad dâneh mi khvâhad derakht
Gar na-dâri dâneh Izad zân do`â
bakhshadet nakhli keh "ni`m mâ sa`â"
Hamcho Maryam dard budesh dâneh ni
sabz kard ân nakhl-râ Sâheb-e fanni
Zânke vâfi bovad ân khâtun-e râdd
bi morâdesh dâd Yazdân sad morâd

-- Mathnawi V: 1188-1191
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

[Sunlight] Journey in yourself, journey out of self -- Ghazal 1142

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1142, from Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shams-e Tabrizi"*, in a version by Star, a translation by Schimmel, a
version by Barks, and a translation by Nicholson (from which the
Barks version is derived).

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

If a tree could run or fly
it would not suffer from the teeth of a saw
or the blows of an axe.
If the Sun did not run across the sky
the world would not see
the colors of morning.

If water did not rise from the sea
plants would not be quickened
by rivers or rain.
It's only when a drop leaves the ocean ˆ and returns ˆ
that it can find an oyster
and become a pearl.

When Joseph left his father
both were weeping.
Didn't he gain a kingdom and a fortune
in the end?
Didn't the Prophet
gain the world and a hundred empires
by traveling to Medina?

But you have no need to go anywhere ˆ
journey within yourself.
Enter a mine of rubies
and bathe in the splendor of your own light.

O great one,
Journey from self to Self
and find the mine of gold.
Leave behind what is sour and bitter ˆ
move toward what is sweet.
Be like the thousand different fruits
that grow from briny soil.

This is the miracle ˆ
Every tree becomes beautiful
when touched by sunlight;
Every soul becomes God
when touched by the Sun of Tabriz.

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

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

Oh, if a tree could wander
and move with foot and wings!
It would not suffer the axe blows
and not the pain of saws!
For would the sun not wander
away in every night ˆ
How could at ev'ry morning
the world be lighted up?
And if the ocean's water
would not rise to the sky,
How would the plants be quickened
by streams and gentle rain?
The drop that left its homeland,
the sea, and then returned ˆ
It found an oyster waiting
and grew into a pearl.
Did Yusaf not leave his father,
in grief and tears and despair?
Did he not, by such a journey,
gain kingdom and fortune wide?
Did not the Prophet travel
to far Medina, friend?
And there he found a new kingdom
and ruled a hundred lands.
You lack a foot to travel?
Then journey into yourself!
And like a mine of rubies
receive the sunbeams' print!
Out of yourself ˆ such a journey
will lead you to your self,
It leads to transformation
of dust into pure gold!

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

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

If a tree could fly off, it wouldn't suffer the saw.
The sun hurries all night to be back for morning.
Salty water rises in the air, so the garden
will be drenched with fresh rain.

A drop leaves home, enters a certain shell,
and becomes a pearl.
Joseph turns from his weeping father, toward Egypt.
Remember how that turned out!

Journeys bring power and love
back into you. If you can't go somewhere,
move in the passageways of the self.
They are like shafts of light,
always changing, and you change
when you explore them.

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

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

XXVII

If a tree might move by foot and sing;
It would not suffer the pain of the saw or the blows of
the axe.
And if the sun did not fare by wing and foot every night,
How would the world be illuminated at morning-tide?
And if the salt water did not go up from the sea* to
the sky,
Whence would the garden be quickened by river and rain?
When the drop departed from its native home and returned,
It found a shell and became a pearl.
Did not Joseph go on a journey from his father, weeping?
Did he not, in the journey, come to fortune and kingdom
and victory?
Did not Mustafa go a-journeying toward Medina,
Gain sovereignty and become lord of an hundred lands?
Tho' you have no feet choose to journey in yourself,*
Like the ruby-mine receive a print from the sunbeams.*
Make a journey out of self into Self, O master,
For by such a journey earth becomes a quarry of gold.*
From sourness and bitterness advance to sweetness,
Even as from briny soil a thousand sorts of fruit spring up.
From the Sun, pride of Tabriz, behold these miracles,
For every tree gains beauty by the light of the sun.

-- Translation by R.A. Nicholson
"Selected Poems from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz"
From Tabriz Edition 33.11a
Cambridge at the University Press, 1952 Edition

Nicholson's Notes:

* "the sea" -- the sea of Absolute Being
* "journey into yourself" -- Cf. the hadis: "He who knows himself
knows his Lord."
* "Like the ruby-mine receives a print from the sunbeams"

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

~

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

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

[Sunlight] Don't talk about the journey

~

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

come come come
my endless desires
come come come

come my beloved
come my sweetheart
come come come

don't talk about the journey
say no more
of the path one must take

you are my path
you are my journey
come come come

you stole from this earth
a bouquet of roses
i am hidden in that bouquet
come come come

as long as i am sober
and keep talking about
good and bad
i'm missing
the most important event
seeing your face
come come come

i must be a moron
missing this life
if i don't cast my mind
in the fire of your love
come come come

-- Ode (Ghazal) 156
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~

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

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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

[Sunlight] Take simplicity as your companion

~

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


O, how often have knowledge and wit
become as deadly to the wayfarer as any demon or bandit!
Most of those destined for Paradise are simple-minded,
so that they escape from the mischief of philosophy.
Strip yourself of useless learning and vanity,
so that every moment Divine mercy may descend upon you.
Cleverness is the opposite of humbleness and supplication:
give up cleverness and take simplicity as your companion.
Know that cleverness is a trap for victory and ambition:
why should the pure devotee wish to be clever?
The clever are content with an ingenious device;
the simple have left all artifice
to be at rest with the Artificer,
because at breakfast time a mother will have gathered
the little child's hands and feet in repose upon her breast.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ay basâ `elm o zakâvât o fetan
gashteh rah-raw-râ ghul o râh-zan
Bish-tar as.hâb-e Jannat ablahand
tâ ze sharr-e faylasufi mi rahand
Khvish-râ `oryân kon az fazl o fozul
tâ konad rahmat beh-to har dam nozul
Ziraki zedd-e shekast ast o niyâz
zireki bo-g'zâr o bâ guli be-sâz
Ziraki dân dâm-e bard o tama` o gâz
tâ cheh khvâhad zireki-râ pâk bâz
Zirakân bâ san`ati qâne` shodeh
ablahân az son` dar Sâne` shodeh
Zânkeh tefl-e khord-râ mâdar nahâr
dast o pâ bâshad nehâdeh bar kenâr

-- Mathnawi VI:2369-2375
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)


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

~

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

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Monday, September 21, 2009

[Sunlight] Ramadan came to the heart's temple -- Ghaal 370

~

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

Ramadan came, but Bairam is with us.
The lock came, but the key is with us.

Mouth is closed. Eyes are opened.
That brilliance that the eyes see is with us.

We have cleaned soul and heart with fasting.
The dirt which has been with us is cleansed now.

Some stress comes from fasting,
But the invisible treasure of heart is with us.

Ramadan came to the heart's temple;
The one who created heart is with us.

Since Salahuddin* is among this crowd,
Mansur and Beyazid* are with us.


*Salahuddin: Rumi's closest spiritual companion and disciple following
the final disappearance of Shams-e Tabriz, whom he put in charge of
the spiritual training of his disciples.

*Mansur and Beyazid: two famous Sufis of the past, Mansur al-Hallaj
and Beyazid Bestami.

-- Ghazal No. 370 from the Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi
Translated by Nevit Ergin
(from the Turkish translation of the original
Persian by Golpinarli)
"Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi: Divan-i Kebir,"
Volume 18, 2002.

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

~

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

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Friday, September 18, 2009

[Sunlight] "With God's presence"

~

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

Life without repentance is spiritual agony;
to be absent from God is immediate death.
Life and death both are sweet with God's presence:
without God even the Water of Life is fire.

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

`Omr bi tawbeh hameh jân kandan ast
marg-e hâzer ghâyeb az Haqq budan ast
`Omr o marg in har do bâ Haqq khvosh bovad
bi Khodâ Âb-e Hayât âtesh bovad

-- Mathnawi V: 770-771
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, September 17, 2009

[Sunlight] Do not wander without a guide

~

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

If you do not possess the staff of caution and
discrimination, use the eyes of him who sees.
If there is no staff of caution and discrimination,
do not wander on the road without a guide

-- Mathnawi III:277-278
Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

~


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

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

[Sunlight] "My only wish" -- Quatrain 24

~

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

Dear heart, where do you find
the courage to seek the Beloved
when you know He has annihilated
so many like you before?
I do not care, said my heart,
my only wish is to become
one with the Beloved.

-- Quatrain 24
Translation by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Whispers of the Beloved
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 1999

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

~

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

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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

[Sunlight] Become empty

~

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

The Prophet said that the true believer is like a lute
which makes music only when it's empty.
As soon as it's filled, the minstrel lays it down--
don't become full, for sweet is the touch of His hand.
Become empty and stay happily between His two fingers,
for "where" is intoxicated with the wine of "nowhere"*

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

Chon Payambar goft mo'men mez'harast
dar zamân-e khâliyi nâleh-garast
Chon shavad por motrebesh be-nehad ze dast
por ma-shaw k-âsib-e dast-e U khvoshast
Ti shaw o khvosh bâsh bayn-e esba`ayn
kaz may-e "lâ ayn"* sarmastast "ayn"

*The spiritual world, which transcends all spatial relations.


-- Mathnawi VI: 4213-4215
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, September 14, 2009

[Sunlight] No one know how what changes, changes

~

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

Morning: a polished knifeblade,
the smell of white camphor burning.

The sky tears his blue Sufi robe
deliberately in half.

Daylight Rumi drags his dark opposite
out of sight. A happy Turk comes in.
A grieving Hindu leaves.

The King of the Ethiopians goes.
Caesar arrives.

No one know how what changes,
changes,

One half of the planet is grass.
The other half grazing.

A pearl goes up for auction. No one has enough,
so the pearl buys itself.

We stand beside Noah and David and Rabia
and Jesus and Muhammed.

Quietness again lifts and planes out,
the blood in our heads gliding
in the sky of the brain.

Version by John Moyne & Coleman Barks
These Branching Moments
Copper Beech Press, 1988

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

~

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

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Friday, September 11, 2009

[Sunlight] "What a fine, broad kingdom"

~

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

In the world there are invisible ladders,
leading step by step to the summit of heaven.
There is a different ladder for every group,
a different heaven for every path.
Each one is ignorant of the other's condition in this wide kingdom which
has no end or beginning.
This one is amazed at that one and wonders why he is happy,
while that one is astonished at this one and asks why he is amazed.
God's earth is spacious*: every tree springs up from a certain soil.
The leaves and boughs sing thanks to God:
"What a fine, broad kingdom."
The nightingales hover around the fruiting blossom,
calling, "Give us some of what you drink."
This discourse has no end.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nardobân-hâyist penhân dar jahân
pâyeh pâyeh tâ `enân-e âsmân
Har goroh-râ nardobâni digarast
har ravesh-râ âsmâni digarast
Har yeki azhâl-e digar bi khabar
molk bâ pahnâ o bi pâyân o sar
In dar ân hayrân keh u chist khvosh
va ân darin khireh keh hayrat chistesh
Sahn-e Ard Allâh wâsi`* âmadeh
har derakhti az zamini sar zadeh
Bar derakhtân shokr guyân barg o shâkh
keh "Zehi molk o zehi `arseh-ye farâkh"
Bolbolân gerd-e shekufeh par gereh
keh "Az âncheh mi khvori mâ-râ be-deh"
In sokhan pâyân na-dârad kon roju`
su-ye ân rubâh o shir o soqm o ju`


-- Mathnawi V: 2556-2563
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, September 10, 2009

[Sunlight] "The arrows of larger bows" -- Ghazal 1658

~

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

THE ARROWS OF LARGER BOWS

I am a lover,
and from His love
I did not escape.
I am a warrior,
and from the field of battle
I did not escape.

Like a lion, I attacked lions,
but in the middle, like a fox,
I did not escape.

Though my aim was the cupola of heaven,
from the snares of this world,
I did not escape.

I was the medicine for every illness,
but from the pain of others
I did not escape.

I revered the prophets with all my soul,
but from evil company
I did not escape.

I am alive in this little box called life;
I am alive because my soul
did not escape.

The only reason I get hit
by the arrows of his eyes
is because from the arrows of larger bows
I did not escape.

The wounds of battle have turned to victory
because of the pain
I did not escape.

I am floating in a sea of nectar,
filled with every delight,
because of the hardships
I did not escape.

When my Master showed himself to me
I was stunned, I could not move –
From the onrush of both worlds
I could not escape!

-- Ode 1658
Poetic translation by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~

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Wednesday, September 09, 2009

[Sunlight] Look not at Time's events

~

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

"Look not at Time's events, which come from the
spheres and make life so disagreeable!
Look not at this dearth of daily bread and
means of livelihood! Look not at this famine and fear and
trembling!
Look at this: In spite of all the world's
bitterness, you are passionately and shamelessly attached to it.
Know that bitter tribulation is a Mercy! Know
that the Empire of Marv and Balkh* is a Vengeance! . . .
The cruelty of Time and of every suffering that
exists is easier than distance from God and heedlessness.
For that cruelty will pass, but distance from
Him will not. No one possesses good fortune but he who takes
to Him an aware spirit."

-- Mathnawi VI 1733-36, 56-57
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983, pp. 57-58.

* Balkh and Merv, two cities in Central Asia. A reference to Ibrahim Adham, the King of Balhk and Merv, who gave up his kingdom, freed himself from worldly attachments, and became a sufi. (Sunlight footnote)

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

~

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

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Tuesday, September 08, 2009

[Sunlight] When self-interest appears, virtue hides

~

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

Anger and lust make a man squint;
they cloud the spirit so it strays from truth.
When self-interest appears, virtue hides:
a hundred veils rise between the heart and the eye.

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

Chashm o shahvat mard-râ ahval kunad
ze esteqâmat ruh-râ mobdel konad
Chon gharaz âmad honar pushideh shod
sad hejâb az del be-su-ye dideh shod

-- Mathnawi I: 333-334
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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Monday, September 07, 2009

[Sunlight] "This reversed horseshoe"

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2958, from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams", in a version by Coleman Barks, and in the translation by A.J. Arberry, upon which Barks based his version:

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

The musician draws his hand across the strings,
so the idlers will come in off the street.
Those who have been waiting start to work.
The thieves of inner qualities no longer threaten.
They're brought to justice.
The figurers can't read their own column of figures.
Friend calls friend to a secret cave.

Saddle the nimble horses with gold-inlaid leather.
Let the pack-horses continue with their loads.
Comfort the grieving, not those who think only
of how to sell things. The sensualities they live for
are sharp points pushing into their flesh.
Those who walk into fire feel refreshed,
who run to water scald themselves.

The duty face of Moses moves toward light.
Pharoah parades into stupdity and humiliation.
The mystery of the way is the old trick
of reversing horsehsoes. Moses bends
to pick up a stick. It's alive.

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

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

Minstrel, when you draw your plectrums over the strings,
you draw into labor these idlers of the way.
Love, when you enter, you draw these tarriers in the world
of separation to the Beloved.
Despite the highwaymen you make the world secure, you
drag to the gallows the thieves of the heart city.
You see the cunning schemer, and cunningly blind him; when
you are the friend, you draw him into the cave.
You bind a golden saddle on the nimble-footed horses; the
evil pack-horses you draw to the baggage.
You cherish our melancholic ones every moment; our market-
minded ones you drag very miserably.
To the thorn-enduring lovers you show the rose bower; you
draw into the thorns the self-willed whose joy is but for a moment.
To him who enters the fire you give access to the water; he
who runs to water, you drag him into the flames.
To Moses, dusty of face, you give the way to glory; Pharaoh,
the seeker of pomp, you draw into disgrace.*
This reversed horsehoe acts without how and why; Moses the
stick-seeker, you draw into a serpent.**

* "Dusty of face" means humble.
** The "reversed horsehoe" is a metaphor for someone who reverses
the shoes of his horse in order to confuse the trail and mislead his
pursuers. Cf. Nicholson, Math. notes, 1:2841. The metaphor could refer
to the world as well.

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

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

~

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Friday, September 04, 2009

[Sunlight] "Companionship with the holy"

~

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

Companionship with the holy makes you one of them.
Though you're rock or marble, you'll become a jewel
when you reach the man of heart.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nâr-e khandân bâgh-râ khandân konad
sohbat-e mardânat az mardân konad
Gar to sang-e sakhreh va marmar shavi
chon be-sâheb-e del rasi gawhar shavi

-- Mathnawi I: 721-722
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Thursday, September 03, 2009

[Sunlight] Hidden behind dark veils woven by ourselves

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 57:

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

Love is our mother and
the way of our Prophet.
Yet, it is in our nature
to fight with Love.
We can't see you, mother,
hidden behind dark veils
woven by ourselves.

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


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

The manner and appearance of a prophet,
our secret origins, these are born
of a woman who still lives inside us,
though she's hiding from what we've become.

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, September 02, 2009

[Sunlight] “Seek nothing but the source” -- Ghazal 945

~

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

a voice out of this world
calls on our souls
not to wait any more
get ready to move
to the original home

your real home
your real birth place
is up here with the heavens
let your soul take a flight
like a happy phoenix

you've been tied up
your feet in the mud
your body roped to a log
break loose your ties
get ready for the final flight

make your last journey
from this strange world
soar for the heights
where there is no more
separation of you and your home

God has created
your wings not to be dormant
as long as you are alive
you must try more and more
to use your wings to show you're alive

these wings of yours
are filled with quests and hopes
if they are not used
they will wither away
they will soon decay

you may not like
what i'm going to tell you
you are stuck
now you must seek
nothing but the source

-- Ghazal 945
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

~


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

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Tuesday, September 01, 2009

[Sunlight] The treasure lies beneath the house

~

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

Demolish the house, for a hundred thousand houses
may be made from this carnelian.
The treasure lies beneath the house, and there is no other way:
don't be afraid of destroying the house and don't stand still,
for from one treasure in hand it is possible to build
a thousand houses without suffering toil and pain.
In the end this house will fall of itself into ruin,
and the treasure beneath it will certainly be uncovered.
But then the treasure won't be yours,
since your soul receives that divine gift as wages for destroying the house.
When it hasn't done the work, it earns no wages:
There is nothing for the human being hereafter
but recompense for that which she has wrought here.*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khâneh bar kon kaz `aqiq-e in yomn
sad hazârân khâneh shâyad sâkhtan
Ganj zir-e khâneh-st va châreh nist
az kharâbi ma-naddish va ma-'ist
Keh hazârân khâneh az yek naqd-e ganj
tavân `emârat kard bi taklif o ranj
`qebat-e in khâneh khvod virân shavad
ganj az ziresh yaqin `oryân shavad
Lik ân-e to na-bâshad zânkeh ruh
mozd-e virân kardanastesh ân fotuh
Chon na-kard ân kâr mozdesh hast lâ
laysa lil-insân illâ mâ sa`â*

*l `Imrân, 25

-- Mathnawi IV: 2540-2545
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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