~
Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal 2131, in two presentations - a
translation by Nader Khalili, and a version by Jonathan Star:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
come inside the fire
leave your trickery behind
go insane
go mad
burn like a candle-moth
first make yourself a stranger
to yourself and
tear down your house
then move with us
dwell in the abode of love
wash your chest
seven times over
cleansing from hatred
then mold yourself into the chalice
holding the pure wine of love
to understand the intoxicated
you must become intoxicated
to join the eternal soul
you must become a soul
you heard my story and
your spirit grew wings
now you must be annihilated in love
to become a fable of your own
your imagination my friend flies away
then pulls you as a follower
surpass the imagination and
like fate
arrive ahead of yourself
passion and desire
has locked your heart
you must become the key
the teeth of the key
to open all locks
King Solomon gives you a message
listen to the birds
they are talking to you
calling you a trap
frightening them away
to capture us they say
you must make a nest
you must make a nest
your sweetheart's face
is appearing now
change yourself to a mirror
and fill yourself to the brim
so many gifts
you purchased for your love
quit buying gifts
give yourself over
you were a part of the
mineral kingdom in the beginning
then you changed to animal life for awhile
then you found the soul of a human for awhile
now the time has arrived
to become
the soul of souls
-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BECOME THE BELOVED
Let go of your fancy illusions;
O lovers, become mad, become mad.
Rise up from life's raging fire,
become a bird, become a bird.
Lose yourself completely,
Turn your house into ruins,
Then join the lovers of God -
become a Sufi, become a Sufi.
Cleanse your heart of its old regrets,
Wash it seven times;
Then let the wine of love be poured -
become a cup, become a cup.
Fill your soul with so much love
that it becomes the Supreme Soul.
Run toward the saints,
become drunk, become drunk.
That King who hears everything
is conversing with a pious man.
To hear those sacred words
become pure, become pure.
Your spirit was lifted to the heavens
when you heard my sweet song.
Now your limits are gone.
Like a fearless lover,
become a legend, become a legend.
Turn a night of sleep
into a night of divine revelation!
Hold the grace of God -
become His home, become His home.
Your thoughts will take you
wherever they please -
don't follow them!
Follow your destiny
and become the Self, become the Self.
Passion and desire bind your heart.
Remove the locks -
become a key, become a key . . .
Solomon speaks with the language of the birds -
Listen! Don't be the trap
that falcons flee -
become a nest, become a nest.
If the Sweetheart reveals Her beauty,
become a mirror.
If She lets down her hair,
become a comb, become a comb.
How long will you be two-faced?
How long will you lack self-will
and flap in the wind like a flag?
How long will you be like a chess bishop
moving only diagonally -
became a Sage, become a Sage.
Out of gratitude you gave away
some possessions and some vanity.
Now give away everything -
become gratitude itself, become gratitude itself.
For a time you were the elements,
For a time you were an animal.
For a time you will be a soul -
Now is your change -
Become the Supreme Soul, become the Supreme Soul.
O preacher,
How long will you yell from the rooftops
and knock on the doors of others? -
Look inside your own home.
You've talked about love long enough -
now become the Beloved, become the Beloved!
-- Version by Jonathan Star
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
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[Sunlight] Become the Beloved -- Ghazal 2131
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