Friday, January 29, 2010

[Sunlight] The body is manifest; Life's spirit is hidden

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When a dispute arises
as to the ownership of the husk,
the husk belongs
to the one who possesses the kernel.
The heavenly sphere is the husk;
the light of the spirit is the core.
This sky is visible; spirit is not;
but don't stumble because of this.
The body is manifest;
Life's spirit is hidden:
The body is like a sleeve;
the spirit is the hand.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon tanâzo` dar fotad dar tang-gâh
dâneh ân kist ân-râ kon negâh
Pas falak qeshrist va nur-e ruh maghz
in padidast ân khafi zin ru ma-laghz
Jesm zâher ruh makhfi âmadast
jesm hamchon âstin jân hamcho dast

-- Mathnawi II: 3251-3253
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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Thursday, January 28, 2010

[Sunlight] "Who is looking out?" -- Quatrain 494

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 494:

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

Who sees inside from outside?
Who finds hundreds of mysteries
even where minds are deranged?

See through his eyes what he sees.
Who then is looking out from his eyes?

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

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

who is the one
who sees the external
right from within
who is the one
who casts a hundred magic spells
when watching the insane in love
try your own eyes
see how they see
who is the one
who is looking out
through your eyes for you

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

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

~


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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

[Sunlight] Envy and the heart -- Ghazal 817

~

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

Since a group of people have bought my words, the
old rag sewers have all gone to work.
In order to set themselves up against me they
have all washed their beards; but their envy displays
their dirty faces.
By day they make blandishments like fair maidens,
by night they repeat their lines like frogs.
Thanks be to God that my voice has made these
sleepers abandon their slumber and stay awake –
But would they were staying awake for His sake,
that all their lamentation were not for the sake of silver
and gold!
How can they restore the sick to ruddy complexions?
For they are all yellow like gold coins.
How can they deliver the creatures from envy?
For envy has made them all ill.
Those kings that have come for the sake of vision
are like an illuminated eye in men's hearts.
Like the seven planets their light is but one,
like the five fingers they perform a single task.
Not wanting people to mock them, these fools show
themselves as all turbans and beards.
The People of the Heart are the sun, the people of
clay the dust in the air; the former are the rose, the
latter the thorn.
Grieve not, oh prince, because of these fools –
the People of the Heart are heart-bestowers and heart-
pleasers.

-- Ghazal 817
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love - The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi"
State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983

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

~

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

[Sunlight] How should a bird fly except with its own kind?

~

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

When two people have come into touch with each other,
without any doubt, they have something in common.
How should a bird fly except with its own kind?

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

Chon do kas bar ham zanad bi hich shakk
dar miyâneshân hast qadr-e moshtarak
Kay parad morghi magar bâ jens-e khvod
sohbat-e nâ-jens gurast o lahd

-- Mathnawi V: 752-755
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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Monday, January 25, 2010

[Sunlight] " Who is there who discovers the dawn" -- Ghazal 598

~

Sunlight presents Ode 598 - a poetic version Coleman Barks, a
poetic translation by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva, and a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Who gets up early to discover the moment light begins?
Who finds us here circling, bewildered, like atoms?
Who comes to a spring thirsty
and sees the moon reflected in it?
Who, like Jacob blind with grief and age,
smells the shirt of his lost son and can see again?
Who lets a bucket down and brings up
a flowing prophet? Or like Moses, goes for fire
and finds what burns inside the sunrise?

Jesus slips into a house to escape enemies,
and opens a door to the other world.
Solomon cuts open a fish, and there's a gold ring.
Oman storms in to kill the Prophet
and leaves with blessings.
Chase a deer and end up everywhere!
An oyster opens his mouth to swallow one drop.
Now there's a pearl.
A vagrant wanders empty ruins.
Suddenly he's wealthy.

But don't be satisfied with stories, how things
have gone with others. Unfold
your own myth, without complicated explanation,
so everyone will understand the passage,
We have opened you.

Start walking toward Shams. Your legs will get heavy
and tired. Then comes a moment
of feeling the wings you've grown,
lifting.

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

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

YOU CAME TO SEE THE SUN RISE

O friend,
You came to see the Sun rise,
But instead you see us,
Whirling like a confusion of atoms -
Who could be so lucky?

Who comes to a lake for water
And sees the reflection of the moon?

Who, blind like Jacob,
Seeks his lost son,
And regains the light of his own eyes?

Who, parched with thirst,
Lowers a bucket into a well
And comes up with an ocean of nectar?
Who could be so lucky?

Who, like Moses, approaches a desert bush
And beholds the fire
of a hundred dawns?

Who, like Jesus, enters a house to avoid capture,
And discovers a passage to the other world?

Who, like Solomon, cuts open the stomach of a fish
And finds a golden ring?
Who could be so lucky?

An assassin rushes in to kill the Prophet
And stumbles upon a fortune.

An oyster, opens his mouth for a drop of water,
And discovers a shining pearl within himself.

A poor man, searches through a heap of garbage
And finds a magnificent treasure -
Who could be so lucky?

O friend,
Forget all your stories and fancy words.
Let friend and stranger look upon you
And see a flood of light! -
The door of heaven opening!
Let them be so lucky!

And what of those
Who walk toward Shamsuddin?
Their feet grow weary,
They fall to the ground in utter exhaustion
But then come the wings of His love,
Lifting them,
upward.

Who could be so lucky?

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

* Sunlight note: Star's presentations of these poems are usually
referred to as "versions," as his work is generally based on
translations he did not himself carry out. In this case, however, he
worked directly with the translator Shahram Shiva.

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

Morn-arising friends, who is there that discovers the dawn,
who discovers us dancing in confusion like atoms?
Who has the luck to come to the brink of a river to drink
water from that river, and to discover the reflection of the
moon?
Who is there that like Jacob from the shirt of Joseph seeks
the scent of his son, and instead discovers the light of his eyes?*
Or athirst like the bedouin casts a bucket into the well, and
in the bucket discovers a beauty like an ass-load of sugar?*
Or like Moses seeking fire, who seeks out a bush, comes to
gather the fire, and discovers a hundred dawns and sunrises?*
Jesus leaps into the house to escape from the foe; suddenly
from the house he discovers a passage to heaven.
Or like a Soloman he splits a fish, and in the belly of that
fish he discovers a ring of gold.
Sword in hand, "Umar comes intending to slay the Prophet;
he falls into God's snare, and discovers a kindly regard from
fortune.*
Or like Adham's son he drives towards a deer to make the
deer his prey, and instead discovers another prey.*
Or like a thirsty oyster shell he comes with gaping mouth to
take a drop of water into himself, and discovers a pearl within
himself.
Or a man foraging who turns towards desolations, and
suddenly in a desolation he discovers news of a treasure.
Traveller, have done with legends, so that intimate alike
and stranger may discover without your exposition the light of
Did We not open.*
Whoever strides sincerely towards Shams al-Din, though
his foot may grow weary, he will discover two wings from
Love.

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

* Koran 12:94
* Koran 12:19
*Koran 20:9-10
* See "Discourses of Rumi" 171.
* For the famous conversion of Ibrahim ibn Adham (d.160/776),
see E.I. II:433.
* "Did we not open": Koran 94:I.

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

~

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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Friday, January 22, 2010

[Sunlight] "Fills you with the boiling of love"

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

The companion of the Prophet said,
"Whenever the Prophet recited verses of the Qur'ân to us,
at the moment of abundance that chosen Messenger
would ask attentiveness and reverence."
It's as when a bird perches on your head,
and your soul trembles for fear of its flitting,
so you don't dare to stir lest that beautiful bird take to the air.
You dare not breathe, you suppress a cough,
lest that humâ* should fly away;
and should anyone speak sweet or sour words to you,
you lay a finger to your lips, meaning "Hush!"
Bewilderment is like that bird: it makes you silent;
it puts the lid on the kettle and fills you with the boiling of love.

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

Hamchonânkeh goft ân yâr-e Rasul
chon Nabi bar khvândi bar mâ fosul
n Rasul-e mojtabâ vaqt-e neesâ
khvâsti az mâ hozur o sad vaqâr
nchonânkeh bar saret morghi bovad
kaz favâtesh jân-e to larzân shavad
Pas niyâri hich jonbidan ze jâ
tâ na-girad morgh-e khub tu havâ
Dam niyâri zad be-bandi sorfeh-râ
tâ na-bâyad keh be-parrad ân homâ*
Var kaset shirin be-guyad yâ torosh
bar lab angoshti nehi ya`ni "khamosh"
Hayrat ân morghast khâmushet konad
bar nehad sar-e dig o por-e jushet konad

-- Mathnawi V:3244-3250
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

*A mythical bird whose shadow brings blessings.

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

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Thursday, January 21, 2010

[Sunlight] "I have returned, like the new year" -- Ghazal 1375

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1375, from Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shamsi" ("The Collection of Shams"), in a poetic translation from
Nader Khalili, and in a literal translation from Prof. William
Chittick:

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

i've come again
like a new year
to crash the gate
of this old prison

i've come again
to break the teeth and claws
of this man-eating
monster we call life

i've come again
to puncture the
glory of the cosmos
who mercilessly
destroys humans

i am the falcon
hunting down the birds
of black omen
before their flights

i gave my word
at the outset to
give my life
with no qualms
i pray to the Lord
to break my back
before i break my word

how do you dare to
let someone like me
intoxicated with love
enter your house

you must know better
if i enter
i'll break all this and
destroy all that

if the sheriff arrives
i'll throw the wine
in his face
if your gatekeeper
pulls my hand
i'll break his arm

if the heavens don't go round
to my heart's desire
i'll crush its wheels and
pull out its roots

you have set up
a colorful table
calling it life and
asked me to your feast
but punish me if
i enjoy myself

what tyranny is this

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

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

I have returned, like the new year, to break the
locks of the prison and smash the claws and teeth of these
man-eating spheres.
The seven waterless planets are devouring the
creatures of earth -- I will throw water upon their fire and still
their winds.
I have flown from the beginningless King like a
falcon in order to kill the parrot-eating owls* of this ruined
monastery.
From the beginning I made a covenant to
sacrifice my spirit to the King. May my spirit's back be broken
should I break my pledge and covenant!
Today I am Asaf, Solomon's vizier, sword and
firman in hand -- I will break the necks of any who are
arrogant before the King.
If you see the garden of the rebellious
flourishing for a day or two, grieve not! For I will cut their
roots from a hidden direction.
I will break nothing but injustice or the evil-
intentioned tyrant -- should anything have a mote of savor, then
I am an unbeliever should I break it
Wherever there is a polo ball, it is taken away
by the mallet of Oneness -- if a ball does not roll down the
field. I will smash it with the blow of my mallet.
I now reside in His banquet, for I saw that His
intention is Gentleness. I became the least servant of His way
in order to break Satan's legs.
I was a single nugget, but when the Sultan's
hand grasped hold of me, I became the mine -- if you place me
in the balance, I will break the scales.
When you allow a ruined and drunken man like
myself into your house, do you not know at least this much: I
will break this and break that?
If the watchman shouts, "Hey!" I will pour a
cup of wine on his head; and if the doorman seizes hold of
me, I will break his arm.
If the spheres do not rotate round my heart, I
will pull them up by the roots; if the heavens act with
villainy, I will smash the turning heavens.
Thou hast spread the tablecloth of Generosity
and invited me to lunch -- why doest Thou rebuke me when I
break the bread?
No, no -- I sit at the head of Thy table, I am the
chief of Thy guests. I will pour a cup or two of wine upon the
guests and break their shame.
Oh Thou who inspirest my spirit with poetry
from within! Should I refuse and remain silent, I fear I would
break Thy command.
If Shams-i Tabrizi should send me wine and
make me drunk, I would be free of cares and break down the
pillars of the universe.

-- Translation by William Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1984

Sunlight footnote:

*In Mowlana's world view, there are two spheres: the seen and the
unseen, perceived also as light and the dark, or God (King) and
arrogant humans who mock and impersonate their Creator. He sharply
divides the world of matter from the world of spirit (or soul as the
embodied spirit). The birds of the light, such as parrots, eagles and
and falcons, are from the spirit world and are messengers of the
Beloved. They fly during the day and thrive in the light of sun. The
owl, on the other hand, is from the world of darkness, cannot
tolerate light, and becomes blind from the light of the divine. So it
is the enemy of the falcon, the nightingale and the parrot.

Compare this verse from the Mathnawi:

The spirit is the falcon, but bodily dispositions are crows. The
falcon has received many wounds from crows and owls (M V: 842-843).

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

~


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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

[Sunlight] Coming back to wakefulness

~

Here, Sunlight offers verses from Rumi's Mathnawi, Book IV, in a
version by Coleman Barks, and a literal translation by Professor R.A.
Nicholson, from which Professor Barks derived his version:

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

"The Dream That Must Be Interpreted"

This place is a dream.
Only a sleeper considers it real.

Then death comes like dawn,
and you wake up laughing
at what you thought was your grief.

But there's a difference with this dream.
Everything cruel and unconscious
done in the illusion of the present world,
all that does not fade away
at the death-waking.

It stays,
and it must be interpreted.

All the mean laughing,
all the quick, sexual wanting,
those torn coats of Joseph,
they change into powerful wolves
that you must face.

The retaliation that sometimes comes now,
the swift, payback hit,
is just a boy's game
to what the other will be.

You know about circumcision here.
It's full castration there!

And this groggy time we live,
this is what it's like:
A man goes to sleep in the town
where he has always lived,
and he dreams he's living in another town.

In the dream, he doesn't remember
the town he's sleeping in his bed in.
He believes the reality of the dream town.

The world is that kind of sleep.

The dust of many crumbled cities
settles over us like a forgetful dose,
but we are older than those cities.

We began as a mineral.
We emerged into plant life,
and into the animal state,
and then into being human,
and always we have forgotten our former states,
except in early spring
when we slightly recall
being green again.

That's how a young person
turns toward a teacher.
That's how a baby leans toward the breast,
without knowing the secret of its desire,
yet turning instinctively.

Humankind is being led along
an evolving course, through
this migration of intelligences,
and though we seem to be sleeping,
there is an inner wakefulness
that directs the dream,

and that will eventually startle us
back to the truth of who we are.

-- Mathnawi IV, 3628-3652, 3654-3667
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even so this world, which is the sleeper's dream: the sleeper
fancies that it is really enduring,
Till on a sudden there shall rise the dawn of Death and he
shall be delivered from the darkness of opinion and falsehood.
(Then) laugher at those sorrows of his will take possession of
him when he sees his permanent abode and dwelling-place.
Everything good or evil that thou seest in thy sleep will be
made manifest, one by one, on the Day of the (Last) Congregation.
That which thou didst in this sleep in the (present) world will
become evident to thee at the time of awaking.
Take care not to imagine that this (which thou hast done) is
(only) an evil action committed in this (state of) sleep and that
there is no interpretation (thereof) for thee.
Nay, this laughter (of thine) will be tears and moans on the
Day of interpretation, O oppressor of the captive!
Know that in the hour of thy awakening thy tears and grief
and sorrow and lamentation will turn to joy.
O thou that hast torn the coat of (many) Josephs, thou wilt
arise from this heavy slumber (in the form of ) a wolf.
Thy (evil) dispositions, one by one, having become wolves
will tear thy limbs in wrath.
According to (the law of) retaliation, the blood (shed by thee)
will not sleep (remain unavenged) after thy death: do not say,
"I shall die and obtain release."
This immediate retaliation (which is exacted in the present
world) is (only) a makeshift: in comparison with the blow of
that (future) retaliation that is a (mere) play.
God hath called the present world a play because this penalty
is a play in comparison with that penalty.
This penalty is a means of allaying war and civil strife: that one
is like a castration, while this one resembles a circumcision.

(IV, 3654-3667)

The man who lives in a city (many) years, as soon as his eye
goes asleep,
Beholds another city full of good and evil, and his own city
comes not into this memory at all.
So that (he should say), "I have lived there (so many years);
this new city is not mine: here I am (only) in pawn*."
Nay, he thinks that in sooth he has always lived in this very
city and has been born and bred in it*.
What wonder (then) if the spirit does not remember its
(ancient) abodes, which have been its dwelling-place and birth-
place aforetime,
Since this world, like sleep, is covering it over as clouds cover
the stars? -
Especially as it has trodden so many cities, and the dust has
not (yet) been swept from it perceptive faculty,
Nor has it made ardent efforts that its heart should become
pure and behold the past;
That its heart should put forth its head (peep forth) from the
aperture of the mystery and should see the beginning and the
end with open eye.
First he came into the clime (world) of inorganic things, and
from the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable
state.
(Many) years he lived in the vegetable state and did not re-
member the inorganic state because of the opposition (between
them);
And when he passed from the vegetable into the animal state,
the vegetable state was not remembered by him at all,
Save only for the inclination which he has towards that (state),
especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs -
Like the inclination of babes towards their mothers: it (the
babe) does not know the secret of its desire for being suckled;
(Or) like the excessive inclination of every novice towards the
noble spiritual Elder, whose fortune is young (and flourishing).
The particular intelligence of this (disciple) is derived from
that Universal Intelligence*: the motion of this shadow is derived
from that Rose-bough.
His (the disciple's) shadow disappears at least in him (the
Master); then he knows the secret of his inclination and search
and seeking.
How should the shadow of the other's (the disciple's) bough
move, O fortunate one, if this Tree move not?
Again, the Creator, whom thou knowest, was leading him
(Man) from the animal (state) towards humanity.
Thus did he advance from clime to clime (from one world of
being to another), till he has now become intelligent and wise
and mighty.
He hath no remembrance of his former intelligences (souls);
from this (human) intelligence also there is a migration to be
made of him.
That he may escape from this intelligence full of greed and
self-seeking and may behold a hundred thousand intelligences
most marvellous.
Though he fell asleep and become oblivious of the past, how
should they leave him in that self-forgetfulness?
From that sleep they will bring him back again to wakefulness,
that he may mock at his (present) state,
Saying, "What was that sorrow I was suffering in my sleep?
How did I forget the states of truth (the real experience)?
How did not I know that sorrow and disease is the effect
of sleep and is illusion and phantasy?"

-- Mathnawi IV, 3628-3653
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"

Nicholson's commentary:

* I.e. not a permanent resident.
* Literally, "that his origin and habit has always been in this very
city."
*I.e. the Logos with whom the Master (the Perfect Man) is identified.

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

~

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

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

[Sunlight] "How will you know your real friends?"

~

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

How will you know your real friends?
Pain is as dear to them as life.
A friend is like gold. Trouble is like fire.
Pure gold delights in the fire.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dustân bin ku neshân-e dustân
dustân-râ ranj bâshad hamcho jân
Dust hamcho zar balâ chon âtesh ast
zar-e khâles dar del-e âtash khvosh ast

-- Mathnawi II:1458; 1461
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, January 18, 2010

[Sunlight] "Why are you fleeing from us?" -- Ghazal 2558

~

Today, Sunlight offers Rumi's Ode (Ghazal) 2558, in a poetic version by Coleman Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry.

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

The Rights of Crying

Why so fugitive? I have some right
to be with you, rights of crying.

If there were laughter all around me,
I would feel closed in if you weren't there.
With my children and everyone else I love,
I'd still be distracted.

How can I tie down one of your feet?
I do have enough strength and patience.
No matter how far you go, even
beyond sunlight into where Jesus is visible,
I'll come and wait to be told
why you go away from me.

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

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

O spiritual form, why are you fleeing from us? You are
after all of the house, you know the state of this servant.
By the right of my hot tears, by the right of my pale
cheeks, by the bond that I have with you beyond this human phase-
Though the whole world were laughing, without you it were a
prison; enough this, show compassion to this deprived prisoner.
Though I am with all my very dear ones, when you are afar I
am distraught – O God, may such distraction not be the lot of
anyone.
What shall I tie to that fleeing foot of yours so that you may
not flee? You resemble an unfaithful soul; you are fleeing like our
Beloved.
Though you gallop up out of the nine spheres and set fire to
the seven seas, I will rend to pieces spheres and seas with love and
patience and strength.
Even if like the sun you surmount the fourth heaven, I will still
come secretly to your stirrup like a servant.

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

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

~

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

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Friday, January 15, 2010

[Sunlight] "It is here" - - Quatrain 61

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 61:

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

If you have a spirit, lose it,
lose it to return where with one word,
we came from. Now, thousands of words,
and we refuse to leave.

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

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

If you have illusions about heaven
lose them.
The soul heard of one attribute of Love
and came to earth.
A hundred attributes of heaven
could never charm her back.
It is here the soul discovers
the reality of Love.

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

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

~


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

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

[Sunlight] The effect of His illusion; the effect of His awakening

~

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

The Fâtihah* is unique in attracting good and averting evil.
If anything other than God appears to you,
it's the effect of His illusion;
and if all other than God vanished from sight,
it's the effect of His awakening you to what is real.

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

Zânkeh u-râ Fâteheh khvod mi keshid
Fâteheh dar jarr o daf` âmad vahid
Gar namâyad ghayr ham tamvih-e Ust
var ravad ghayr az nazar tanbih-e Ust

-- Mathnawi VI:3355-3356
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

From Ibrahim Gamard:

*Fatihah: the first chapter of the Quran, consisting of seven verses
which are repeated numerous times each day by Muslims. It is a prayer
asking to be rightly guided, rather than led astray. A contemporary
(non-literal) interpretive translation for Americans (based on extensive
study of the Arabic root meanings of every word) is by the Muslim sufi
teacher Imam Bilal Hyde:
(1) "We begin in the Name of God, Everlasting Mercy, Infinite
Compassion.
(2) Praise be to God, Loving Lord of all the worlds.
(3) Everlasting Mercy, Infinite Compassion.
(4) Eternal Strength of every living being, Whose Majestic Power
embraces us on the day of the great return.
(5) Only You do we adore, and to You alone do we cry for help.
(6) Guide us, O God, on the path of Perfect harmony,
(7) The path of those whom You have blessed with the gifts of Peace,
Joy, Serenity, and Delight, the path of those who are not brought down
by anger, the path of those who are not lost along the way.

Amin. So be it."

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

~

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

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

[Sunlight] "Everywhere the secret of God is coming" -- Ghazal 837

~


Today, Sunlight offers three presentations of Ghazal (Ode) 837 -
a poetic translation by Nader Khalili; an interpretive version by
Coleman Barks (based on the translation by A.J. Arberry);
and Arberry's translation:


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

everywhere
the aroma of God
begins to arrive

look at these people
not knowing their feet from head
as they begin to arrive

every soul is seeking His soul
every soul parched with thirst
they've all heard the voice
of the quencher of thirst

everyone tastes the love
everyone tastes the milk
anxious to know
from where the real mother
begins to arrive

waiting in fever
wondering ceaselessly
when will that final union
begin to arrive

Moslems and Christians and Jews
raising their hands to the sky
their chanting voice in unison
begin to arrive
how happy is the one
whose heart's ear
hears that special voice
as it begins to arrive

clear your ears my friend
from all impurity
a polluted ear
can never hear the sound
as it begins to arrive

if your eyes are marred
with petty visions
wash them with tears
your teardrops are healers
as they begin to arrive

keep silence
don't rush to finish your poem
the finisher of the poem
the creator of the word
will begin to arrive

-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1995

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We can't help being thirsty,
moving toward the voice of water.

Milk-drinkers draw close to the mother.
Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists,
Hindus, shamans, everyone hears
the intelligent sound and moves,
with thirst, to meet it.

Clean your ears. Don't listen
for something you've heard before.

Invisible camel bells, slight footfalls in sand.

Almost in sight! The first word they call out
will be the last word of our last poem.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Everywhere the secret of God is coming - see how the people
are coming uncontrollably;
From him for whom all souls are athirst, to the thirsty the cry
of the water carrier is coming.
They are milk drinkers of divine generosity, and are on the
watch to see from whence the mother is coming.
The are in separation, and all are waiting to see whence
union and encounter are coming.
From Moslems, Jews, and Christians alike every dawn the
sound of prayer is coming;
Blessed is that intelligence into whose heart's ear from heaven
the sound of "come hither" is coming.
Keep your ear clean of scum, for a voice is coming from
heaven;
The defiled ear hears not that sound - only the deserving gets
his deserts.
Defile not your eye with human cheek and mole, for that
Emperor of eternal life is coming;
And if it has become defiled, wash it with tears, for the cure
comes from those tears.
A caravan of sugar has arrived from Egypt; the sound of
footfall and bells is coming.
Ha, be silent, for to complete the ode our speaking King is
coming.

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
The University of Chicago Press 1968/1991

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

~

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

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

[Sunlight] The Poet Asking Help

~

Today, Sunlight offers two English presentations of the Mathnawi
verses from Book III, verses 1490 et. seq., in addition to a partial
Persian transliteration:

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

O You who make demands within me like an embryo,
since You are the one who makes the demand,
make its fulfillment easy;
show the way, help me,
or else relinquish Your claim
and take this burden from me!
Since from a debtor You're demanding gold,
give him gold in secret, O King!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ay Taqâzâ-gâr darun hamchon janin
chon taqâzâ mi koni etmâm in
Sahl gardân rah namâ tawfiq deh
yâ taqâzâ-râ be-hel bar mâ ma-neh
Chon ze mofles zar taqâzâ mi koni
zar be-bakhsh dar serr ay Shâh-e Ghani

-- Mathnawi III: 1490-1492
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
(Developed from the translation by Nicholson)
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

The Poet's excusing himself and asking help.

Since Thou art demanding gold from an insolvent, give him
gold in secret, O rich King!
Without Thee, how how should poesy and rhyme dare to come
into sight at eve or morn?
Poesy and homonymy and rhymes, O Knowing One, are the
slaves of Thy Command from fear and dread,
Inasmuch as Thou hast made everything a glorifier (of Thee)
- the undiscerning entity and the discerning (alike).
Each glorifies (Thee) in a different fashion, and that one is
unaware of the state of this one.
Man disbelieves in the glorification uttered by inanimate
things, but those inanimate things are masters in (performing)
worship.
Nay, the two-and-seventy sects, every one, are unaware of
(the real state of) each other and in a (great) doubt.
Since two speakers have no knowledge of each other's state,
how will (it) be (with) wall and door?*
Since I am heeless of the glorification uttered byt one who
speaks, how should my heart know the glorification performed
by that which is mute?
The Sunni is unaware of the Jabri's (mode of) glorification,*
the Jabri is unaffected by the Sunni's (mode of) glorification;
The Sunni has a particular (mode of) glorification, the Jabri
has the opposite thereof in (taking) refuge (with God).
This one (the Jabri) says, "He (the Sunni) is astray and lost,"
(being) unaware of his (real) state and of the (Divine) command,
"Arise and preach!"
And that one (the Sunni) says, "What awareness has this one
(the Jabri)?" God, by fore-ordainment, hath cast them into
strife.
He maketh manifest the real nature of each, He displays the
congener by (contrast with) the uncognial.
Every one knows (can distinguish) mercy from vengeance,
whether he be wise or ignorant or vile,
But a mercy that has become hidden in vengeance, or a
vengeance that has sunk into the heart of mercy,
No one knows except the divine (deified) man in whose heart
is a spiritual touchstone.
The rest hold (only) an opinion of these two (qualities)*: they
fly to their nest with a single wing.

-- Mathnawi III: 1490-1509
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Mowlana Rumi"
Translation by Reynolds A. Nicholson
Published by E.J.W. Gibb Memorial Trust, 1990

Nicholson's Notes:

* " wall and door" -- I.e., "how should a human being be acquainted
with the manner in which inanimate objects glorify God?"
* "Jabri" is one who holds the doctrine of jabr (necessitarianism).
* "two (qualities)" -- I.e., the mercy latent in vengeance and the
vengeance latent in mercy.

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

~

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

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Monday, January 11, 2010

[Sunlight] "The lesson of poverty" -- Ghazal 2015

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2015, from the Diwan-e Shams
of Rumi, in a recent translation by Raficq Abdulla, a version by
Jonathan Star, a version by Coleman Barks (derived from Arberry), and
in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

A beggar smiled at me and offered me alms,
In a dream last night, my heart sprang with delight.

His beauty and grace which shone from his tattered,
Presence took me by storm until I woke at dawn.

His poverty was riches, it covered my body in silk.
In that dream I heard the beckoning sighs of lovers.

I heard soft cries of agonized joy saying: "Take this,
Drink and be complete!" I saw before me a ring,

Jeweled in poverty and then it nested on my ear.
From the root of my surging soul a hundred tremors,

Rose as I was taken and pinned down by the surging sea.
The heaven groaned with bliss and made a beggar of me.

-- Translation by Raficq Abdulla*
"Words of Paradise -- Selected poems of Rumi"
Penguin Books Ltd., England, 2000

* Raficq Abdulla is a South African-born Muslim. He has created
numerous radio programs about Islam for the BBC, including a series
of talks on the Prophet Muhammad and the Four Caliphs, and a program
on the life and work of Jalaluddin Rumi.

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

"A Mine of Rubies"

Last night I learned how to be a lover of God,
To live in this world and call nothing my own.

I looked inward
And the beauty of my own emptiness
filled me till dawn.
It enveloped me like a mine of rubies.
Its hue clothed me in red silk.

Within the cavern of my soul
I heard the voice of a lover crying,
"Drink now! Drink now!" -

I took a sip and saw the vast ocean -
Wave upon wave caressed my soul.
The lovers of God dance around
And the circle of their steps
becomes a ring of fire round my neck.

Heaven calls me with its rain and thunder -
a hundred thousand cries
yet I cannot hear. . . .

All I hear is the call of my Beloved.

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

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

Last night my teacher taught me the lesson of poverty,
having nothing and wanting nothing.

I am a naked man standing inside a mine of rubies,
clothed in red silk.
I absorb the shining and now I see the ocean,
billions of simultaneous motions
moving in me.
A circle of lovely, quiet people
becomes the ring on my finger.

The the wind and the thunder of rain on the way.
I have such a teacher.

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

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

Last night I saw Poverty in a dream, I became beside myself
from its beauty.
From the loveliness and perfection of the grace of poverty I
was dumbfounded until dawn.*
I saw poverty like a mine of ruby, so that through its hue I
became clothed in silk.
I heard the clamorous rapture of lovers, I heard the cry of
"Drink now, drink!"
I saw a ring all drunken with poverty; I saw its ring in my own
ear.*
From the midst of my soul a hundred surgings rose when I
beheld the surging of the sea.
Heaven uttered a hundred thousand cries; I am the slave of
such a leader.

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

* Mohammad said: "I take refuge from poverty in You (i.e.
God)," and also: "My poverty is my pride." These two
seemingly contradictory statements are explained by the
Sufis as pertaining to two types of poverty. One which
comes close to heresy is the poverty of the heart, taking
away from it learning, morality, patience, submission,
and trust in God. The other type makes man devoid of all
worldly attachments for the sake of God and is a spiritual
self-surrender and self-annihilation. Such poverty is the
first step in Sufism.
* "...ring in my own ear": In the past, rings were inserted
in the ears of slaves as a sign of servitude.

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

~

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

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Friday, January 08, 2010

[Sunlight] "You will give thanks" -- Ghazal 3041

~

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

If you do not know me, then ask the dark night
- night is lover's confidant, the witness of this lamentation
and tears.

Why talk of night? For the lover displays a thousand
signs, the least of which are tears, yellow cheeks, a frail
body, and failing health.

In weeping he is like the clouds, in perseverance like
the mountains, in prostration like water, in lowliness like
dirt in the road.

But all these afflictions surround his garden like
thorns – within it are roses, the Beloved, and a flowing
fountain.

When you pass by the garden's wall and enter into its
greenery, you will give thanks and prostrate yourself in
gratitude:

"Thanksgiving and praise belong to God! For He has
taken away autumn's cruelty. The earth has blossomed,
spring has sown its face!

A thousand naked branches have put on robes of
flowers! A thousand desert thorns have lost their teeth!"

How should the man of intellect know the sweetness
of heartache for the Beloved? He is like a weaver who knows
not the arts of war and horsemanship.

The lovers are your brother, mother, and father – for
they have all become one, kneaded together by Love.

When a thousand corpses are thrown into the saltmines,
they all become salt – no duality remains, no "man from Marv" or
"man from Balkh."

Do not pull in the reins of speech because of the thick-
headedness of your bored listeners! Behold the thirty angels
in heaven when you pronounce your words!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 3041
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~


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

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Thursday, January 07, 2010

[Sunlight] "Looking for signs" -- Quatrain 1854

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 1854:

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

I took a journey
dead set to find
your true love
at any cost
at every stage I landed
I saw a head beheaded
I saw a life is lost

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

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

I travelled everywhere,
following you,
looking for signs of where you had been –
They show me a house stacked with bodies,
heads strewn on the floor.

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

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~

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

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Wednesday, January 06, 2010

[Sunlight] "That moon snatched me up" -- Ghazal 649

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Here, Sunlight offers five presentations of Ghazal (Ode) 649.
from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams":


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

The ocean billowed, and lo!
Eternal Wisdom appeared
And cast forth its voice and cried out . . .
That was how it was and became.
The ocean was all filled with foam
and every fleck of this foam
Produced a figure like this,
and was a body like that,
and every body-shaped fleck
that heard a sign from that sea,
It melted and then returned
into the ocean of souls . . .

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

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

"This Eternal Play"

At dawn the Moon appeared in the sky.
It floated down and looked at me.
Then, like a hawk snatching its prey,
it grabbed hold of me
and dragged me across the sky.

When I looked I could not see myself.
By the magic of the Moon's light
my body dissolved into pure spirit.
In this form I journeyed on
Merging with a boundless light.
Then the secret of this eternal play
opened up before me.

The nine spheres of heaven
were enveloped in light.
The ship of my soul
was lost in a shoreless Sea . . . .

Suddenly the Sea of Being formed into waves.
Thoughts rose up,
images and forms broke on the shore.
Then everything returned to the way it was before,
merging into that vast Spirit.

The fortune of this sight
comes from Shams, the Truth of Tabriz.
Without his grace,
no one could ever ride the Moon
or become the endless Sea.

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


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

In the sky, a moon appeared, at dawn,
She descended from the sky and threw her glance to me,
Like a falcon taking hold of a bird, during the hunt,
She seized me and took me high in the skies.
When I looked at me I did not see me
Because in this moon, my body, by grace,
had become the soul.
When I traveled within the soul, I only saw the moon,
Until was unveiled to me the mystery of eternal Theophany.
The nine celestial spheres were totally immersed
in this moon.
The hull of my being was totally hidden in that sea.
The sea broke down in waves; Intelligence returned
And made its call: that's how it was and had been.
The sea got covered with foam, and from each fluff of foam
Something appeared as a form, something appeared as a body.
Each fluff of foam which looked like a body received
a signal from that sea,
Melted immediately and followed the course of the waves.
Without the salvation-bearing help of
my Lord Shams-ul-Haqq of Tabriz,
None can contemplate the moon, nor become the sea.

-- Translation into English by Eva de Vitray-Meyerovitch
from the French translation by Simone Fattal
"Rumi and Sufism"
The Post-Apollo Press, Sausalito, California 1987


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

To Know the Moon and the Sea


At the break of dawn a single moon appeared,
descended from the sky, and gazed at me.

Like a falcon swooping in for the catch,
it snatched me up and soared across the sky.
When I looked at myself, I saw myself no more,
because by grace my body had become fine.

I made a journey of the soul accompanied by the moon,
until the secret of time was totally revealed.
Heaven's nine spheres were in that moon.
The vessel of my being had vanished in that sea.

Waves rose on the ocean. Intelligence ascended
and sounded its call. So it happened; so it was.
The sea began to foam and every bit of froth
took shape and was bodied forth.

Then each spindrift body kissed by that sea
immediately melted into spirit.
Without the power of a Shams, the Truth of Tabriz,
one could neither behold the moon nor become the sea.

-- Version by Kabir Edmund Helminski
"Love is a Stranger"
Threshold Books, 1993

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


At the dawn hour a moon appeared in the sky,
came down from the sky and gazed upon me.
Like a hawk which seizes a bird at the time of
hunting, that moon snatched me up and ran over the sky.
When I gazed at myself I saw myself no more,
because in that moon my body through grace became
like the soul.
When I voyaged in soul I saw naught but the moon,
so that the secret of the eternal revelation was all
disclosed.
The nine spheres of heaven were all absorbed in
that moon, the ship of my being was entirely hidden
in the sea.
That sea surged, and Reason arose again and cast
abroad a voice; thus it happened and so it befell.*
That sea foamed, and at every foam-fleck something
took form and something was bodied forth.
Every foam-fleck of body which received a sign from
that sea melted forthwith and became spirit in that sea.*
Without the royal fortune of Shams al-Din of Tabriz
one could neither behold the moon nor become the sea.

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

* "Reason": Universal Reason, the first emanation of God.
* "Became spirit": or, departed.


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

~

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

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Tuesday, January 05, 2010

[Sunlight] "A grain of intelligence"

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

The generous Prophet said it so well:
"A grain of intelligence is better for you
than fasting and the performance of ritual prayer,"
because intelligence is the substance, the others are contingent:
these two are made obligatory for those who possess the complement,
in order that the mirror might shine brightly.
Purity comes to the heart from piety.
But if the mirror is fundamentally flawed,
it takes the polisher a long time to restore it to purity.
While in the case of the fine mirror,
which is like good soil for planting,
a little polishing is all that's needed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bas neku goft ân Rasul-e khvosh javâz
"Zarreh-ye `aqlet beh az sawm o namâz"
Zânke `aqlet jawharast in do `araz
in do dar takmil ân shod moftaraz
Tâ jalâ bâshad mar ân âyeneh-râ
keh safâ âyad ze tâ`at sineh-râ
Lik gar âyeneh az bon fâsedast
sayqal-e u-râ dir bâz ârad beh-dast
Vân gozin âyeneh keh khvosh maghres ast
andaki sayqal gari ân-râ bas ast

-- Mathnawi V: 454-458
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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Monday, January 04, 2010

[Sunlight] "This we have now"

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

This We Have Now


This we have now
is not imagination.

This is not
grief or joy.

Not a judging state,
or an elation,
or sadness.

Those come
and go.

This is the Presence
that doesn't.

It's dawn, Husam,
here in the splendor of coral,
inside the Friend, the simple truth
of what Hallaj said.

What else could human beings want?

When grapes turn to wine,
they're wanting
this.

When the nightsky pours by,
it's really a crowd of beggars,
and they all want some of this!

This
that we are now
created the body, cell by cell,
like bees building a honeycomb.

The human body and the universe
grew from this, not this
from the universe and the human body.

-- Mathnawi I: 1803-13
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995


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

~

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

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