Friday, October 30, 2009

[Sunlight] "My customer is God"

~

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

Dialectical knowledge, which is soulless,
enjoys the faces of its customers--
full of energy in the dispute,
but dead and gone when there is no customer.
My customer is God: he lifts me up,
for "God has purchased."

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

`Elm-e goftâri keh ân bi jân bud
`âsheq-e ru-ye kharidârân bud
Garcheh bâshad vaqt-e bahs-e `elm zaft
chon kharidâresh na-bâshad mord o raft
Moshtari-ye man Khodâyast u merâ
mi kashad bâlâ keh "Allâha-shtarâ" (Tawbeh, 111)

-- Mathnawi II: 2436-2438
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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

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Thursday, October 29, 2009

[Sunlight] There is my joy! -- Quatrain 269

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 269:

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

I see His face,
I see His smile –
There is my joy!
I feel His rage
I feel His painful blows –
There is my joy!

But what's this?
He has asked for my head!
At least He has asked me for something –
There is my joy!

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

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

I am in love not only
with his smile and radiant face
but also with his wrath and contempt.
He has asked for my head
I do not care if I lose it
what makes me ecstatic is
Him asking.

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


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

~


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

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

[Sunlight] "Your beloved lives next door" -- Ghazal 648

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (ode) 648, from the Diwan-e Shams*,
in translations by Annemarie Schimmel, Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam
Mafi, and by Franklin D. Lewis:

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

O you who've gone on pilgrimage -
where are you, where, oh where?
Here, here is the Beloved!
Oh come now, come, oh come!
Your friend, he is your neighbor,
he is next to your wall -
You, erring in the desert -
what air of love is this?
If you'd see the Beloved's
form without any form -
You are the house, the master,
You are the Kaaba, you! . . .
Where is a bunch of roses,
if you would be this garden?
Where, one soul's pearly essence
when you're the Sea of God?
That's true - and yet your troubles
may turn to treasures rich -
How sad that you yourself veil
the treasure that is yours!

-- Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
"I Am Wind, You are Fire"
Shambhala, 1992

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

Pilgrims
why are you turning round in circles,
what are you looking for?
The Beloved is here, why search in the desert?
If you look deep in your heart
you will find Him within yourself.
You have made the pilgrimage and
trod the path to Mecca many times.
You rave about the holy place
and say you've visited God's garden
but where is your bunch of flowers?
You tell stories about diving deep into the ocean
but where is your pearl?
There is some merit
in the suffering you have endured
but what a pity you have not discovered
the Mecca that's inside.

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

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

Pilgrims on the way! where are you?
Here is the beloved, here!
Your beloved lives next door
wall to wall
why do you wander
round and round the desert?

If you look into the face of Love
and not just at its superficial form
You yourselves become the house of God
and are its lords

Ten times
you trod the trek unto that house
For once
come into this house
climb onto this roof
That sweet house of sanctity --
you have described its features in detail
But give me now some indication
of the features of its Lord
If you have seen that garden,
where is your bouquet of souvenirs?
If you are from God's sea,
where is your mother of pearl soul?

And yet, may all your troubles
bring you treasure
What pity that your treasure
lies buried in your selves.

-- Translation by Franklin D. Lewis
"Rumi -- Past and Present, East and West"
Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 2000

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

**The "Divan-e Shams", the "Collection of Shams", is the collection
of Rumi's lyrical "Ghazals", named for his great friend, teacher, and
inspiration, Shams of Tabriz. -- Sunlight Ed.

~

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

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

[Sunlight] "The Key of the Way"

~

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

In consequence of a fractured leg,
God bestows a wing.
Likewise, from the depths of the pit,
He opens a door of escape.
God said, "Don't consider whether
you're up a tree or in a hole:
Consider Me, for I am the key of the way."

-- Mathnawi III, 4808-4809
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Threshold Books, 1996

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

~

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

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Monday, October 26, 2009

[Sunlight] Leave this theme of separation -- Ghazal 2357

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2357, from Molana's
"Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi"*, in a version by Coleman Barks,
and in a translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

You are granite.
I am an empty wine glass.

You know what happens when we touch!
You laugh like the sun coming up laughs
at a star that disappears into it.

Love opens my chest, and thought
returns to its confines.

Patience and rational considerations leave.
Only passion stays, whimpering and feverish.

Some men fall down in the road like dregs thrown out.
Then, totally reckless, the next morning,
they gallop out with new purposes.

Love is the Reality, and poetry is the drum
that calls us to that.

Don't keep complaining about loneliness!
Let the fear-language of that theme crack open
and float away.

Let the priest come down from his tower,
and not go back up!

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

Your heart has become like granite rock, and what can be
done with granite rock?
What can glass do with granite rock, except become shattered
to pieces.
You laugh like the true dawn that the star may yield its life
before you.
Since love opened its bosom, thought has fled into boundary;
When patience perceived that flight, it too escaped on horse.
Patience and reason are gone; passion remained, weeping and
in a fever.
Some men, being separated from your wine, are fallen on the
road like dregs;
Though their livers have turned to blood, yet they are nimble
and reckless on this path.
Because of this business we have become strangers to reason
and to the busybody heart.
Love is the reality of command; poetry is the drum of
indication.
Beware, for our prince is galloping, every morning he is on a raid.
Leave this theme of loneliness and separation, out of terror
of which descriptive language breaks.
The iman has fled; mo'azzen, be silent, descend from the minaret.

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

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

*The "Diwan" (alternately spelled "Divan") is one of Molana
Jalaluddin Rumi's three major works. "Shams-e Tabrizi" refers
to Shams of Tabriz, Rumi's teacher, inspiration, and friend.
-- Sunlight Ed.

~

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

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Friday, October 23, 2009

[Sunlight] The lords of the heart

~

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

Serve the elixir, like copper:
endure oppression, O heart,
from the one who holds the deed.
Who is it who holds the deed to the heart?
Know well, it is the lords of the heart
who, like day and night,
recoil from the world.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khedmat-e eksir kon mes-vâr to
jawr mi-kash ay del az deldâr to
Kist deldâr ahl-e del niku be-dân
keh cho ruz o shab jahânand az jahân


-- Mathnawi II: 3475-3476
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, October 22, 2009

[Sunlight] Split open with yearning -- Ghazal 2157

~


Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2157, in three
presentations -- a translation by Khalili, a poetic version from
Barks, and the translation by A.J. Arberry upon which Barks based his
version:

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

rocks crack apart
filled with passions
longing to have
a glimpse of you

soul grows wings
over-joyed with desire
flying in search of you

fire changes to water
wisdom becomes insanity
and my own eyes
turn out to be the enemy
of my sleep
as they long to see you

there is a dragon
devouring rocks and men
causing insanity
destroying peaceful lives
and calling itself love

please
don't imprison free souls
don't change laughter to cries
don't press us so hard
there is no one
but you to turn to

your love demands
nothing less than
my wounded heart
and my heart is filled
with nothing but your longings

the wine jar is boiling over
someone is drinking the wine
and making the harp play itself
the sonnets to your admiration

your love entered my house
saw me without you
put its hand over my head
and said pity on you

this love journey
is surely the hardest and
most twisted road i have taken
i began the journey but my heart
is still dragging behind
wrapped around your feet

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

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

The rock splits open like wings beat
air, wanting. Campfire gives in to rain,
but I can't go to sleep, or be patient.

Part of me wants to eat the stones
and hold you back when you're leaving,
'till your good laughing turns bitter and wrong.

I worry I won't have someone to talk to, and breathe with.
Don't you understand I'm some kind of food for you?
I'm a place where you can work.

The bottle is corked and sitting on the table.
Someone comes in and sees me without you
and puts his hand on my head like I'm a child.
This is so difficult.

-- Poetic version by Coleman Barks
"Open Secret"
Threshold Books, 1984

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

The rock splits open in yearning to encounter you; the soul
beats wing and pinion in the joy of your air.
Fire becomes water, reason is lain waste, my eye becomes the
foe of sleep on account of you.
Rending the robe of patience, reason departs out of itself; your
love like a dragon devours both men and stones.
Do not bind the departer, do not turn laughter to mocking;
be not cruel, for your servant has none to take your place.
When your water departs to the river, how shall my discourse
flow well? Sometimes my breath ceases because you are so shy.
What is the food of your love? This roasted liver of mine. What
is my ruined heart? The workshop of your fidelity.
The jar is fermenting; who will drink? The harp sings aloud in
the description and praise of you.
Love entered by my door and laid a hand on my head, saw that
I was without you, and said, "Alas for you!"
I saw a difficult stage, troubled and very complex; I went, and
now remain a heart slain by your hand at your feet.

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

[Sunlight] Love God for something other than Him

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

Love God for something other than Him, in order
to be at all time part of His bounty;

O love God for Himself, for nothing else than Himself,
for fear of being estranged from Him.

Both quests and searches come from that same Source
where His heart ravishes hearts.

-- Mathnawi III, 4598-4600
Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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


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

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

[Sunlight] "When you have done the work"

~

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

The fruits are first in our thoughts,
but only in the end
are they truly seen.
When you have done the work
and planted the tree,
when the fruit appears,
you read the first words.

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

Mive-hâ dar fekr-e del avval bovad
dar `amal zâher be-âkher mi-shavad
Chon `amal kardi shajar be-neshândi
andar âkher harf-e avval khvândi

-- Mathnawi I: 971-972
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, October 19, 2009

[Sunlight] "Don't make yourself miserable"

~

Today, Sunlight offers the story of the cow whose provender had
never failed, in a version by Coleman Barks, and in translation by
R.A. Nicholson:

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

Mathnawi V: 2855-2869

A Small Green Island

There is a small green island
where one white cow lives alone,
a meadow of an island.

The cow grazes until nightfall, full and fat,
but during the night she panics
and grows thin as a single hair.
"What will I eat tomorrow?
There's nothing left!"

By dawn the grass has grown up again,
waist-high. The cow starts eating
and by dark the meadow is clipped short.

She is full of strength and energy,
but she panics in the dark as before
and grows abnormally thin overnight.

The cow does this over and over
and this is all she does.

She never thinks,
"This meadow has never failed
to grow back. Why should I be afraid
every night that it won't?"

The cow is the bodily soul.
The island field is this world
where that grows lean with fear
and fat with blessing,

lean and fat. White cow,
don't make yourself miserable
with what is to come or not to come.

-- Version by Coleman Barks, from the
translation by R.A. Nicholson
"Say I am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

There is in the world a green island where a sweet-mouthed
cow lives alone.
She feeds on the whole field till nightfall, so that she grows
stout and big and choice.
During the night she becomes thin as a hair from anxiety,
because she thinks, "What shall I eat tomorrow?"
At rise of dawn the field becomes green: the green blades and
grain have grown up to (a man's) middle.
The cow falls to ravenously*: till night she feeds on that
(vegetation and devours it) entirely.
Again she becomes stout and fat and bulky: her body is filled
with fat and strength.
Then again at night she (is stricken) by panic (and) falls into
a fever (of anxiety), so that from fear of seeking (vainly) for fodder
she becomes lean,
Thinking, "What shall I eat tomorrow at meal-time?" This
is what that cow does for (many) years.
She never thinks, "All these years I have been eating from
this meadow and this pasture;
My provender has never failed (even) for a day: what, (then),
is this fear and anguish and heart-burning of mine?"
(No); when night falls that stout cow becomes lean again,
thinking, "Alas, the provender is gone."
The cow is the carnal soul, and the field is this world, where
she (the carnal soul) is made lean by fear for her daily bread,
Thinking, "I wonder what I shall eat in the future: whence shall
I seek food for tomorrow?"
Thou hast eaten for years, and food has never failed: leave the
future and look at the past.
Bring to mind the food and viands thou hast eaten (already):
do not regard what is to come, and do not be miserable.

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

* Literally, "with the cow's hunger."

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

~

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

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Friday, October 16, 2009

[Sunlight] Listen, O drop, give yourself up without regret

~

From Rumi's Mathnawi, come versions by Helminski (with a
Persian transliteration), and Barks, and a literal translation by R.
A. Nicholson:


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

Listen, O drop, give yourself up without regret,
and in exchange gain the Ocean.
Listen, O drop, bestow upon yourself this honor,
and in the arms of the Sea be secure.
Who indeed should be so fortunate?
An Ocean wooing a drop!
In God's name, in God's name, sell and buy at once!
Give a drop, and take this Sea full of pearls.

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

Hin be-deh ay qatreh khvod-râ bi nadam
tâ biyâbi dar bahâ-ye qatreh-'i Yamm
Hin be-deh ay qatreh khvod-râ in sharaf
dar kaff-e Daryâ shaw ayman az talaf
Khvod kerâ âyad chonin dawlat be-dast
qatreh-râ Bahri taqâzâgar shodast
Allâh Allâh zud be-forush o be-khar
qatreh-'i dar Bahr por-e gawhar be-bar

-- Mathnawi IV:2619-2622
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

"Don't Postpone Your Yes!"

Muhammed is said to have said,
"Whoever belongs to God, God belongs to."

Our weak, uneven breathings,
these dissolving personalities,
were breathed out by the eternal
Huuuuuuuu, that never changes!
A drop of water constantly fears
that it may evaporate into the air,
or be absorbed by the ground.

It doesn't want to be used up
in those ways, but when it lets go
and falls into the ocean it came from,
it finds protection from the other deaths.

Its droplet form is gone,
but its watery essence has become
vast and inviolable.

Listen to me, friends, because you
are a drop, and you can honor yourselves
in this way. What could be luckier

than to have the ocean come
to court the drop?

For God's sake, don't postpone your yes!
Give up and become the giver.

-- Mathnawi IV:2613-2622
Version by Coleman Barks
"One-Handed Basket Weaving"
Maypop, 1991

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

Kana lillah is the giving of thy groat, in order that kana 'llah
lahu may come into (thy) hand;
For this weak unstable hu (personality) was brought into being by
the steadfast (permanent) hu of the Lord.
When the hu that passes away has surrendered itself to Him, it
becomes everlasting and never dies.
('Tis) like a drop of water (which is) afraid of wind (air) and
earth; for by means of these twain it is made to pass away and perish.
When it has leaped (thrown itself) into the sea, which was its
source, it is delivered from the heat of the sun and from wind and
earth.
Its outward form has disappeared into the sea, but its essence is
inviolate and permanent and goodly.
Hark, O (thou who art like a) drop, give thyself up without
repenting, that in recompense for the drop thou mayst gain the Ocean.
Hark, O drop, bestow on thyself this honour, and in the hand of
the Sea become safe from destruction.
Whom indeed should fortune like this befall? A Sea has become the
suitor for a drop.
In God's name, in God's name, sell and buy at once! Give a drop,
and take (in return) the Sea which is full of pearls.
In God's name, in God's name, do not make any postponement, for
these words (of Moses) come from the Sea of Grace.

-- Mathnawi IV:2613-2623
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Translation by Reynold A. Nicholson
Published and Distributed by The Trustees of
The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial"

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

~

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

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Thursday, October 15, 2009

[Sunlight] "To that Beloved" -- Quatrain 454

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 454:

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

To that Beloved,
flower and thorn are one;
A verse of the Koran
And a Brahmin's thread are one.

Don't try to impress Him –
To that Beloved,
hero and fool are one.

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

[Sunlight] "How long will you hide your beautiful smile?" -- Ghazal 253

~

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


how long will you hide
your beautiful
festive smile

teach your laughter
to a flower
manifest an eternity

why do you think
the door to the sky
is closed on your face

it allures and invites
your magical touch
to open and arrive

an entire caravan
is waiting in ecstasy
for your coming and leading

come on my friend
use your talisman and
harness all their souls

today is the day to unite
with your longing beloved
wait no more
for an unknown tomorrow

a tambourine is in a corner
begging your playing hands
a flute is sitting dormant
begging your happy lips

-- Ode (Ghazal) 253
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press
Los Angeles, 1994

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

~


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

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

[Sunlight] Eat the sugar!

~

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

Even if you don't have the same fault as another,
don't be secure;
maybe later that fault will be yours.
For years Iblis lived in good favor,
yet in the end disgrace enveloped him:
mark well the meaning of his name.
Satan's soul was tried by the wrath of God;
he stumbled;
and in his fall became a warning to you.
He drank the poison:
eat the sugar!

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

Gar ham ân `ayb na-bovad ayman ma-bâsh
bu ke ân `ayb az to gardad niz fâsh
Sâl-hâ Eblis niku nâm zist
gasht rasvâ bin keh u-râ nâm chist
in negar keh mobtelâ shod jân-e u
tâ dar oftâdest va u shod pand-e to
To niyoftâdi keh bâshi pand-e u
zahr u nushid to khvor qand-e u

-- Mathnawi II: 3038-3045
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, October 12, 2009

[Sunlight] "A Necessary Autumn Inside Each"

~

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

"A Necessary Autumn Inside Each"

You and I have spoken all these words, but as for the way
we have to go, words

are no preparation. There is no getting ready, other than
grace. My faults

have stayed hidden. One might call that a preparation!
I have one small drop

of knowing in my soul. Let it dissolve in your ocean.
There are so many threats to it.

Inside each of us, there's continual autumn. Our leaves
fall and are blown out

over the water. A crow sits in the blackened limbs and talks
about what's gone. Then

your generosity returns: spring, moisture, intelligence, the
scent of hyacinth and rose

and cypress. Joseph is back! And if you don't feel in
yourself the freshness of

Joseph, be Jacob! Weep and then smile. Don't pretend to know
something you haven't experienced.

There's a necessary dying, and then Jesus is breathing again.
Very little grows on jagged

rock. Be ground. Be crumbled, so wildflowers will come up
where you are. You've been

stony for too many years. Try something different. Surrender.

-- Mathnawi I: 1878-1912
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

~

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

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Friday, October 09, 2009

[Sunlight] "No division, no individuals”

~

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

If ten lamps are present in one place,
each differs in form from another;
yet you can't distinguish whose radiance is whose
when you focus on the light.
In the field of spirit there is no division;
no individuals exist.
Sweet is the oneness of the Friend with His friends.
Catch hold of spirit.
Help this headstrong self disintegrate;
that beneath it you may discover unity,
like a buried treasure.

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

Dah chirâgh ar hâzer âyad dar makân
har yaki bâshad ba-surat ghayr-e ân
Farq na-tavân kard nur-e har yaki
chon be-nuresh ru-ye âri bi shakki
Gar to sad sib va sad âbi be-shomari
sad na-mânad yak shavad chon be-feshori
Dar ma`âni qesmat va a`dâd nist
dar ma`âni tajzih va afrâd nist
Ettehâd-e Yâr bâ yârân khvosh ast
pâ-ye ma`nâ gir surat-e serr kesh ast
Var to na-godâzi kon berenj
tâ be-bini zir-e u vahdat cho ganj

-- Mathnawi, I:678-683
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Daylight
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, October 08, 2009

[Sunlight] "The Breath of My Presence" -- Ghazal 1945

~


Here, Sunlight presents Ghazal 1945, in a poetic version by Jonathan Star, and in a translation by William C. Chittick.

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

"The Breath of My Presence"

I smell the fragrance of my Beloved
and my heart is lost.
I see a ray of light from His face
and my soul is enraptured.

Why are the earth and all its creatures
bubbling up in delight? -
A drop from the Saaqi's* cup
has spilled upon the ground.

One who is frozen and withered
is lost in his own affairs.
Don't be lost in your own affairs -
be lost in mine!

The Spring reveals all the secrets of the earth.
My spring reveals all the secrets of the soul.

The roses of the earth
only hide the thorns and brambles.
When my roses bloom
they remove every thorn from the heart.

What is the cold wind of winter? -
the breath of your denial.
What is the warm breeze of Spring? -
the breath that lets me into your life.

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

Star note:
*Saaqi: cupbearer, or one who pours wine; a symbol of God's grace.

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

Whatever gladdens the mind is the scent of my Beloved,
whatever enraptures the heart is a ray from my Friend.
Why are the earth and its creatures in such ferment?
My Saki spilled a drop upon the ground.
If you see someone frozen and withered, he is in love
with his own affairs - look not at your own affairs, look at mine!
At the time of spring all the earth's secrets become
manifest; when my spring comes, all my spiritual mysteries
blossom forth.
The earth's rosegarden hides the thorns of the earth;
when my rosery springs up, it takes away all my thorny agitation.
Autumn makes a man sick, so he drinks a draught of
spring; when my spring laughs, my sick man leaps to his feet.
What is this wind of autumn? The breath of your denial.
What is this wind of spring? The breath of my acknowledgement.

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, October 07, 2009

[Sunlight] My house is full of love for the One

~

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


The house of my heart is empty, devoid of desire,
like paradise.
Within it is no work but the love of God, no
inhabitant but the image of union with Him.
I have swept the house clear of good and bad -
my house is full of love for the One.

-- Mathnawi, V: 2802-04
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983


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

~

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

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Tuesday, October 06, 2009

[Sunlight] Inherited wealth

~

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

Inherited wealth never remains constant in the hands of its owner,
since against its will it was parted from the one who died.
Because the heir received it so easily, he doesn't know its value;
he never hastened to work and toil in order to earn it.
O so-and-so, you don't know the value of your own soul
because from His abundance, God gave it to you freely.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mâl-e mirâsi na-dârad khvod vafâ
chon be-nâ-kâm az gozashteh shod jodâ
U na-dânad qadr ham k-âsân biyâft
ku be-kadd o ranj o kasbesh kam shetâft
Qadr-e jân z-ân mi na-dâni ay folân
keh be-dâdet Haqq be-bakhshesh râygân

-- Mathnawi VI: 4207-4209
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, October 05, 2009

[Sunlight] The Invisible Beloved -- Ghazal 824

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 824, in a version by Coleman
Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Whose idea was this,
to have the lover visible,
and the Beloved invisible!

So many people have died of their desiring
because of this. The lover cannot kiss
the lips he wants, so he bites himself!

Satisfaction is always two bow-shots away,
and yet something in the soul
prefers this unreachable Lover
to any one reachable.

This being locked-in,
is better than having the keys
to any consolation-house.

The Beloved's rejection is wanted more
than anyone else's acceptance.

World happiness is nothing.
Look for what Betami had, for what
Sanai and Attar wrote of.

A beautiful meal looks delicious.
Then one night passes, and the food passes
through you, becoming repellent filth.

Eat love-food.
Suckle the toe of a Lion,
as the baby
Abraham did in the cave.

But you should put away what you learned
as a foetus in your cave, that need for blood.

There is a tall tower that Love builds.
Live there in silence.

The One who knows all secrets
is here now, nearer
than your jugular vein.

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

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

The lovers visible and the Beloved invisible who ever saw
such a love in the world?
Not one lip having attained the form of the Beloved, hundreds
of thousands of souls have expired.
Two bowshots' distance* shot an arrow from the heights, so
that it tore through the shields of the skies.
Not having drawn the skirt of the Beloved of the Unseen, the
hearts of thousands have suffered tribulation and beating;
Not having bitten the lip of Him whose lip is sweet, how
many have bitten the back of the hand in banishment!
Not having grazed on the sugar-cane of His lip, the heart has
grazed on His thousands of blandishments.
Not one rose having blossomed from His rose garden, hundreds
of thousands of thorns have pricked in the breast.
Though the soul has experienced nothing but cruelty from
Him, it has fled away from mortal fidelities in hope of Him;
It has preferred that pain over generosities, and has chosen
that cruelty above all fidelities.
His thorn has triumphed over all roses, His lock is more
delightful than a hundred keys.
His tyranny has carried off the ball from the turn of good
fortune; candies have blossomed from the poison of His wrath.
His rejection is better than the reception of others; ruby and
pearl are desirous of His stone.
These worldly happinesses are nothing; seek that happiness
which Bu Sai'id* possesses.
These augmentations of this world are less; seek that
augmentation which Ba Yazid* possesses.
That augmentation is your six-fingered hand; its value is less,
though apparently it is augmenting.
Seek that radiance which Sana'i* expounded, that Unique One
whose uniqueness Attar* revealed.
Fat and sweet food appear pure and good; one night they
passed with you, and became filth.
Eat the fat and sweet of the food of love, that your wings may
sprout and you may know how to fly.
After all, Abraham as a child in the cave sucked from the
fingertips of a lion.
Dismiss that; that foetus in the womb sucked the water of life
from blood.
The tall stature which heaven made upright in the end became
bowed like crooked heaven;
The tall stature which Love raised up, its stature transcended
the glorious Throne.
Nay, be silent; he who knows all secrets is present; He said,
We are nearer than the jugular vein.*

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arberry's Notes:

For the circumstances of composition, see Aflaki as quoted by F.
*"Two bowshots' distance" See Koran 53:9, i.e. "spiritual proximity."
* "Bu Sa'id": the famous Persian mystic and poet (d. 440/1049).
* "Bu Yazid": a play on words. Abu Yazid-i Bastami: the famous
mystic of Khorasan (d. 261/874 or 264/877), is the hero of many
spiritual anecdotes; see Ritter in E.I. I:162-63.
* "Seek that radiance which Sana'i* expounded, that Unique One
whose uniqueness Attar* revealed": More play on words. Sana'i
and Attar were great mystical poets.
* "We are nearer than the jugular vein": Rumi quotes Koran 50:16.

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

~

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

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Friday, October 02, 2009

[Sunlight] "To produce a tree"

~

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

A fine delight is needed for devotions to bear fruit:
a kernel is required for a berry to produce a tree.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zawq bâyad tâ dehad tâ`ât bar
maghz bâyad tâ dehad dâneh shajar

-- Mathnawi II: 3396
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, October 01, 2009

[Sunlight] The unknown source -- Quatrain 369

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 369:

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

People who are sad,
know not from where that sadness comes.
People who are happy,
know not from where that happiness comes.
People who search to the left,
or to the right,
know not the left from the right.
People who always say, "I and mine,"
know not what is "I"
nor what is "mine."

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

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

many are sad and never know
where the sorrow comes from
many are happy but ignorant
that it is all from God
many go right and left
not knowing where to go
many me and us are
going on within
but remain unknown

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

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

~


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

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