Friday, April 30, 2010

[Sunlight] Break your anger, not the arrow

~

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

Break your anger, not the arrow:
the eye of anger sees milk as blood.
Give the arrow a kiss and bring it to the King,
the arrow stained with your own blood.

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

Khashm-e khvod be-shekan to ma-shekan tir-râ
chashm-e khashmet khun shomârad shir-râ
Buseh deh bar tir va pish-e Shâh bar
tir-e khun âlud az khun-e to tar

-- Mathnawi II: 1307-1308
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, April 29, 2010

[Sunlight] "Once the mirror of your heart is clear"

~

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Once the mirror of your heart is clear and
pure, you will see images beyond this
world of water and clay. You will see both
the image and the Maker of images, both
the carpet of the kingdom and Him who
lays the carpet.

-- Mathnawi II: 72,73
Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997


` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

~

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

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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

[Sunlight] Every sweet song is mine -- Ghazal 3365

~

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

EVERY SWEET SONG IS MINE

You are my Sultan, you are my Lord;
You are my heart, my soul, and the faith of mine.

By your breath I am alive;
What is one life? – you are a hundred lives of mine.

Without you, bread cannot feed a man;
You are the water and the bread of mine.

By your touch, poison becomes medicine;
You are the cure and the sweet nectar of mine.

You are the garden, the grass, and the heavens;
You are the cypress, and the laughing jasmine of mine.

I have entered that supreme silence.
Please, you go on . . .
My mouth may open, words may come out,
But you are every sweet song of mine.

-- Ode 3365
Version by Jonathan Star
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~

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

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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

[Sunlight] "The senses of the heart"

~

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

The Prophet said, "My eyes sleep,
but my heart is not asleep to the Lord of created beings."
Your eyes are awake,
and your heart is sunk in slumber;
my eyes are asleep,
but my heart is contemplating the opening
of the door of Divine grace.
My heart has five other senses than the physical:
both worlds are the theater
for the senses of the heart.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Goft Payghambar keh "`Aynâya tanâm
lâ yanâmu qalb `an Rabb al-anâm"
Cheshm-e to bidâr va del khofteh be-khvâb
cheshm-e man khofteh delam dar fath-e bâb
Mar delam-râ panj hess digarast
hess-e del-râ har do `âlam manzarast

-- Mathnawi II: 3549-3551
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, April 26, 2010

[Sunlight] "I am angry with God!"

~

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

A black sky hates the moon. I am that dark
nothing. I hate those in power.
I'm invited in from the road to the house,
but I invent some excuse.
Now I'm angry at the road.

I don't need love. Let something break me.
I don't want to hear anyone's trouble.
I've had my chance for wealth and position.
I don't want those.

I am iron, resisting the most enormous Magnet there is.
Amber pulls straw to it. That makes me angry.
We're molecules spinning here, four, five, six of us.
What does that mean, five, six?
I'm angry at God.

You don't understand, being out of water.
You resemble the sun? I hate likeness.

-- Version by Coleman Barks & John Moyne
These Branching Moments
Copper Beech Press, 1988

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

I am that black night who hates the Moon.
I am that wretched beggar who is
angry with the King.
Out of kindness He calls me in but I am angry
and invent excuses.
I have lost my peace but I will not sigh,
I am angry at sighing!
I had my chances for wealth and power
now I don't want them
I am angry.
I flee from the Magnet, I am a straw resisting
the pull of the Amber.
We are only tiny particles helpless I this world
I am angry with God!
You don't know how it feels to drown
you are out of the sea of love.
You are only a shadow of the Sun and
I am angry with the shadows!

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

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] "I am angry with God!

~

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

A black sky hates the moon. I am that dark
nothing. I hate those in power.
I'm invited in from the road to the house,
but I invent some excuse.
Now I'm angry at the road.

I don't need love. Let something break me.
I don't want to hear anyone's trouble.
I've had my chance for wealth and position.
I don't want those.

I am iron, resisting the most enormous Magnet there is.
Amber pulls straw to it. That makes me angry.
We're molecules spinning here, four, five, six of us.
What does that mean, five, six?
I'm angry at God.

You don't understand, being out of water.
You resemble the sun? I hate likeness.

-- Version by Coleman Barks & John Moyne
These Branching Moments
Copper Beech Press, 1988

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

I am that black night who hates the Moon.
I am that wretched beggar who is
angry with the King.
Out of kindness He calls me in but I am angry
and invent excuses.
I have lost my peace but I will not sigh,
I am angry at sighing!
I had my chances for wealth and power
now I don't want them
I am angry.
I flee from the Magnet, I am a straw resisting
the pull of the Amber.
We are only tiny particles helpless I this world
I am angry with God!
You don't know how it feels to drown
you are out of the sea of love.
You are only a shadow of the Sun and
I am angry with the shadows!

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

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

~

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

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Friday, April 23, 2010

[Sunlight] Tear drops - Quatrain 17

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of
Quatrain 17:

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

I'm crying, my tears tell me that much.
Last Spring, they say, the new green, how weak you felt.

Remember any night of all our nights,
but don't remember things I've said.

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

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

ah tear drops
brighten my heart
clear the spring blossoms
shining my sight
flowing one night
remembering only
not any indelicate
moments of my life

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

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

~


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

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Thursday, April 22, 2010

[Sunlight] Keep looking in those ruined places for a treasure

~

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

Children tell stories,
but in their tales are enfolded
many a mystery and moral lesson.
Though they may relate many ridiculous things,
keep looking in those ruined places for a treasure.

Kudakân afsâneh-hâ mi âvorand
darj dar afsâneh-shân bas serr o pand
Hazl-hâ guyand dar afsâneh-hâ
ganj mi ju dar hameh-ye virâneh-hâ

-- Mathnawi III:2602-2603
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

[Sunlight] "The prayer of the drunken"

~

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

At the time of evening prayer
everyone spreads cloth and candles,
But I dream of my beloved,
see, lamenting, grieved, his phantom.
My ablution is with weeping,
thus my prayer will be fiery,
and I burn the mosque's doorway
when my call to prayer strikes it. . . .
Is the prayer of the drunken,
tell, is this prayer valid?
For he does not know the timing
and is not aware of places.
Did I pray for two full cycles?
Or is this perhaps the eighth one?
And which Sura did I utter?
For I have no tongue to speak it.
At God's door - how could I knock now,
For I have no hand or heart now?
You have carried heart and hand, God!
Grant me safety, God, forgive me. . . .

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2831
Translated by Annemarie Schimmel
"I Am Wind, You are Fire"
Shambhala, 1992

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

~

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

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

[Sunlight] Truth is the Night of Power

~

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

Truth is the Night of Power,
hidden amid the other nights
so the soul may try each one.
Not all nights are the Night of Power,
yet all nights aren't empty of it either.

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

Haqq Shab-e Qadrast dar shab-hâ nehân
tâ konad jân har shabi-râ emtehân
Nah hameh shab-hâ bovad Qadr ay javân
nah hameh shab-hâ bovad khâli az ân

-- Mathnawi II: 2935-2936
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, April 19, 2010

[Sunlight] "Love dogs"

~

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

LOVE DOGS

One night a man was crying, Allah! Allah!
His lips grew sweet with the praising,
until a cynic said,
"So! I have heard you calling out,
but have you ever gotten any response?"

The man had no answer to that.
He quit praying and fell into a confused sleep.

He dreamed he saw Khidr, the guide of souls,
in a thick, green foliage.

"Why did you stop praising?"

"Because I've never heard anything back."

"This longing you express IS the return message."

The grief you cry out from
draws you toward union.

Your pure sadness
that wants help
is the secret cup.

Listen to the moan of a dog for its master.
That whining is the connection.

There are love dogs
No one knows the names of.

Give your life
to be one of them.

-- Mathnawi III, 189 – 211
Version by Coleman Barks
"Say I am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

One night a certain man was crying "Allah!" till his lips were
growing sweet with the praise of Him.
The Devil said, "Prithee, O garrulous one, where is the
(response) `Here am I' to all this `Allah'?
Not a single response is coming from the Throne: how long
will you cry `Allah' with grim face?"
He became broken-hearted and laid down his head (to sleep):
in a dream he saw Khadir amidst the verdure.
He (Khadir) said, "Hark, you have held back from praising
God: how is it that you repent of having called unto Him?"
He said, "No `Here am I' is coming to me in response, hence
I fear that I may be (a reprobate who is) driven away from the
Door."
He (Khadir) said, "(God saith), that `Allah' of thine is My
`Here am I,' and that supplication and grief and ardour of thine
is My messenger (to thee).
Thy shifts and attempts to find a means (of gaining access to
Me) were (in reality) My drawing (thee towards Me), and re-
leased thy feet (from the bonds of worldliness).
Thy fear and love are the noose to catch My favour; beneath
every `O Lord' (of thine) is many a `Here am I' (from Me)."
Far from this prayer is the soul of the fool, because to him it
is not permitted to cry "O Lord."
On his mouth and heart are lock and bolt, to the end that he
may not moan unto God in the hour of bale.
He (God) gave to Pharaoh hundredfold possessions and riches,
so that he claimed (Divine) might and majesty.
In his whole life that man of evil nature felt no (spiritual)
headache, lest he should moan unto God.
God gave him all the empire of this world, (but) He did not
give him grief and pain and sorrows.
Grief is better than the empire of the world, so that you may
call unto God in secret.
The call of the griefless is from frozen heart*, the call of the
grieving one is from rapture:
(`Tis) to withdraw the voice under the lips, to bear in mind
(one's) origin and beginning;
(`Tis) the voice become pure and sad, (crying) "O God!"
and "O Thou whose help is besought!" and "O Helper!"
(Even) the moan of a dog for His sake is not void of (Divine)
attraction, because every one who desires (Him) is a brigand's
captive* –
As (for example) the dog of the Cave*, which was freed from
(eating) carrion and sat at the table of the (spiritual) emperors:
Until the Resurrection, before the Cave it is drinking in
gnostic wise without (any) pot the water of (Divine) mercy.
Oh, there is many a one in a dog's skin, who hath no name
(and fame), yet is not without that cup (of Divine knowledge)
in secret.
Give thy life for this cup, O son: how may victory be (won)
without (spiritual) warfare and patience.?

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

* Literally, "congelation."
* I.e. "every seeker of God falls a prey to tribulation, with
which God afflicts him in order that it may be the means of drawing
him towards God."
* See Qur'an, xviii, 17

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

~

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

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Thursday, April 15, 2010

[Sunlight] The mirror of the heart must be clear

~

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

We would hide the truth from
the sorrowful one, whose bowl
has fallen from the roof,*
but it can't be hid.
While that ignorant one--
that stranger to love's sorrow,
to whom truth has been shown
so many times--cannot see it.
The mirror of the heart must be clear,
so you may know the ugly from the beautiful.

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

Dardmandi kash ze bâm oftâd tasht
zu nehân kardim haqq panhân na-gasht
Vânke u jâhel bod az dardesh ba`id
chand be-nemudand va u ânrâ na-did
Âyeneh-ye del sâf bâyad tâ daru
vâ shenâsi surat-e zesht az neku

*An idiom describing one who has fallen into ecstasy.

-- Mathnawi II: 2061-2063
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

[Sunlight] Union and separation of heart and soul

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal 3071, in versions by Coleman Barks
and Jonathan Star, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

THE SNOW-WORLD MELTS

Think of the phoenix coming up out of ashes,
but not flying off.
For a moment we have form.
We can't see.
How can we be conscious and you be conscious
at the same time and separate?
Copper when an alchemist works on it loses its copper
qualities. Seeds in Spring
begin to be trees, no longer seed. Brushwood
put in the fire changes. The snow-world melts.
You step in my footprint and it's gone.

It's not that I've done anything to deserve
this attention from you. Predestination
and freewill: We can argue them,
but they're only ideas. What's real
is a presence, like Shams.

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

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

THE ASHES OF UNION

O Soul,
You are the Phoenix
rising up from the ashes of Union.
Why don't you fly? -
No one knows you on the ground.

You are the heart's sweetness
And by some magical power
your form ravishes a thousand hearts.

For a time you took form in the body.
For a time you passed beyond the heavens
and the bonds of both worlds.

Why can't the spirit find you? -
You are its wings and its feathers.
Why can't the eye see you? -
You are the source of its sight.

What will happen to your copper soul
when the Alchemist arrives?
Will it not become gold?
What will become of your little seed
when the Springtime arrives? -
Will it not become a towering tree?
What will happen to brushwood
when it falls into fire? -
Will it not change into sparks and rise to heaven?

Reason and intellect
Are like the dim light of distant stars.
You are the bright Sun
that shines through every veil.

The world is nothing but snow and ice.
You are the burning heat of Summer.
O King, no trace of this world remains
the moment you arrive!

Who can sit by your side?
Everyone would vanish with one glance of yours.

O blessed eyes!
I have seen something beyond imagination,
unreachable by fortune or human effort -
I have seen the perfect face
of Shams-e Tabriz.

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

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

Heart, you are the phoenix of union. Fly, why do you not fly?
No one recognizes you, neither man nor peri*.
You are the sweetheart, not the heart; but with every device
and trickery you have taken the shape of the heart so that you
will ravish a thousand hearts.
For a moment faithfully you mingle with earth, and for a
moment you pass beyond empyrean and firmament and the
bounds of the two worlds.
Why does not spirit find you, for you are its wings and
feathers? Why does not sight see you who are the source of sight?
What fear has penitence to repent of you? What is conscious-
ness that it should remain conscious along with you?
What shall be that poor copper when the alchemy comes?
Will it not pass away from copperhood into the attribute of gold?
Who is that poor seed when the springtime comes? Does not
its seedhood pass away into treehood?
Who is poor brushwood when it falls into the fire? Is not the
brushwood transformed into a spark by the flame?
All reason and science are stars; are you the sun of the world
who tear asunder their veils?
The world is like snow and ice, and you are the season of sum-
mer; when you, king, are on its track, no trace of it remains.
Say, who am I to remain along with you? I and a hundred like
me will pass away when you gaze towards me.
The perfection of the description of the lord Shams-e Tabrizi
surpasses the imaginations of predestinator and free-willer.

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

* "Peri" -- a supernatural being in Persian folklore descended from
fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is accomplished;
also, a beautiful and graceful girl. (Sunlight footnote)

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

~

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

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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

[Sunlight] The lightning of the mind

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The flash of lightning is not to lead the way,
but a command for the cloud to weep.
The lightning of the mind is for the sake of weeping,
so that what doesn't exist may weep, longing for true existence.
The child's mind tells it, "You must go to school";
but it cannot be the teacher.
The sick man's mind tells him to see a doctor,
but it cannot cure him.

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

Nist nur-e barq bahr-e rahbari
balkeh amrast abr-râ keh mi geri
Barq-e `aql-e mâ barâ-ye geryeh-st
tâ be-geryad nisti dar shawq-e hast
`Aql-e kudak goft "Bar ketâb tan"
lik na-tavânad be-khvod âmukhtan
`Aql-e ranjur âradesh shavi tabib
lik na-bovad dar davâ `aqlesh mosib

-- Mathnawi IV: 3320-3323
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, April 12, 2010

[Sunlight] The story of the King of Tirmid and the fool

~

Sunlight offers Mathnawi, Volume VI, verses 2510-54, the story of
the King of Tirmid and the fool, as interpreted by Coleman Barks:

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

The King of Tirmid
has urgent business in Samarcand.

He needs a courier to go there and return
in five days. He offers many rewards to anyone
who will make the journey -- horses, servants, gold,
and the robes of honor.
Dalqak, the court clown,
is out in the country when he hears of this.
He quickly mounts a horse and rides toward town.
He rides furiously. Two horses drop dead
of exhaustion under his whip.
He arrives
covered with dust at some ungodly hour,
demanding an audience with the king.

A panic sweeps the city. What calamity
could be so imminent that Dalqak, the buffoon,
should be so distraught? Everyone gathers
at the palace.
"An evil omen is upon us!"
"Something has been spilled on the rug
this time!"
The king himself is worried.
"What is it, Dalqak?"
Whenever anyone asks Dalqak
for particulars about anything, he first puts his finger
to his lips,
Shhhhh ...
Everyone gets very quiet.
Dalqak makes another gesture as though to say
he needs more time to catch his breath.

Another long wait. No one has ever seen Dalqak
like this. Usually, he's a constant stream
of new jokes. Usually, the king would be
laughing so hard he'd fall on the floor
holding his stomach. This quietness
is very odd and foreboding.
Everyone's worst fears
come up.
"The tyrant from Khwarism
is coming to kill us!"
"Dalqak, say what it is!"

"I was far from the court when I heard
that you needed a courier, someone who could go
to Samarcand and come back in five days."
"Yes!"
"I hurried here to tell you
that I will not be able to do it."
"What!"
"I don't have the stamina or the agility.
Don't expect me to be the one."
"This
is what you made such a commotion about,
that you won't do it?"
Dalqak is like those who pretend
to be on a brave spiritual path.
The bridgegroom's house
is in an uproar of preparation, making always ready
to receive the bride,
but the girl's family
knows nothing. Any message yet?
"No."
Letters have been written
and sent, but have any of them reached
the Friend? Has your inner lover read them?

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

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

~

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

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Friday, April 09, 2010

[Sunlight] Bread without God

~

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

Someone says, "I can't help feeding my family.
I have to work so hard to earn a living."
He can do without God, but not without food;
he can do without Religion,
but not without idols.
Where is one who'll say,
"If I eat bread without awareness of God,
I will choke."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hich châreh nist az qut-e `iyâl
az bon-e dandân konam kasb-e halâl
Cheh halâl ay gashteh az ahl-e zalâl
ghayr khun-e to na-mi-binam halâl
Az Khodâ chârehstesh va az lut ni
chârehsh ast az din va az tâghut ni
Man na-khvâham dar do `âlam be-negarist
tâ na-binam in do majles ân kist
Bi tamâshâ-ye sefat-hâ-ye Khodâ
gar khvoram nân dar golu mând merâ

-- Mathnawi II: 3071-3079
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, April 08, 2010

[Sunlight] Without love -- Quatrain 598

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 598:

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

Without love,
all worship is a burden,
all dancing is a chore,
all music is mere noise.

All the rain of heaven may fall into the sea.

Without love,
not one drop could become a pearl.

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, April 07, 2010

[Sunlight] Become the Beloved -- Ghazal 2131

~

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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Tuesday, April 06, 2010

[Sunlight] This troublesome body

~

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

Know that this troublesome body is like a coat of armor:
comfortable neither in winter nor in summer.
Yet still this bad associate is good for you
because of the patience you must show in overcoming its desires,
for the exercise of patience expands the heart with spiritual peace.
The patience shown by the moon to the dark night keeps it illumined;
the patience shown by the rose to the thorn keeps it fragrant.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon zereh dân in tan por hayf-râ
ni shetâ-râ shâyad o nah sayf-râ
Yâr-e bad nikust bahr-e sabr-râ
keh goshâyad sabr kardan sadr-râ
Sabr-e mah bâ shab monavvar dâradesh
sabr-e gol bâ khâr azfar dâradesh

-- Mathnawi VI: 1406-1408
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, April 05, 2010

[Sunlight] The Music

~

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

The Music

For sixty years I have been forgetful,
every minute, but not for a second
has this flowing toward me stopped or slowed.
I deserve nothing. Today, I recognize
that I am the guest the mystics talk about.
I play this living music for My Host.
Everything today is for the Host.

-- Mathnawi l: 2084-2085
Version by Coleman Barks
Open Secret
Threshold Books, 1984

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

~

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

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Friday, April 02, 2010

[Sunlight] Giving thanks

~

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

The divine Mercy repaired the tattered cloak of my piety
and bestowed upon me a repentance as sweet as life.
Whatever ill deeds I had done,
It took them as not having been done;
and my undone acts of obedience
It took as having been performed.
It made me glad of heart as good fortune and felicity.
It inscribed my name in the book of the righteous:
I was one doomed to Hell;
it gave me Paradise.
When I cried "Alas," my "Alas" became a rope,
and the rope was let down into my well.
I clutched that rope and climbed out:
I became glad and strong, sturdy, yet fragrant as a rose.
I had been lying at the bottom of a well:
now the whole world cannot contain me.
Praises be to You, O God!
You suddenly placed me far from sorrow.
Though the tip of every hair of mine should gain a tongue,
still, the thanks due to You could not be expressed.
Amid these gardens and fountains I am crying out to the people,
"Oh, would that my people knew!"*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bâz Rahmat pustin duzim kard
tawbeh-ye shirin cho jân ruzim kard
Har cheh kardam jomleh nâ-kardeh gereft
tâ`at-e nâ-kardeh âvordeh gereft
Hamcho sarv o sawsanam âzâd kard
hamcho bakht o dawlatam delshâd kard
Nâm-e man dar nâmeh-ye pâkân nevesht
duzakhi budam be-bakhshidam Behesht
"Âh" kardam chon rasan shod Âh-e man
gasht âvizân rasan dar châh-e man
Ân rasan be-gereftam o birun shodam
shâd o zaft o farbeh o gol-gun shodam
Dar bon-e châhi hami budam zabun
dar hameh `âlam na-mi ganjam konun
Âfarin-hâ bar To bâdâ ay Khodâ
nâ-gahân kardi merâ az ghamm jodâ
Gar sar-e har mu-ye man bâyad zabân
shokr-hâ-ye To niyâyad dar bayân
Mi zanam na`reh darin rawzeh o `oyun
khalq-râ yâ layta qawmî ya`lamûn*

*Yâ Sîn, 26

-- Mathnawi V: 2307-2316
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, April 01, 2010

[Sunlight] "The night and its phantoms flee from the dawn"

~

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

Whoever leaves our circle for another place
might as well relinquish sense of sight and sound
A lover licks his liver's blood, lion-like;
what lion-heart would shrink from love and guts?
Hearts suck up cruelty from heart-throbs like cubes of sugar;
did you ever see a parrot turn from sugar?
It's a small gnat that turns at every headwind
Only stealthy thieves scatter in moonlight.

Any head that the Lord strikes dumb or scrambles
drops its place in heaven and heads for hellfire.
And he who fathoms death leaps to welcome death
rushes for the robe, crown and realm eternal.
Fate decrees that so-and-so will die abroad
and fear of the reaper spurs him from his home
Enough of stalking such unbecoming prey!
for the night and its phantoms flee from the dawn.


Notes:

The beloved is frequently compared to moonlight, so it is only thieves who would run from the present of the beloved. "Fear of the reaper spurs him" alludes to a famous hadith: When God wants to seize one of His servants from a certain place on earth, He makes it necessary for that servant to go there. Rumi tells a tale about this in the Masnavi.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 794
Translation by Franklin D. Lewis
"Rumi -- Past and Present, East and West"
Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 2000

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

~

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

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