Friday, July 31, 2009

[Sunlight] Everyone proceeds according to his nature

~

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

Noah continued to call his people to God for nine hundred years,
but their denial would increase moment by moment.
Did he ever pull back the reins of speech?
Did he ever creep into the cave of silence?
He said to himself, "Does a caravan turn back from a journey
because of the barking and clamor of dogs?
On a luminous night does the outcry of dogs
delay the full moon in its course?"
The moon sheds light and the dog barks:
everyone proceeds according to his nature.

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

Nuh nohsad sâl da`vat mi namud
dam be-dam enkâr-e qawmesh mi fozud
Hich az goftan `enân vâpas keshid
hich andar ghâr-e khâmushi khazid
Goft "Az bâng o `alâlâ-ye sagân
hich vâ gardad ze râhi kârvân
Yâ shab-e mahtâb az ghawghâ-ye sag
sost gardad badr-râ dar sayr-e tag?"
Mah feshânad nur va sag `aw`aw konad
har kasi bar khelqat-e khvod mi tanad

--Mathnawi V: 10-14
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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Thursday, July 30, 2009

[Sunlight] The Chador of the Body

~

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

Become not bored with me, for I am a truly
beautiful witness! Jealousy has hidden me in a chador.
On the day when I throw the chador* of the
body off the spirit, you will see that I am the envy of the
moon and the stars.
Wash your face and purify yourself so that you
may see me! Otherwise stay far away, for I am my own
witness!
I am not that witness who will become an old
crone tomorrow -- I will be young, heart-refreshing, and
beautifully statured until Eternity-without-end.
Even if that chador should wear out, the
witness will not become old; the chador's life will come to an
end, but we are endless life.
When Iblis* saw Adam's chador, he rejected him.
Adam called to him, "You are rejected, not I."
The rest of the angels prostrated themselves and
said, "We have found a witness!
Under the chador is an idol whose attributes
have confounded our intellects, so we have prostrated
ourselves!
If our intellects cannot discern the shapes of
stinking hags from those of witnesses, then we are apostates in
Love.
What place is this for 'Witnesses'? He is God's
lion -- we spoke like children, for we are speaking to children
just learning the alphabet.
Children are decieved by walnuts and raisins --
otherwise, what have we to do with almonds and sesame
seeds?
If an old crone should hide herself in helmet
and armor and say, 'I am Rustam* in God's battlelines,'
Everyone will know from her movements that
she is a woman. How should we make mistakes? We are
bathed in Muhammad's light!"
The Prophet said, "The believer is discerning" --
now be silent! For without speech, I am rightly guided.
Listen to the rest from Shams, the pride of
Tabriz, for we have related but part of the story from that
king.

-- Ghazal 1705, from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams"
Translation by Professor William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

Sunlight footnotes by Peter Bridge:
*chador -- the Persian variant of the traditional outer garment ("cover")
worn by Islamic women
*Iblis -- Another name for Satan
*Rustam -- Legendary Persian warrior king, whose story is set forth in
Ferdowsi's tenth century epic "Book of Kings" ("Shahnameh")

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

[Sunlight] I've seen no joy without You -- Ghazal N32

~


Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) N32 (in the Nicholson numbering
system; number 1690 in the more commonly used Furuzanfar numbering
system), in three presentations -- a translation by Annemarie Schimmel,
and versions by Jonathan Star and James Cowan:

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

I've seen no joy without You in both
worlds,
I've seen their wonders nothing was like
You.
I've put the soul's ear at the window
"Heart"
I've heard some words but never seen the
lips!
You've lavished grace abundant on Your
slave
I've seen no reason but Your endless grace.
Cupbearer, dearer than my eyes, I have
Not seen one like You in Iran, Iraq!
Pour out such wine that I may leave
myself
I've only seen fatigue in my existence.
You're milk and You are sugar, sun and
moon
I've seen no family like You, my parent!
O endless Love, Divine manifestation
I've seen no name thats worthy of You,
Helper!
We are like iron scraps Your love: the
magnet.
You, without seeking, are the source of
seeking!

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

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

When All You Had Was Him

O my Beloved,
I searched both worlds
but never found joy without you.
I have seen many wonders
but never a wonder like you.

I pressed my soul's ear
against countless doors
But never heard words as sweet as yours.

O what grace you pour upon your servants!
From our view the ocean looks so small!

O Saaqi, sweet sight of my eyes,
I've never seen one like you
in all of Persia or Arabia.
Pour the wine that takes me beyond myself,
for this petty existence
brings nothing but fatigue.

You are the endless Love,
You are the heavenly song,
You are the mother and father,
You are the one I will always know.

We are scraps of iron.
Your love is the magnet that draws us near.
Why should I seek?
All I need do is love . . . .

Rest now my soul,
Leave behind your religion
and your empty show of faith.

Remember when you had no religion?
Remember when all you had was Him?

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

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

Apart from you, my Beloved, I've found no joy in the two
worlds.
Though I've seen many wonders, none compare with you.

They say that a fire blazing is the unbeliever's lot:
I've seen none, except Abu Lahab*, excluded from your
fire.

Many times I've laid the ear of the spirit near the heart's
window:
Long conversations I heard, yet those lips remained
invisible.

Suddenly you lavished grace upon your servant:
There was no reason for it but your infinite kindness.

O chosen cup-bearer, apple of my eye, your like
Have I never seen in Persia or Arabia.

Pour out wine until I become absent from myself:
In selfhood and existence I've felt only fatigue.

O you who are milk and sugar, sun and moon,
O you who are mother and father, no other kin have
I known.

O indestructible Love, O divine Minstrel,
You are both stay and refuge: no other name equals you.

We are but iron filings, your love the magnet:
You are source of all aspiration, myself I have seen none.

Silence, O Brother! Put learning and culture aside:
Until culture was named, I knew no culture but you.

-- Version by James Cowan
Rumis Divan of Shems of Tabriz, Selected Odes
Element Books Limited 1997

*"Abu Lahab" -- An uncle of the Prophet, who was an enemy of early Islam.
His nickname translates from the Arabic as "The Father of Flame". Abu
Lahab is a literary symbol of one who will suffer physical flame, as he has
no knowledge of the Divine Flame. (Koran CXI) (Sunlight footnote, with thanks
to Eliza Tasbihi.)

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

[Sunlight] "On Resurrection Day"

~

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

On Resurrection Day, the sun and moon are released from service:
and the eye beholds the Source of their radiance,
then it discerns the permanent possession from the loan,
and this passing caravan from the abiding home.
If for a while a wet nurse is needed,
Mother, quickly return us to your breast.
I don't want a nurse; my Mother is more fair.
I am like Moses whose nurse and Mother were the very same.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dar Qiyâmat shams o mah ma`zul shod
cheshm dar Asl-e ziyâ mashghul shod
Tâ be-dânad melk-râ az mosta`âr
vin rebât-e fâni az dâr al-qarâr
Dâyeh `âriyeh bovad ruzi seh châr
Mâdarâ mâ-râ to gir andar kenâr
Man na-khvâham dâyeh Mâdar khvoshtarast
Musâ-'am man dâyeh-ye man Mâdarast

-- Mathnawi V: 696-698; 701
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, July 27, 2009

[Sunlight] Hallaj -- Ghazal 1288

~


Sunlight presents Ode 1288 - in a poetic version by Coleman Barks and in a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

HALLAJ

Hallaj said what he said and went to the origin
through the hole in the scaffold.

I cut a cap's worth of cloth from his robe,
and it swamped over me from head to foot.

Years ago, I broke a bunch of roses
from the top of his wall. A thorn from that
is still in my palm, working deeper.

From Hallaj, I learned to hunt lions,
but I became something hungrier than a lion.

I was a frisky colt. He broke me with a quiet
hand on the side of my head.

A person comes to him naked. It's cold.
There's a fur coat floating in the river.

"Jump in and get it," he says.

You dive in. You reach for the coat.
It reaches for you.

It's a live bear that has fallen in upstream,
drifting with the current.

"How long does it take!" Hallaj yells from the bank.

"Don't wait," you answer. "This coat has
decided to wear me home!"

A little part of a story, a hint.
Do you need long sermons on Hallaj!

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"We Are Three,"
Maypop, 1987

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

When union with the Beloved showed itself to Mansur*, it
was right that the gallows should bring him to the heart's Origin.
I snatched a cap's length from his robe; his cap's length
consumed my reason and head and foot.
I broke off a thorn from the top of the wall of his garden;
what itching and questing is in my heart from that thorn of his!
Since one morning through his wine this heart became a
lion-taker, it is only meet that it should be smitten by the
monster of separation from him.
Though heaven's colt appeared refractory and untamed, it was
tethered and headstalled by the hand of His love.
Though reason is high-ranking and very learned, its gown and
turban have been pawned for the cup of love.
Many a heart came seeking refuge from His love; dragging it
along He dragged it to Him, and gave it no quarter.
One cold day a fur coat was in a river; I said to a naked man,
"Jump in and seek, and bring it out!"
It was not a fur coat, it was a bear in the river; it had fallen in,
and the current was carrying it along.
The man entered eagerly and reached the skin of the bear;
that eagerness made him prisoner in the bear's arms.
I said to him, "Let go the fur coat, come back! How long and
far you have remained through toiling and battling with it!"
He said, "Go; the coat has so seized me that I have no hope of
escape from its powerful clutches.
Every moment it immerses me a thousand times; there is no
escape from its liver-squeezing claws."
Silence, of stories enough; just give a hint; what need has the
reason for long volumes?

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

*Mansur: Hallaj

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

~

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

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Friday, July 24, 2009

[Sunlight] To be near God is to escape the prison of existence

~

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

The Prophet said, "Don't think of my ascension
as superior to that of Jonah:
mine was up to heaven; his was below into the belly of the fish,
but nearness to God is beyond calculation."
Nearness to God is neither up nor down:
to be near God is to escape the prison of existence.
What room has nonexistence for "up" or "down"?
Nonexistence has no "soon" or "far" or "late."
The laboratory and treasure house of God is in nonexistence.
Since existence deludes you,
how will you know what nonexistence is?

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

Goft Payghambar keh "Me`râj-e merâ
nist bar me`râj-e Yunos ejtebâ
Ân-e man bar charkh va ân-e u neshib
zânke qorb-e Haqq berunast az hesâb"
Qorb nah bâlâ nah pasti raftanast
qorb-e Haqq az habs-e hasti rastanast
Nist-râ cheh jâ-ye bâlâ ast o zir
nist-râ nah zud o nah durast o dir
Kâr-gâh o ganj-e Haqq dar nistist
gherreh-ye hasti cheh dâni nist chist

-- Mathnawi III: 4512-4516
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

[Sunlight] "Play on, my Beloved!"

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 1474 :

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

My heart is the rubaab, your love the bow.
My soul weeps quietly
as you play me your song.

Play on, my Beloved!
Let me not miss one note of your melody
nor one beat of your heart.

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

[Sunlight] "What do you think will happen?"

~

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

if you distance yourself
only for an hour
from your endless thoughts
what do you think will happen

if you let yourself sink
just like a fish
into the ocean of our love
what do you think will happen

you are merely
a piece of straw
and we are
that eternal amber

if you leap forth
from your lowly house
to fuse with the amber
what do you think will happen

a hundred times
you've promised yourself
to depart from self-claim
to be humble as earth

only for once
if you keep your word
what do you think will happen

you're a precious
hidden diamond
sunken in the mud

if you wash away
all that impurity
from your gorgeous face
what do you think will happen

if you abandon
for a little while
your ego and greed
tear down your shield
rise with a quest
to unite with the divine
what do you think will happen

-- Ghazal (ode) 844
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

[Sunlight] Man has tools in proportion to his need

~


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

The mouse-soul is nothing but a nibbler.
To the mouse is given a mind proportionate to its need,
for without need, the Almighty God
doesn't give anything to anyone.
Need, then, is the net for all things that exist:
man has tools in proportion to his need.
So, quickly, increase your need, needy one,
that the sea of abundance may surge up in lovingkindness.

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

Nafs-e mushi nist ellâ loqmeh-rand
qadr-e hâjat mush-râ `aqli dehand
Zanke bi hâjat Khodâvand-e `Aziz
mi na-bakhshad hich kas-râ hich chiz
Pas kamand-e hast-hâjat bud
qadr-e hâjat mard-râ âlat bud
Pas biyafzâ hâjat ay mohtâj zud
tâ be-jushad dar karam daryâ-ye jud

-- Mathnawi II: 3273-3274; 3279-3280
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, July 20, 2009

[Sunlight] "Love for You took away my rosary" -- Ghazal 940

~


Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 940, from Rumi's
"Diwan-e Shams", in a poetic version by Coleman Barks and
a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Love has taken away my practices
and filled me with poetry.

I tried to keep quietly repeating,
No strength but Yours, but I couldn't.
I had to clap and sing.

I used to be respectable and chaste and stable,
but who can stand in this strong wind
and remember those things?

A mountain keeps an echo deep inside itself.
That's how I hold your Voice.

I am scrap wood thrown in your Fire,
and quickly reduced to smoke.

I saw You and became empty. This Emptiness,
more beautiful than existence, it obliterates existence;
and yet when It comes, existence thrives and creates more existence!

The sky is blue. The world is a blind man squatting on the road.
But whoever sees Your Emptiness
sees beyond blue and beyond the blind man.

A great soul hides like Muhammed, or Jesus,
moving through a crowd in a city where no one knows Him.

To praise is to praise how one surrenders to the Emptiness.
To praise the sun is to praise your own eyes.
Praise, the Ocean. What we say, a little ship.

So the sea-journey goes on, and who know where!
Just to be held by the Ocean is the best luck we could have.
It's a total waking up!

Why should we grieve that we've been sleeping?
It doesn't matter how long we've been unconscious.

We're groggy, but let the guilt go.
Feel the motions of tenderness around you, the buoyancy.

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

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

Love for you took away my rosary and gave verses and songs; I
cried "No strength (save with God)" and repented oft, but my
heart did not heed.
At Love's hand I became a singer of odes, hand-clapping; love
for you consumed reputation and shame and all that I possessed.
Once I was chaste and self-denying and firm-footed as a
mountain; what mountain is there that your wind did not carry away
life chaff?
If I am a mountain, yet I hold the echo of your voice; and if I
am chaff, in your fire I am reduced to smoke.
When I saw your being, I became nonexistent out of shame;
out of the love of this nonexistence the world of soul came into
being.
Wherever nonexistence comes, existence diminishes ˆ brave
nonexistence, from which, when it came, existence augmented!
Heaven is blue, earth like a blind squatter on the road; he who
beholds your moon escapes from blind-and-blue.
The likeness of the soul of a great saint, hidden in the body
of the world is the likeness of Ahmad the Messenger amidst the
Guebres and Jews.
To praise you in reality is to praise oneself, for he who praises
the sun thereby praises his own eyes.
Your praise is as the sea, our tongue is a ship; the soul voyages
on the sea, and its end is praiseworthy.
The tender care of the sea is for me like wakeful fortune; why
should I grieve, if my eye is stained with sleep?

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

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

~

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

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Friday, July 17, 2009

[Sunlight] Let the Way be your seat of honor

~

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

By God, don't linger
in any spiritual benefit you have gained,
but yearn for more, like one suffering from illness
whose thirst for water is never quenched.
This Divine Court is the Plane of the Infinite.
Leave the seat of honor behind;
let the Way be your seat of honor.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hamcho mostasqi kaz âbesh sir nist
bar har ânche yâfti billâh ma-'ist
Bi Nehâyat Hazratast in Bâr-gâh
sadr-râ bo-g'zâr sadretast râh

-- Mathnawi II: 1960-1961
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

[Sunlight] What a blessing -- Ghazal 451

~

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

WHAT A BLESSING

Don't hide – the sight of your face is a blessing.
Wherever you place your foot,
there rests a blessing.
Even your shadow,
passing over me like a swift bird,
is a blessing.

The great Spring has come.
Your sweet air,
blowing through the city, the country,
the gardens, and the desert
is a blessing.

He has come with love to our door;
His knock is a blessing.

We go from house to house, asking of him.
Any answer is a blessing.

Caught in this body,
we look for a sight of the soul.
Remember what the Prophet said:
"One sight is a blessing."

The leaf of every tree brings a message
from the Unseen world.
Look! Every falling leaf is a blessing.

All of Nature swings in unison –
singing without tongues,
listening without ears.
What a blessing!

O soul, the four elements are your face –
Water, wind, fire, and earth –
Each one is a blessing.

Once the seed of faith takes root
it cannot be blown away,
even by the strongest wind –
Now that's a blessing!

I bow to you,
for the dust of your feet
is the crown on my head.
As I walk toward you,
every step I take is a blessing.

His form appeared before me, just now,
as I was singing this poem. I swear.
What a blessing!
What a blessing!

Every vision born of earth is fleeting;
Every vision born of heaven is a blessing.

For people, the sight of Spring warms their hearts;
For fish, the rhythm of the ocean
is a blessing.
The brilliant Sun
that shines in every heart –
for the heavens, earth, and all creatures –
What a blessing!

The heart can't wait to speak of this ecstasy.
The soul is kissing the earth saying,
O God, what a blessing!

Fill me with the wine of your silence.
Let it soak my every pore
For the inner splendor it reveals
is a blessing,
is a blessing.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 451
Version by Jonathan Star
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

[Sunlight] "Love is all bewilderment"

~

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

In God's eyes, whoever has no tint of Love is
naught but wood and stone.
Love wrings water from rocks, Love cleans
rust from mirrors.
Unbelief has come in war, faith in peace - Love
strikes a fire to both peace and war.
In the ocean of the heart Love opens its mouth
and like a whale swallows down the two worlds.
Love is a lion, without deception and trickery,
not a fox one moment and a leopard the next.
When Love provides replenishment upon
replenishment, the spirit gains deliverance from this dark and
narrow body.
From the beginning Love is all bewilderment - it
stuns the intellect and dazzles the spirit.
Oh east wind, my heart is in Tabriz - take my
salaams there without delay!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1331
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press Albany, 1984

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

[Sunlight] Absorbed in the attributes of God

~

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

The light of the senses and spirit of our ancestors
doesn't perish like the grass,
but, like the stars and moonbeams,
they vanish in the radiance of the Sun.
It's like the naked man who jumped into the water,
so that he might escape from the hornets' stings:
the hornets circled above him, and whenever he put out his head
they would not spare him.
The water is recollection of God,
and the hornet is the thought, during this time,
of such-and-such a woman or man.
Hold your breath in the water of remembrance,
so that you may be freed from old thoughts and temptations.
After that, you will assume the nature of that pure water,
entirely from head to foot.
As the noxious hornet flees from the water,
so it will be afraid of approaching you.
After that be far from the water, if you wish;
for in your inmost soul you are of the same nature as the water.
Those persons then who have passed from the world
are not nonexistent but are absorbed in the attributes of God,
even as the star disappears in the presence of the sun.

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

Nur-e hess o jân-e bâbâyân-e mâ
nist kolli fâni va lâ chon giyâ
Lik mânand setâreh o mâhtâb
jomleh mahvand az sho`â`-e âftâb
Ân chonânke `ur andar âb jast
tâ dar âb az zakhm-e zanburân be-rast
Mi konad zanbur bar bâlâ tavâf
chon bar ârad sar na-dârandesh mo`âf
Âb zekr-e Haqq va zanbur in zamân
hast yâd-e ân folâneh o ân folân
Dam be-khvor dar âb-e zekr va sabr kon
tâ rahi az fekr o vasvâs-e kohon
Ba`d az ân to tab`-e ân âb-e safâ
khvod be-giri jomlegi sar tâ beh pâ
Ânchonânke az âb ân zanbur-e sharr
mi gorizad az to ham girad hazar
Ba`d az ân khvâhi to dur az âb bâsh
keh be-serr ham tab`-e âbi khvâjeh tâsh
Pas kasâni kaz jahân be-gozashteh-'and
lâ niand va dar sefât âghashteh-'and
Dar sefât-e Haqq sefât-e jomleh-shân
hamcho akhtar pish-e ân khvor bi neshân

-- Mathnawi IV: 432-433; 435-443
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, July 13, 2009

[Sunlight] "Who is at my door?"

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 436, from Molana Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shams ("The collection of Shams), in poetic versions by Star and Barks, in
a relatively contemporary translation by Arberry, and in the classic literal
translation by Nicholson, with footnotes:


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

"Who is at my door?"

He said, "Who is at my door?"
I said, "Your humble servant."
He said, "What business do you have?"
I said, "To greet you, 0 Lord."

He said, "How long will you journey on?"
I said, "Until you stop me."
He said, "How long will you boil in the fire?"
I said, "Until I am pure.

"This is my oath of love.
For the sake of love
I gave up wealth and position."

He said, "You have pleaded your case
but you have no witness."
I said, "My tears are my witness;
the pallor of my face is my proof.'
He said, "Your witness has no credibility;
your eyes are too wet to see."
I said, "By the splendor of your justice
my eyes are clear and faultless."

He said, "What do you seek?"
I said, "To have you as my constant friend."
He said, "What do you want from me?"
I said, "Your abundant grace."

He said, "Who was your companion on the journey?
I said, "The thought of you, 0 King."
He said, "What called you here?"
I said, "The fragrance of your wine."

He said, "What brings you the most fulfillment?"
I said, "The company of the Emperor."
He said, "What do you find there?"
I said, "A hundred miracles."
He said, "Why is the palace deserted?"
I said, "They all fear the thief."
He said, "Who is the thief?"
I said, "The one who keeps me from -you.

He said, "Where is there safety?"
I said, "In service and renunciation."
He said, "What is there to renounce?"
I said, "The hope of salvation."

He said, "Where is there calamity?"
I said, "In the presence of your love."
He said, "How do you benefit from this life?"
I said, "By keeping true to myself

Now it is time for silence.
If I told you about His true essence
You would fly from your self and be gone,
and neither door nor roof could hold you back!

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

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

"Talking through the door"

You said, "Who's at the door?"
I said, "Your slave."

You said, "What do you want?"
"To see you and bow."

"How long will you wait?"
"Until you call."

"How long will you cook?"
Till the resurrection."

We talked through the door. I claimed
a great love and that I had given up
what the world gives to be in that love.

You said, "Such claims require a witness."
I said, "This longing, these tears."

You said, "Discredited witnesses."
I said, "Surely not!"

You said, "Who did you come with?"
"The majestic imagination you gave me."

What do you want from me?"
"Grace."

Then you asked, Where have you been
most comfortable?"
"In the palace."

"What did you see there?"
"Amazing things."

"Then why is it so desolate?"
"Because all that can be taken away in a second."

"Who can do that?"
"This clear discernment."

"Where can you live safely then?"
"In surrender."

"What is this giving up?"
"A peace that saves us."

"Is there no threat of disaster?"
"Only what comes in your street,
inside your love."

"How do you walk there?"
"In perfection."

Now silence. If I told more of this conversation,
those listening would leave themselves.

There would be no door,
now roof or window either!

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

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

He said, "Who is at the door?" I said, "Your humble slave."
He said, "What is your business?" I said, "Lord, to greet you."
He said, "How long will you drive?" I said, "Until you call."
He said, "How long will you boil?" I said, "Till the resurrection."
I laid claim to love, I swore many oaths that for love's sake I
had lost kingship and nobility.
He said, "For a claim the cadi requires witness." I said, "My
witness is my tears, my sign the pallor of my cheeks."
He said, "Your witness is invalid; your eye is wet-skirted."* I
said, "By the splendour of your justice, they are just and without
fault."
He said, "Who was your companion?" I said, "Your fantasy, O
King." He said, "Who summoned you hither?" I said, "The scent
of your cup."
He said, "What is your intention?" I said, "Fidelity and friend-
ship." He said, "What do you desire of me?" I said, "Your
universal grace."
He said, "Where is it most agreeable?" I said, "Caesar's pal-
ace."* He said, "What did you see there?" I said, "A hundred
miracles.
He said, "Why is it desolate?" I said, "For fear of the highway-
man." He said, "Who is the highwayman?" I said, "'this blame."
He said, "Where is safety?" I said, "In abstinence and godli-
ness." He said, "What is abstinence?" I said, "The way of salva-
tion."
He said, "Where is calamity?" I said, "In the street of your
love." He said, "How fare you there?" I said, "In perfect recti-
tude."
Silence! For if I were to utter his subtleties you would come
forth from yourself, neither door nor roof would remain to you.

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

* Wet-skirted": i.e. defiled and impure, with tears of blood.
* A play on "qasr" (palace) and "Quaisar" (Ceasar).

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

XIV.

He said: "Who is at the door?" Said I: "Thy humble
slave."
He said: "What business have you?" Said I: "Lord, to
greet thee."
He said: "How long will you push?" Said I: "Till thou call."
He said: "How long will you glow?"* Said I: "Till resurrection."
I laid claim to love, I took oaths
That for love I had lost sovereignty and power.
He said: "A judge demands witness as regards a claim."
Said I: "Tears are my witness, paleness of face my
evidence."
He said: "The witness is not valid; your eye is corrupt."*
Said I: "By the majesty of thy justice they are just*
and clear of sin."*
He said: "What do you intend?" Said I: "Constancy and
friendship."
He said: "What do you want of me?" Said I: "Thy
universal grace."
He said: "Who was your companion?" Said I: "Thought
of thee, O King."
He said: "Who called you here?" Said I: "The odour of
thy cup."
He said: "Where is it pleasantest?" Said I: "The
emperor's palace."
He said: "What saw you there?" Said I: "A hundred
miracles."
He said: "Why is it desolate?" Said I: "From fear of
the brigand."*
He said: "Who is the brigand?" Said I: "This blame."
He said: "Where is it safe?" Said I: "In abstinence and
piety."
He said: "What is abstinence?" Said I: "The path of
salvation."*
He said: "Where is calamity?"* Said I: "In the
neighborhood of thy love."
He said: "How fare you there?" Said I: "In steadfastness."*
I gave you a long trial, but it availed me nothing;*
Repentance lights on him who tests one tested already.
Peace! If I should utter forth his mystic sayings,
You would go beside yourself, neither door nor roof
would restrain you.

-- 47.4 ("Lachnau Edition of the Divani Shamsi Tabriz)
"Selected Poems from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz"
Edited and translated by Reynold A. Nicholson
Cambridge, At the University Press, 1898, 1952

Nicholson's footnotes:

This poem affords an example of the rhetorical artifice
called Question and Answer.
* "glow" -- with fervid love.
* "The witness is not valid" -- The judge invalidated the
testimony.
* " your eye is corrupt" -- In T. 310. 6a the word is used
in its literal sense:
By the eye of thy countenance the eyes of lovers are
fringed with tears.
* "By the majesty of thy justice they are just" -- for the
adjectival force cf. 'The balance is just...'
* "sin" -- the ordinary meaning is penalty,' forfeit,'
but according to the "Ghiyasu llghat' it sometimes means
shame,' contrition.' Thus clear of sin' may be translated
'having no cause for shame,' i.e., innocent.
* "the brigand" -- worldly censure, which is apt to produce
backsliding. Cf. Hafiz, II. 496. 6:
I said, "They blame my fond pursuit of thee;
Who ever loved and lived from slander free?
* "the path of salvation" -- cf. The proverb (Freytag,
Vol. I. p. 14): Salvation from the world is to renounce
the things of the world. But the poet, be it remarked,
does not value striving 'except as a means of gaining the
ultimate knowledge of God which only union can give.' Cf.
Striving to sow is abstinence,
Making the seed grow is knowledge.
(Masnavi, 541, 5).
* "calamity" -- Calamity, grief and pain are often synonymous
with love in the language of the mystics. cf. Hafiz (II. 252. 3):
Thine eye hath wrought my ruin, but so my love
Send it, a thousand welcomes to the woe!
* "steadfastness" Jurjani (Kitabu tta'rifat, p. 19) gives
three definitions of this word. The last is: 'continuance, the
non-preference of any thing to God.' Here, I think, it signifies
the permanent spiritual condition (magham), which never
deviates into sense,' opposed to the momentary state of
exaltation (hal).
* "I gave you a long trial, but it availed me nothing"-- This
beyt occurs in Hafiz, II. 496. 3, where the first misra' reads:
'No matter how much I taught, it availed me nothing'
The proverb will be found in Freytag, Vol. II. P. 730.


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

~

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

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Friday, July 10, 2009

[Sunlight] Consider which way the door is swaying

~

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

Pure is the Builder who in the unseen world
constructs castles of speech.
Know that speech is the sound of the door
coming from the palace of mystery:
try to discern whether it is the sound of opening or closing.

The sound of the door is perceptible,
but the door itself you cannot perceive:
ye see, you are aware of the sound,
but the door ye see not.
When the harp of wisdom breaks into melody,
consider which way the door of the Garden of Paradise is swaying.
Since you are far from its door, pay attention to the sound.

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

Pâk Bannâyi keh bar sâzad hosun
dar jahân-e ghayb az goft o fosun
Bâng-e dar dân goft-râ az qasr-e râz
tâ keh bâng-e vâ-shodast in yâ farâz
Bâng-e dar mahsus o dar az hess berun
tubsirûn in bâng va dar lâ tubsirûn
Chang-e hekmat chonkeh khvosh âvâz shod
tâ cheh dar az Rawz-e Jannat bâz shod
Bâng-e dar be-shenaw cho duri az daresh
ay khonok u-râ keh vâ-shod montazeresh

-- Mathnawi VI:3481-3485
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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

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Thursday, July 09, 2009

[Sunlight] "In one sweet moment"

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 428 :

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

In one sweet moment,
She burst from my heart.
There we sat on the floor,
drinking ruby wine.
Trapped by Her beauty,
I saw and touched –
My whole face became eyes,
All my eyes became hands.

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, July 08, 2009

[Sunlight] The only Friend -- Ghazal 1596

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal 1596, in a translation by Azima
Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi, and in a translation by Nader Khalili:

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

All friends have vanished.
Like fleeting thoughts they scattered
and left me only with the thought
of my Beloved.
Now alone with every breath
I call the only Friend of the forsaken.
I was taken by the stream of love
I tasted the fruit of love's tree,
surrounded with such tenderness, such sweetness
I even had to chase the wasps away!
I was the doorkeeper at the gate of my Beloved.
He left, and now, bewildered
I don't know which way to turn.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


all my friends
departed like dreams
left alone
i called upon
one friend
to become
my entire dream

this is the one
who soothes my heart
with endless
tenderness and love

the one who
one hour bestows
inner peace
and the next
the nectar of life

this dream too
as it arrives
i come alive and
as it departs
i'm helpless again

-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1991

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 07, 2009

[Sunlight] "It is God who purchases"

~

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

Every prophet has said in sincerity,
to his people, "I don't ask wages for my message.
I am only a guide. It is God who purchases:
God has appointed me to act
as broker on both sides."

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

Har nabi goft bâ qawm az safâ
man na-khvâham mozd-e payghâm az shomâ
Man dalilam Haqq shomâ-râ moshtari
dâd Haqq dalâliyam har do sari

-- Mathnawi II: 573-574
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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Monday, July 06, 2009

[Sunlight] Say Yes Quickly -- Ghazal 2933

~

Ghazal (Ode) 2933 - a poetic version by Coleman Barks and a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"Say Yes Quickly"

Forget your life. Say "God is Great." Get up.
You think you know what time it is. It's time to pray.
You've carved so many little figurines, too many.
Don't knock on any random door like a beggar.
Reach your long hands out to another door, beyond where
you go on the street, the street
where everyone says, "How are you?"
and no one says "How aren't you?"

Tomorrow you'll see what you've broken and torn tonight,
thrashing in the dark. Inside you
there's an artist you don't know about.
He's not interested in how things look different in moonlight.

If you are here unfaithfully with us,
you're causing terrible damage.
If you've opened your loving to God's love,
you're helping people you don't know
and have never seen.

Is what I say true? Say yes quickly,
if you know, if you've known it
from before the beginning of the universe.

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

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

You who are Imam of love, say Allah Akbar*, for you are drunk;
shake you two hands, become indifferent to existence.
You were fixed to a time, you made haste; the time of prayer
has come. Leap up - why are you seated?
In hope of the qibla of God you carve a hundred qibla; in hope
of that idol's love you worship a hundred idols.
Fly upwards, O soul, O obedient soul; the moon is above, the
shadow is low.
Do not like a beggar knock your hand at any door; knock at
the ring of the door of heaven, for you have a long hand.
Since the flagon of heaven has made you like that, be a
stranger to the world, for you have escaped out of self.
I say to you, "How are you?" No one ever says to the "how-
less" soul, "How are you?"
Tonight you are drunk and dissolute, come tomorrow and you
will see what bags you have torn, what glasses you have broken.
Every glass I have broken was my trust in you, for myriadwise
you have bound up the broken.
O secret artist, in the depths of your soul you have a thousand
forms, apart from the moon and the Lady of the Moon [Mahasti].*
If you have stolen the ring, you have opened a thousand
throats; if you have wounded a breast, you have given a hundred
souls and hearts.
I have gone mad; whatever I say in madness, quickly say,
"Yes, yes," if you are privy to Alast.

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

*Allah-o Akbar (God is great) is the call for prayer.
*Mahasti means "you are a moon," or "the lady of the moon," or simply a lady.

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

~

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Thursday, July 02, 2009

[Sunlight] Come Out and Give Something

~

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

Come Out and Give Something

Every prophet is a beggar calling, "Something for God's sake!
Please lend something

to God." The people they ask this of are truly destitute, but
still prophets and teachers

go from door to door. Though all the doors of heaven are open
to them, they beg for

pieces of bread. They eat the bread they get, but they didn't
ask from appetite. In fact,

don't say they eat bread; they eat light. God has said be
moderate when eating and

drinking bread and wine, but God never said be satisfied
when taking in light.

God offers a teacher the treasures of the world, and the
teacher responds, "To be

in love with God and expect to be paid for it!" A servant
wants to be rewarded for what he does.

A lover wants only to be in love's presence, an ocean whose
depth will never be known.

This cannot be said! Let us return, Husam, to the story of the
teacher begging in the street.

Listen to him: "Love is reckless. Love makes the sea boil
like a kettle. Love crumbles

a stone mountain to sand. Out of love God says to Muhammad,
`But for you, I would not have

created the universe.' Love says, `This world is the egg. You
are the chick.' Everything

helps us understand this." The ground is low to give some
notion of humility. Spring's

green comes to reveal an alchemy that happens inside us.
Every experience begs

like a dervish for us to come out and give something.

-- Mathnawi V: 2694-2743
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

~

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Wednesday, July 01, 2009

[Sunlight] "Would that you could know yourself for a time!"

~

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

Would that you could know yourself for a time!
Would that you would see a sign of your own beautiful face!
Then you would not sleep in water and clay
like an animal: You would go to the house of joy of all lovely
spirits.
You would travel to your every far corner to
make yourself manifest, for Hidden Treasure has remained
concealed within you!
Were you only this body, you would have no news of
the spirit; were you only this spirit, you would rest happily
within it.
Like others you would make do with good and evil,
you would manage with this and that - if, that is, you were
only this and that.
Were you only one stew, you would have a single
flavor; were you only one pot, you would boil in just one
way.
Were you to be purified of this churning agitation,
you would reside on top of the heavens like those who are
pure.
To every image of your own imagination you say,
"Oh, my spirit, my world!" Were these images to disappear,
you yourself would be the spirit and the world.
Enough, for your words have become intellect's
shackle! If not for words, you would be nothing but
tongue like the Universal Intellect.
Enough, for knowledge is a veil upon knowledge -
if you knew that you are the King, why would you remain
the interpreter?

-- Ode 3003
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~


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