Thursday, April 30, 2009

[Sunlight] Love for aught besides Him is unreal

~

Here, Sunlight offers a small selection from the Mathnawi, Book
VI, verses 969-971, in a version by Professor Barks, and in the
translation by Professor Nicholson, from which the version was
derived:

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

Dear Soul, when the condition comes
that we call being a lover,
there's no patience and no repenting.

Both become huge absurdities.
See regret as a worm
and love as a dragon.

Shame, changeable weather.
Love, a quality which wants nothing.

For this kind of lover
love of anything or anyone is unreal.

Here the source and object are one.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Say I am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

Loverhood and repentance or (even) the possibility of
patience - this, O (dear) soul, is a very enormous absurdity.
Repentance is a worm, while Love is like a dragon:
repentance is an attribute of Man, while that (other) is an attribute
of God.
Love is (one) of the attributes of God who wants nothing:
love for aught besides Him is unreal.

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


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

~

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

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

[Sunlight] "The Rhythm of Our Hearts" -- Ghazal 2209

~

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


"The Rhythm of Our Hearts"

The Light of your Face
illumines the universe;
And from that Light, in all ages,
you have taken form.

You are the Saaqi
and the wine of victory -
That is what you will always be.
Can blown glass return to the fire?
Can aged wine turn back into grapes?

You shape the destiny of every soul,
renewing this weary world.
Every night you bring another joy,
every night a celebration.

Love and ecstasy is our calling now -
O Beloved, you will dance forever
as the rhythm of our hearts.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2209
Version by Jonathan Star
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992


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

~

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

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

[Sunlight] You are the consumer and the consumed

~

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

The mystery of "Poverty is my pride"* is sublime:
it cautions you to take refuge from the covetous
with the One who is Self-Sufficient.
Treasures are buried in ruined, forgotten places,
hidden from the greed of those who dwell in affluence.
If you can't tear out your own beautiful feathers,
go, adopt a life of solitude;
don't let yourself be dissipated by others.
For you are both the morsel of food and the eater of that morsel:
you are the consumer and the consumed. Understand this, dear one!

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

"Faqr fakhri"* bahr-e ân âmad sani
tâ ze tama`ân gorizam dar Ghani
Ganj-hâ-râ dar kharâbi zân nehand
tâ ze hers-e ahl-e `omrân vâ rahand
Par na-dâni konad raw khalvat gozin
tâ na-gardi jomleh kharj-e ân o in
Zânke to ham loqmeh-'i ham loqmeh khvâr
âkel o ma'kuli ay jân hush dâr

*Prophet's hadith.

-- Mathnawi V: 715-718
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, April 27, 2009

[Sunlight] "Drawn by Soup" -- Ghazal 2809

~

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

"Drawn by Soup"

I try to imagine the most sumptuous
meal: Bugra Khan, general of the

armies east of here, has an autumn
night banquet celebrating himself!

The archangel Gabriel arrives as
Abraham's guest, fatted calf roasting.

Then the perfect setting, unimaginary:
your voice at dawn and the fragrance

of soup. I follow the simmering that
pulls me into a light-filled kitchen.

I ask the cook for a taste. "This is
not for human beings." Please. You

strike my head with a skimming spoon;
mind drops away: true hospitality.

-- Ghazal 2809
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

~

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

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Friday, April 24, 2009

[Sunlight] Fly only with the shaykh's wings

~

Here, Sunlight offers a set of Mathnawi verses in two presentations -- one
a version by Kabir Helminski, developed from the translation by Nicholson
(accompanied by a transcription of the original Persian), and one a translation
by William Chittick:


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

The Prophet said, "I am like a Ship in the Flood of Time.
I and my companions are like the Ark of Noah:
whoever clings to us will gain spiritual graces."
When you are with the Shaykh you are far removed from evil:
day and night you are a traveler in a ship.
You are under the protection of a life-giving spirit:
you are asleep in the ship and proceeding on the way.
Don't break with the prophet of your day;
don't rely on your own skill and footsteps.
Lion though you are, to go on the way without a guide
is arrogant, foolish, and contemptible.
Step aboard the ship and set sail,
like the soul going toward the soul's Beloved.
Without hands or feet, travel toward Timelessness
just as spirits flee from nonexistence.

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

Bahr-e in farmud Payghambar keh "Man
hamcho kashti'am beh tufân-e zaman
Mâ o as'hâbim cho ân kashti-ye Nuh
har keh dast andar zanad yâbad fotuh"
Chonkeh bâ shaykhi to dur az zeshtiyi
ruz o shab sayyâri va dar kashtiyi
Dar panâh-e jân-e jân-bakhshi tuyi
kashti andar khofteh-ye rah mi ravi
Ma-shekan az payghambar-e ayyâm-e khvish
takyeh kam kon bar fann o bar kâm-e khvish
Garcheh shiri chon ravi rah bi dalil
khvish-bin va dar zalâli o zalil
Pâ be-kash dar kashti va mi raw tâ ravân
chon su-ye Ma`shuq-e jân jân ravân
Dast nah va pây nah raw tâ Qedam
ânchonânkeh tâkht jân-hâ az `adam

-- Mathnawi IV, 538-543; 557-558
version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

The Prophet said, "I am like a ship in the storm
of Time.
I and my Companions are like the ark of Noah:
Whoever seizes hold will find illumination."
When you are with a shaykh, you are far from
ugliness, traveling night and day in a ship.
Protected by the spirit of a spirit-bestower, you
sleep in the ship and travel forward.
Do not break with the prophet of your time! Do
not rely on your own skills and footsteps!
Though you be a lion, if you travel the Path
without a guide, you will be a self-seer, astray and
contemptible.
Beware! Fly only with the shaykh's wings so
that you may behold the aid of his armies!
At one moment the wave of his gentleness
becomes your wing; at the next, his severity's fire carries you
forward.
Do not imagine that his severity is the opposite
of his gentleness – behold the unity of these two in their
effects!

-- Mathnavi IV, 538-546
Translation by William C. Chittick
The Sufi Path of Love
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~

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

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

[Sunlight] "I never knew it" -- Quatrain 1312

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 1312:

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

By day I praised you
And never knew it.
By night I stayed with you
And never knew it.

I always thought that I was me – but no,
I was you
and never knew it!

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

[Sunlight] "Surrender to the will of my Beloved" -- Ode 1512

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1512, from Rumi's Diwan-e
Shams, in a translation by Kolin and Mafi, and a second translation
by Nader Khalili:

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

One day I feel confused and down,
the next I can reach the sky
without you I am never calm.
In your absence people ridicule me,
but when you come
I don't mind what they think or say.
I refuse to feast or be merry without my Beloved.
However he appears I will follow.
If he comes as a cupbearer, I'll become one too;
if he comes as an ascetic, I'll become a pious pilgrim.
If he pretends to be a madman, I'll become a perfect fool;
if he tries to escape, I will become a mighty hunter.
Yet, when I complain about my sleepless nights
He mocks me and says I do not pray enough,
when I ask him for a favor he sends me off.
What am I to do but to surrender
to the will of my Beloved.

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

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

restless
now i go to the door
now i go on the roof
till i see your face
i'll never know rest

neighbors speak of me
when you are away
as meek or mad
but when you return
everything subsides

this heart of mine
tears itself apart
and seeks no joy
but only wants to know
when you'll arrive

but when you return
and a wine-server is around
i hold a cup
fondle your hair and
caress your face

just come and see me
letting go of my wish
letting go of my pilgrimage
keeping one wish in my heart
making love to your desire

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

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

~

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

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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

[Sunlight] "Only that which is worth bringing"

~

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


If you're lugging a heavy bag,
don't fail to look inside it
to see whether what is inside is bitter or sweet.
If it's really worth bringing along, bring it;
otherwise, empty your sack
and redeem yourself from fruitless effort and disgrace.
Only put into your sack
that which is worth bringing to a righteous sovereign.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon javâli bas gerân mi bari
zân na-bâyad kam keh dar vay be-negari
Keh cheh dâri dar javâl az talkh o khvosh
gar hami arzad kashidan-râ be-kash
Var nah khâli kon javâlet-râ ze sang
bâz khar khvod-râ azin bigâr o nang
Dar javâl ân kon keh mi bâyad kashid
su-ye soltânân o shâhân-e rashid

-- Mathnawi IV: 1574-1577
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, April 20, 2009

[Sunlight] "Discipline me"

~


Today, Sunlight offers Rumi's Ode (Ghazal) 2083, in a poetic version by Coleman Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry.


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

If my words are not saying what You would say,
slap my face. Discipline me as a loving mother does
a babbling child caught up in nonsense.

A thirsty man runs into the sea,
and the sea holds a sword to his throat.

A lily looks at a bank of roses
and wilts and says nothing.

I am a tambourine. Don't put me aside
till the fast dancing starts.
Play me some all along.
Help me with these little sounds.

Joseph is most beautiful when he's completely naked,
but his shirt gives you an idea,
as the body lets you glimpse the glitter
on the water of the soul.

Even if the corpse washer binds my jaw shut,
you'll still hear this song
coming out of my dead-silence.

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

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

If my words were not worthy of your lips, then pick up a heavy
stone and shatter my mouth.
When a child speaks nonsense, does not the loving mother
prick his lips to teach him manners?
For the sake of the majesty of your lips, burn and tear and
rend and dash to pieces two hundred mouths and worlds.
When a thirsty man boldly runs to the seashore does not the
wave lift up its sword to his neck?
I am the slave of the lily which, having seen your rose bower
and been put to shame by your narcissus, its ten tongues became dumb.
But I am like a tambourine; when you strike you hand on me
I cry out.
Lay me not aside until the concert grows hot; draw your skirt
aside from the impure world.
Yes, the eyes are intoxicated from the rose bower of meaning,
yet the song of the bolbol is sweet in the rose bower.
If Joseph's beauty is fairer naked, yet the eyes are not opened
save by his shirt.
Though the glitter of the sun of the soul is the origin, no man
has reached that heaven without a body.
Silence! for if the corpse-washer binds my mouth, you will
hear this melody from the grave after I am dead.

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

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

~

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

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Friday, April 17, 2009

[Sunlight] Rock solid

~

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

Everyone baked by the divine Sun
will become rock solid:
without dread or shame,
his features fiery and veil-rending,
like the face of the peerless Sun.
Every prophet was hard-faced in this world,
and beat single-handed against the army of kings,
and did not turn his face from fear or pain,
but single and alone
dashed against a whole world.
The stone is hard-faced and bold-eyed,
unafraid of the bricks thrown by the world.
For the bricks were made strong in the kiln,
but the rock was hardened by a Godly art.

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

Har keh az khvorshid bâshad posht garm
sakht-ru bâshad nah bim u-râ nah sharm
Hamcho ru-ye âftâb bi hazar
gasht ruyesh khasm suz o pardeh-dar
Har payambar sakht-ru bod dar jahân
yek-sovâreh kuft bar jaysh-e shahân
Ru na-gardânid az tars o ghammi
yek-taneh tanhâ be-zad bar `âlami
Sang bâshad sakht-ru o cheshm-shukh
u na-tarsad az jahân par kolukh
K-ân kolukh az khesht-zan yek lakht shod
sang az son`-e Khodâyi sakht shod

-- Mathnawi III: 4139-4144
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

`

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

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

[Sunlight] Not knowing -- Ghazal 1436

~

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

Art thou the sun, or Venus, or the moon? I
don't know. What dost Thou want from this bewildered
madman? I don't know.
In this court of Ineffability all is Gentleness and
Harmony -- what plain art Thou, what meadow, what court? I
don't know.
Thy Face has made my spirit roses, violets,
narcissus, and lilies; Thy Moon has illuminated my moon. What
companion art Thou? I don't know.
What a marvellous ocean within the heart, full
of fish and shoreless! I have never seen such an ocean, I do
not know such fish.
The kingship of creatures is a tale, as
insignificant as a kingcup* -- no king do I know but that
Subsistent King.
Marvellous, infinite Sun -- all of thy dustmotes
are speaking! Art Thou the Light of God's Essence? Art Thou
God? I don't know.
Thy comeliness is burning the souls of a
thousand Jacobs to cinders -- oh Joseph of beauties, why art
Thou in this well? I don't know.
Be silent! For you are a talebearer, you are
drowned in constant change. At one moment you are hu, at
another ha, at another ah -- I don't know.
I will be silent, for I am drunk from the spell
that has overcome me. I do not know selflessness and
intoxication from awareness.

-- Ghazal 1436
Translation by Professor William Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

*... as insignificant as a kingcup -- kingscup [shah-daanah]: a hemp seed;
also the largest seed in an Islamic set of "rosary" beads [tasbeeh].
(Sunlight footnote courtesy of Dr. Ibrahim Gamard)

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

~

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

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Wednesday, April 15, 2009

[Sunlight] "Let's adore one another" -- Ghazal 1535

~

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

come on sweetheart
let's adore one another
before there is no more
of you and me

a mirror tells the truth
look at your grim face
brighten up and cast away
your bitter smile

a generous friend
gives life for a friend
let's rise above this
animalistic behavior
and be kind to one another

spite darkens friendships
why not cast away
malice from our heart

once you think of me
dead and gone
you will make up with me
you will miss me
you may even adore me

why be a worshiper of the dead
think of me as a goner
come and make up now

since you will come
and throw kisses
at my tombstone later
why not give them to me now
this is me
that same person

i may talk too much
but my heart is silence
what else can i do
i am condemned to live this life

-- Ghazal 1535
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, 1994.

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

~

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

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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

[Sunlight] Bury your own selfhood in His

~

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

Don't strive so much to complete your worldly affairs;
don't strive in any affair that's not sacred.

Otherwise at the end, you'll leave incomplete,
your spiritual affairs damaged and your bread unbaked.

The beautifying of your grave isn't done
by means of wood and stone and plaster;

no, but by digging your grave in spiritual purity
and burying your own selfhood in His,

and by becoming His dust, buried in love of Him,
so that from His breath, yours may be replenished.

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

Dar tamâmi kâr-hâ chandin ma-kush
joz be-kâri keh bovad dar din ma-kush
`qebat to raft khvâhi nâ-tamâm
kâr-hâyet abtar va nân-e to khâm
Vân `emârat kardan gur o lahd
ni be-sangast va be-chub va ni labd
Balke khvod-râ dar safâ guri koni
dar mani-ye U koni dafn mani
Khâk-e U gardi va madfun-e ghamash
tâ damet bâyad madad-hâ az damesh

-- Mathnawi III: 128-132
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, April 13, 2009

[Sunlight] Are you buying, or just looking?

~


Mathnawi VI: 831-45 -- a poetic version from Coleman Barks,
and a literal translation from Reynold A. Nicholson.


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

These spiritual windowshoppers,
who idly ask, "How much is that?" "Oh, I'm just looking."
They handle a hundred items and put them down,
shadows with no capital.

What is spent is love and two eyes wet with weeping.
But these walk into a shop,
and their whole lives pass suddenly in that moment,
in that shop.

Where did you go? "Nowhere."
What did you have to eat? "Nothing much."

Even if you don't know what you want,
buy something, to be part of the exchanging flow.

Start a huge, foolish, project,
like Noah.

It makes absolutely no difference
what people think of you.

-- Poetic version by Coleman Barks
"We Are Three"
Maypop, 1987

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

Ye (worldly folk) also (who are engaged) in commerce - how
should your hands move (to sell anything) when there is no
buyer?
How should (idle) looking-on be capable of buying? The
fool's looking-on is (not for buying, but merely for) loitering.
(He strolls about) continually asking, "How much is this?"
and "How much is that?" for the sake of pastime and mockery.
('Tis only ) from boredom (that) he asks you (to show him)
your goods: that person is not a buyer and customer.
He inspects the article a hundred times and hands it back
(to you): when did he (ever) measure a piece of cloth? He
measured wind (and nothing else).
What a distance between the approach and bargaining of a
purchaser and the pleasantries of a silly joker?
Since there is not a mite in his possession, how should he seek
(to buy) a coat except in jest?
He has no capital for trading: what, then, is the difference
between his ill-favoured person and a shadow?
The capital (required) for the market of this world is gold;
there (in the next world) the capital is love and the two eyes wet
(with tears).
Whoever went to market without any capital, his life passed
and he speedily returned in disappointment.
"Oh, where hast thou been, brother?" "Nowhere." "Oh,
what hast thou cooked to eat?" "No (good) soup."
Become a buyer, that my hand may move (to sell to thee), and
that my pregnant mine may bring forth the ruby.
Though the buyer is slack and lukewarm, (yet) call (him) to
the (true) religion, for the (command to) call hath come down
(from God).
Let the falcon fly and catch the spiritual dove: in calling (to
God) take the way of Noah.
Perform an act of service for the Creator's sake; what hast
thou to do with being accepted or rejected by the people?

-- Translation by Reynold A. Nicholson
The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi
E.J. W. Gibb Memorial Trust, 1926, 1990.

* "That person is not a buyer and customer": "literally, "seeker of
goods."
* "What a distance between . . .": "literally, where is . . . and
where is ..."
* "the approach and bargaining": "literally, the advance and retreat"

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

~

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

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Friday, April 10, 2009

[Sunlight] Now!

~

Today, Sunlight offers Quatrain 171:

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

I circle your nest tonight,
around and around until morning
when a breath of air says, Now,
and the Friend holds up like a goblet
some anonymous skull.

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

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

~

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

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Thursday, April 09, 2009

[Sunlight] Turn your face toward your own face

~

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

The medicine of all intellects is just a picture of Love,
the faces of all sweethearts are but His veil.
You who are devoted to Love, turn your face toward your own face:
you have no kinsman but yourself, you who are distraught.
The faqir made a qiblah of his heart and began to pray:
The human being has nothing but that for which he labors.*
Before he heard any answer to his prayer
he had been praying many years.
He prayed intently without receiving any overt response,
but in secret from Divine grace he was hearing I am here.
Since that sickly man was always dancing without a tambourine,
in reliance upon the bounty of the Almighty Creator,
though neither a heavenly voice nor Divine messenger
was ever seen to be near,
yet the ear of his hope was filled with Here I am.
His hope was saying, without tongue, "Come!"
and that call was sweeping all weariness from within his heart.

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

Tebb-e jomleh-ye `aql-hâ manqush-e Ust
ru-ye jomleh-ye delbarân rupush-e Ust
Rui dar rui khvod ârâ-ye `Eshq kish
nist ay maftun torâ joz khvish khvish
Qebleh az del sâkht âmad dar do`â
Laysa lil-insân illâ mâ sa`â*
Pish az ân ku pâsokhi be-shenideh bud
sâl-hâ andar do`â pichideh bud
Bi ejâbat bar do`â-hâ mi tanid
az karam Labbayk-e penhân mi shenid
Chonkeh bi daff raqs mi kard ân `alil
ze e`temâd-e jud-e Khallâq-e Jalil
Su-ye u nah hâtef o nah payk bud
gush-e umidesh por az Labbayk bud
Bi zabân mi goft umidesh "Ta`âl"
az delesh mi ruft ân da`vat malâl

*Âl `Imrân, 25

-- Mathnawi VI: 1982-1989
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Wednesday, April 08, 2009

[Sunlight] "How long?" -- Ghazal 408

~

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

how long
can i lament
with this depressed
heart and soul

how long
can i remain
a sad autumn
ever since my grief
has shed my leaves

the entire space
of my soul
is burning in agony

how long can i
hide the flames
wanting to rise
out of this fire

how long can one suffer
the pain of hatred
of another human
a friend behaving like an enemy

with a broken heart
how much more
can i take the message
from body to soul

i believe in love
i swear by love
believe me my love

how long
like a prisoner of grief
can i beg for mercy

you know i'm not
a piece of rock or steel
but hearing my story
even water will become
as tense as a stone

if i can only recount
the story of my life
right out of my body
flames will grow

-- Ghazal (Ode) 408
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~

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

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Tuesday, April 07, 2009

[Sunlight] Evidence of that not seen

~

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

If it rains during the night, no one sees the rain,
for then every soul and breath is asleep;
but the freshness of every beautiful rose garden
is clear evidence of the rain that was not seen.

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

Gar be-bârad shab na-binad hich kas
keh bovad dar khvâb har nafs o nafas
Tâzegi-ye har golestân-e jamil
hast bar bârân-e penhâni dalil

-- Mathnawi VI: 2724-2725
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, April 06, 2009

[Sunlight] Ready for Silence -- Ghazal 931

~

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

Ready for Silence


The devotional moon looks into
the heart and is in the heart.

When the heart has a Friend like
you, the universe cannot contain

their pleasure. Anyone warmed
by sun feels courage coming in.

If grief arrives, you enjoy it.
Generosity: that's your hand in

my pocket giving your wealth away.
Yet you run from me like one

raised in the wild. Here comes
this strange creature: me, in a
hands-and-feet shape! The formless
tries to satisfy us with forms!

A transparent nakedness wearing
pure light says, Blessed are those

who put on gold brocade! You may
not see him, but Moses is alive,

in this town, and he still has his
staff! And there's water and thirst,

wherever and however water goes, and
the one who brings water. The morning

wind broke off a few branches in the
garden. No matter. When you feel

love inside you, you hear the
invitation to be cooked by God.

It's that creation the heart loves.
For three winter months the ground

keeps quiet. But each piece of earth
knows what's inside waiting: beans,

sugarcane, cypress, wildflowers. Then
the spring sun comes talking plants

into the open. Anyone who feels the
point of prayer bends down like

the first letter of pray. Anyone who
walks with his back to the sun is

following his shadow. Move into your
own quietness. This word-search poem

has found you, ready for silence.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 931
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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Friday, April 03, 2009

[Sunlight] Seek delicious and sweet company

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 1504:

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

Don't sit with a sad person,
Only sit with those who are sweet and kind-hearted.
When you've entered a beautiful garden
Why spend your time with the weeds?
Stay with the jasmine and the jonquil.

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

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

i told you don't sit around
with unhappy folks
don't seek the company of any
but those delicious and sweet
when you're in a garden
make your way
around the thorns
seek the company
of narcissus and jasmine
every flower and more

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

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

~


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

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Thursday, April 02, 2009

[Sunlight] "Endeavor to wean yourself"

~

Here, Sunlight offers three small excerpts from Rumi's Mathnawi,
Book III, in versions by Coleman Barks and the Helminskis, and in
translation by Reynold Nicholson:


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

"Wean Yourself"

Little by little, wean yourself.
This is the gist of what I have to say.

From an embryo, whose nourishment
comes in the blood,
move to an infant drinking milk,
to a child on solid food,
to a searcher after wisdom
to a hunter of more invisible game.

Think how it is to have a conversation with an embryo.
You might say, "The world outside is vast and intricate.
There are wheatfields and mountain passes,
and orchards in bloom.

At night there are millions of galaxies,
and in sunlight the beauty of friends
dancing at a wedding."

You ask the embryo why he, or she,
stays cooped up in the dark with eyes closed.

Listen to the answer:

"There is no 'other world.'
I only know what I've experienced.
You must be hallucinating."

-- Mathnawi III, 49-62
Version by Coleman Barks
"We Are Three"
Maypop, 1987

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

Where is the nurse for the thirsty infant
who with kindness would offer the taste of
inner sweetness?

Where is she who would bar the way to
her self in order to open the way to
a hundred gardens of delight?

For the breast has become a barrier
between the infant and other delicious
tastes and countless nourishments.

Our life depends on weaning.
Strive to wean yourself little by little.

Wean yourself from this world's food
and become a healing sage like Luqman*.

Become a hunter of the hidden game.

-- Mathnawi III, 48-49; 52
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996

*Sunlight footnote: Luqman -- The Qur'an, Chapter 31, mentions him as
having received wisdom from God. Nicholson tells us, "He appears as a
sagacious [wise] negro slave in several anecdotes related by Rumi."
Nicholson notes elsewhere that one of these anecdotes "is identical
with a story which occurs in the 14th cent. 'Life of Aesop' by
Maximus Planudes. The medieval Arabic version of Aesop's Fables is
ascribed to Luqman."

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

Where is a nurse for the suckling babe? - that with kindness
she may sweeten the inner part of its mouth,
And, though she bar its way to her teat, may open up for it
the way to a hundred gardens (of delight)? -
Because the teat has become to that feeble (infant) a barrier
(separating it) from thousands of pleasures and dishes (of food)
and loaves (of bread).
Our life, then, depends on weaning. Endeavour (to wean
yourself) little by little. The discourse is (now) complete.
When man was an embryo his nourishment was blood: in like
fashion the true believer draws purity from filth.
Through (his) being weaned from blood, his nourishment
became milk; and through (his) being weaned from milk, he
became a taker of (solid) food.
And through (his) being weaned from food he becomes (a
sage) like Luqman*; he becomes a seeker (hunter) of the hidden
game.
If any one were to say to the embryo in the womb, "Outside
is a world exceedingly well-ordered,
A pleasant earth, broad and long, wherein are a hundred
delights and so many things to eat,
Mountains and seas and plains, fragrant orchards, gardens
and sown fields.
A sky very lofty and full of light, sun and moonbeams and a
hundred stars.
From the south-wind and from the north-wind and from the
west-wind the gardens have (the appearance of) wedding-feasts
and banquets.
Its marvels come not into (are beyond) descriptions: why art
thou in tribulation in this darkness?
(Why) dost thou drink blood on the gibbet of this narrow place
(the womb) in the midst of confinement and filth and pain?" -
It (the embryo), in virtue of its present state, would be in-
credulous, and would turn away from this message and would
disbelieve it.
Saying, "This is absurd and is a deceit and delusion," because
the judgment of the blind has no imagination.
Inasmuch as its (the embryo's perception has not seen any-
thing of the kind, its incredulous perception would not listen (to
the truth).

-- Mathnawi III, 46-62
Translation by Reynold A. Nicholson
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Published and Distributed by
The Trustees of The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial"

*Luqman -- see note accompanying preceding version

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

~


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

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Wednesday, April 01, 2009

[Sunlight] How shall we seek real knowledge?

~


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

How shall we seek real knowledge?
By renouncing knowledge.

How shall we seek salvation?
By renouncing our own salvation.

How shall we seek Existence?
By renouncing our existence.

-- Muriel Maufroy
"Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi"
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

~

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

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