Wednesday, June 30, 2010

[Sunlight] For a time, cling fast

~

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

Oh brother! For a time cling fast to your intellect:
Moment by moment spring and autumn are within you.
Behold the garden of the heart, green and fresh and
new, full of rosebuds and cypress and jasmine -
So many leave that the branches are hidden, so many
roses that the plain and pavilion are concealed!
These words - which derive from the Universal Intellect -
are the fragrance of that rosebud and cypress and hyacinth . . . .
The meaning of dying is need: Make yourself dead in need
and poverty,
So that Jesus' breath may bring you to life and make it
like itself: beautiful and auspicious.
When did stones ever become green through spring?
Become dust, so that you may grow up as multicolored roses.
For years you have been heart-scratching stone - try for
a time being dust!

-- Mathnawi I: 1896-99, 1909-12
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~

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

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

[Sunlight] "Burning only makes me brighter"

~

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

Should love's heart rejoice unless I burn?
For my heart is Love's dwelling.
If You will burn Your house, burn it, Love!
Who will say, "It's not allowed?"
Burn this house thoroughly!
The lover's house improves with fire.
From now on I will make burning my aim,
for I am like the candle: burning only makes me brighter.
Abandon sleep tonight; traverse for one night
the region of the sleepless.
Look upon these lovers who have become distraught
and like moths have died in union with the One Beloved.
Look upon this ship of God's creatures
and see how it is sunk in Love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tâ na-suzam kay khonok gardad delesh
ay del mâ khândân o manzelesh
Khâneh-ye khvod-râ hami suzi be-suz
kist ânkas ku be-guyad "Lâ yajuz"
Khvish be-suz in khâneh-râ ay shir mast
khâneh-ye `âsheq chonin avvali-tarast
Ba`d azin in suz-râ qebleh konam
zânkeh shama`am man be-suzesh rawshanam
Khvâb-râ bo-g'zâr emshab ay pedar
yek shabi bar ku-ye bi khvâbân gozar
Be-negar in-hâ-râ keh majnun gashteh-'and
hamcho parvâneh beh vaslat koshteh-'and
Be-negar in kashti-ye khalqân gharq-e `Eshq
azhdahâyi gasht guyi halq-e `Eshq

-- Mathnawi VI: 617-623
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, June 28, 2010

[Sunlight] The Trick About Thawing Grapes

~

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

I speak harshly to free you from meanness,
as frozen grapes thaw with pouring cold water
on them. That loosens the hardness and bitterness.

With a little scolding, you warm,
and the sweet grape-blood comes back.

-- Mathnawi III, 4193-4196
Version by Coleman Barks
"Rumi: One-Handed Basket Weaving"
Maypop, 1991

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

~

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

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Friday, June 25, 2010

[Sunlight] "The fire that iron needs"

~

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

The fire that iron or gold needs…
would it be good for fresh quinces and apples?
The apple and quince are just slightly raw;
unlike iron, they need only a gentle heat.
But gentle flames are not enough for iron;
it eagerly draws to itself the fiery dragon's breath.
That iron is the dervish who bears hardship:
under the hammer and fire, he happily glows red.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Âteshi kâ salâh-e âhan yâ zarast
ki salâh-e âbi o sib-e tarast
Sib o âbi khâmi'i dârad khafif
nah cho âhan tâbeshi khvâhad latif
Layk âhan-râ latif ân sho`le-hâst
ku jazub-e tâbesh ân azhdahâst
Hast ân âhan faqir-e sakht-kash
zir-e potak o âtesh ast u sorkh o khvosh

-- Mathnawi II: 827-830
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

[Sunlight] "The fire that iron needs" -- Ghazal 2508

~

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

my secret beloved
sent me a secret message

"give me your soul
give me your life

wander like a drifter
go on a journey

walk into this fire with grace
be like a salamander

come into our source of flame
fire transmutes to a rose garden

don't you know that my thorn
is better than the queen of roses

don't you know my heresy
is the essence of spirituality

then surrender your spirit
surrender your life"

oh God i know
a garden is better than a cage

i know a palace
is better than a ruin

but i'm that owl in this world
who loves to live in the ruins of love

i may be that poor wandering soul
but watch all the aspiration and light

watch the glow of God
reflecting from my face

-- Ghazal 2508
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

~

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

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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

[Sunlight] Soul of all souls

~

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

Soul of all souls, life of all life
you are That.
Seen and unseen, moving and unmoving
you are That.
The road that leads to the City is endless;
Go without head or feet
and you’ll already be there.
What else could you be? --
you are that.


- Quatrain 419
Version by Jonathan Star
In the Arms of the Beloved
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 1997

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

~

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

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

[Sunlight] "So that you may gain the treasure"

~

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

I am amazed at the seeker of purity
who when it's time to be polished
complains of rough handling.
Love is like a lawsuit:
to suffer harsh treatment is the evidence;
when you have no evidence, the lawsuit is lost.
Don't grieve when the Judge demands your evidence;
kiss the snake so that you may gain the treasure.
That harshness isn't toward you, O son,
but toward the harmful qualities within you.
When someone beats a rug,
the blows are not against the rug,
but against the dust in it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Man `ajab dâram ze juyâ-ye safâ
ku ramad dar vaqt-e sayqal az jafâ
`Eshq chon da`vâ jafâ didan gavâh
chon gavâhet nist shod da`vâ tabâh
Chon gavâhet khvâhad in qâzi ma-ranj
buseh deh bar mâr tâ yâbi to ganj
n jafâ bâ to na-bâshad ay pesar
balke bâ vasf-e badi andar to dar
Bar namad chubi keh ân-râ mard zad
bar namad ân-râ na-zad bar gard zad

-- Mathnawi III: 4008-4012
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, June 21, 2010

[Sunlight] "There is no dervish"

~

Sunlight offers two presentations of the verses from the Mathnawi*, Volume III, lines 3669 - 3685 -- the first an interpretive version by Coleman Barks, which Barks developed from Reynold Nicholson's translation; and the second, Nicholson's literal translation:

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

ROUGH METAPHORS

Someone said, "There is no dervish, or if there is a dervish,
that dervish is not there."

Look at a candle flame in the bright noon sunlight
if you put cotton next to it, the cotton will burn,
but its light has become completely mixed
with the sun.

That candlelight you can't find is what's left of a dervish.

If you sprinkle one ounce of vinegar over
two hundred tons of sugar,
no one will ever taste the vinegar.

A deer faints in the paws of a lion. The deer becomes
another glazed expression on the face of the lion.

These are rough metaphors for what happens to the lover.

There's no one more openly irreverent than a lover. He, or she,
jumps up on the scale opposite eternity
and claims to balance it.

And no one more secretly reverent.

A grammar lesson: "The lover died."
"Lover" is subject and agent, but that can't be!
The lover is defunct.

Only grammatically is the dervish-lover a doer.

In reality, with he or she so overcome,
so dissolved into love,
all qualities of doingness
disappear.

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

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

The speaker said, "There is no dervish in the world; and if
there be a dervish, that dervish is (really) non-existent."
He exists in respect of the survival of his essence, (but) his
attributes have become non-existent in the attributes of Him
(God.)
Like the flame of a candle in the presence of the sun, he
is (really) non-existent, (though he is) existent in (formal)
calculation.
Its (the flame's) essence is existent, so that, if you put cotton
upon it, it (the cotton) will be consumed by the sparks;
(But) it is (really) non-existent: it gives you no light: the sun
will have naughted it.
When you have thrown an ounce of vinegar into two hundred
maunds of sugar, and it has become dissolved therein,
The flavour of the vinegar, when you taste (the sugar), is non-
existent, (though) the ounce exists (as a ) surplus when you weigh.
In the presence of a lion a deer becomes senseless: her
existence becomes a (mere) veil for his existence.
These analogies drawn by imperfect men concerning the
action of the Lord are (like) the emotion of love, (they are) not
from irreverence.
The lover's pulse bounds up without reverence, he lays him-
self on the scale of the King's balance.*
None is more irreverent than he in the world (outwardly);
none is more reverent than he is secret (inwardly).
Know, O chosen one, that these two opposites also, "re-
verent" and "irreverent," are reconciled by means of relation.
He (the lover) is irreverent when you regard the outward
aspect, for his claim of love is (involves) equality (with the
Beloved);
(But) when you regard the inward aspect, where is the claim?
He and (his) claim are naughted in the presence of that Sultan.
Mata Zayd (Zayd died): if Zayd is the agent (grammatical
subject), (yet) he is not the agent, for he is defunct.
He is the agent (only) in respect of the grammatical expres-
sion; otherwise, he is the one acted upon (the object of the
action), and Death is his slayer.
What agent (is he), since he has been so overpowered and all
the qualities of an agent have been removed from him?

-- 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"

* Fana, "passing away from self-existence", baqa, "subsistence
in God."
*i.e. "levels himself with the King."

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

* "The Mathnawi" (also spelled "Masnavi") : the six volume
masterpiece written in Rumi's mature years, consisting of over
25,000 lines of stories and teachings. The term "mathnawi" means
rhymed couplets.

~

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

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Friday, June 18, 2010

[Sunlight] Apparent imperfection

~

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

A disciple is like a new moon,
in reality no different than the full moon:
its apparent imperfection is a sign of gradual increase.
Night by night the new moon gives a lesson in gradualness:
with deliberation it says, "O hasty one,
only step by step can one ascend to the roof."
A skillful cook lets the pot boil slowly;
the stew boiled in a mad hurry is of no use.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dars guyad shab beh-shab tadrij-râ
dar ta'anni bar dehad tafrij-râ
Dar ta'anni guyad "Ay `ajul-e khâm
pâyeh pâyeh bar tavân raftan be-bâm"
Dig-râ tadrij va ostâdâneh jush
kâr na-âyad qaliyeh-'i divâneh jush

-- Mathnawi VI:1208-1212
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, June 17, 2010

[Sunlight] "Congratulations!"

~

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

You have fallen in love my dear heart
Congratulations!

You have freed yourself from all attachments
Congratulations!

You have given up both worlds to be on your own
the whole creation praises your solitude
Congratulations!

Your disbelief has turned into belief
your bitterness, into sweetness
Congratulations!

You have now entered into Love's fire, my pure heart
Congratulations!

Inside the Sufi's heart there is always a feast
dear heart, you are celebrating
Congratulations!

My heart, I have seen how your tears turned into a sea
now every wave keeps saying
Congratulations!

O silent lover, seeker of the higher planes,
may the Beloved always be with you
Congratulations!

You have struggled hard, may you grow wings and fly
Congratulations!

Keep slient my dear heart, you have done so well
Congratulations!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 623
Translated by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Hidden Music
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

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

~


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

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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

[Sunlight] "Keep your aspiration high"

~

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

The tailor of Time has never sewn a shirt for
any man without tearing it to pieces.
See a thousand simple fools in this world,
paying Iblis skirts full of gold for pain.
These multicolored flowers that are sweetmeat
to your eye - you eat of them and they give you yellow
cheeks.
Oh you who have embraced a corpse saying,
"My darling!" In the end embracing corpses will freeze
body and soul.
Become accustomed to God, for when your
appointed time arrives, you will be parted unwillingly
from these paintings of the devil.
Stretch not your legs on this sweet carpet of
earth, for it is a borrowed bed: Fear the time when they
come to roll it up!
Throw not the dice recklessly into this cup of
Time! Beware of your opponent, for he is a master at
backgammon.
Behold not the dust of the body, gaze upon the
mounted horseman of the spirit! Use your vision to search for
the horseman in the midst of the dust!
Faces like roses must come from a rosegarden:
If there is no rosery, from whence the flowers?
When you see the apple - the chin - know that
there must be a tree. This apple serves as an exemplar -
it is not to be eaten.
Keep your aspiration high, for if you keep it
low, the King's chamberlain will drive you away -
"Begone!"
Silence! No more words! Speak without words,
like the rational faculty of the angels upon the lapis
lazuli roof.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 869, from the Diwan-e Shams
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, June 15, 2010

[Sunlight] "You were the inspirer"

~

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

Since this house has been emptied of my furniture,
nothing great or small in the house belongs to me.
You have caused the prayer to flow forth from me like water:
give it reality accordingly and let it be granted.
You were the inspirer of the prayer in the beginning:
accordingly, be the hope for its acceptance in the end.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon ze rakht-e man tohi gasht in vatan
tar o khoshk-e khâneh na-bud ân-e man
Ham do`â az man ravân kardi cho âb
ham sabâtesh bakhsh va dâresh mostajâb
Ham To budi avval ârandeh-ye do`â
ham To bâsh âkher ejâbat-râ rajâ

-- Mathnawi V: 4161-4163
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, June 14, 2010

[Sunlight] A General Introductory Lecture -- Ghazal 864

~

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

A General Introductory Lecture


A nightingale flies nearer the roses.
A girl blushes. Pomegranates ripen.

Hallaj will be executed. A man walks
a mountain path, solitary and full of

prayer. Trust grows for nine months,
then a new being appears. Narcissus

at the edge, creekwater washing tree
roots: God is giving a general intro-

ductory lecture. We hear and read it
everywhere, in the field, through the

branches. We'll never finish studying.
Neither of us has a penny, yet we're

walking the jewelers' bazaar seriously
considering making a purchase! Or

shall I say this with other metaphors?
A barn crowded with souls. Quietness

served around a table. Two people talk
along a road that's paved with words.

-- Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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Friday, June 11, 2010

[Sunlight] Don't allow your animal nature to rule your reason

~

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

Have pity on Jesus, but not on the donkey:
don't allow your animal nature to rule your reason.
Let it weep bitterly; take from it
what you need to pay your debt.
For years you have been the donkey's slave. Enough!

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

Rahm bar `Isâ kon va bar khar ma-kon
tab`-râ bar `aql-e khvod sarvar ma-kon
Tab`-râ hol tâ be-geryad zâr-zâr
to azu be-setân va vâm-e jân gozâr
Sâl-hâ khar-bandeh budi bas bovad
zânke khar-bandeh ze khar vâpas bovad

-- Mathnawi II: 1853-1855
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, June 10, 2010

[Sunlight] "I was dead; I became alive" -- Ghazal 1391

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1393, in versions by Coleman
Barks and Jonathan Star, and in translations by Nader Khalili and
A.J. Arberry:

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

"Sublime Generosity"

I was dead, then alive.
Weeping, then laughing.

The power of love came into me,
and I became fierce like a lion,
then tender like the evening star.

He said, "You're not mad enough.
You don't belong in this house."

I went wild and had to be tied up.
He said, "Still not wild enough
to stay with us!"

I broke through another layer
into joyfulness.

He said, "It's not enough."
I died.

He said, "You're a clever little man,
full of fantasy and doubting."

I plucked out my feathers and became a fool.
He said, "Now you're the candle
for this assembly."

But I'm no candle. Look!
I'm scattered smoke.

He said, "You are the sheikh, the guide."
But I'm not a teacher, I have no power.

He said, "You already have wings.
I cannot give you wings."

But I wanted his wings.
I felt like some flightless chicken.

Then new events said to me,
"Don't move. A sublime generosity is
coming toward you."

And old love said, "Stay with me."

I said, "I will."

You are the fountain of the sun's light.
I am a willow shadow on the ground.
You make my raggedness silky.

The soul at dawn is like darkened water
that slowly begins to say "Thank you, thank you."

Then at sunset, again, Venus gradually
changes into the moon and then the whole nightsky.

This comes of smiling back
at your smile.

The chess master says nothing,
other than moving the silent chess piece.

That I am part of the ploys
of this game makes me
amazingly happy.

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

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


"My King"

I was dead and now I am alive.
I was in tears and now I am laughing.
The power of love swept over my soul
and now I am that eternal power.

My eyes are content.
My soul is fulfilled.
My heart is roaring.
My face glows like Venus.

He said, "But you are not mad with love.
You don't belong in this house."
I went and became mad.
I put chains round my neck.

He said, "But you are not drunk with love.
You don't belong at this party."
I went and became drunk.
I rolled on the floor with joy.

He said, "But you have not tasted the sweetness of death."
I sipped the wine of death
and fell before His life-giving face.

He said, "But you are a worldly man,
you have so many clever questions."
I went and became a fool,
babbling at every street-corner. . . .

He said, "Now you are a candle.
Everyone in the gathering has turned toward you."

"No, I don't belong here.
I am not a candle,
I am a wisp of smoke."

He said, "You are a Shaykh and a Master,
A guide of lost souls."

"No, I am not a Shaykh nor a guide,
I am slave to your every word."

He said, "You can fly.
Why should I give you feathers and wings?"

"For "your" feathers and wings
I would clip my own
and crawl upon the ground. . . ."

You are the majestic fountain of the Sun
that pours upon my head.
I am the shadow of a willow tree
bent over and melting.

When my heart was warmed by your radiant Sun
I took off my torn clothes
and put on fine silk.
My soul was once a slave and a donkey-driver,
Now it swaggers down the street
like a kingly lord.

The knowledge of you has lifted me up,
Now I am a star shining above the seventh heaven.
I was a glitter in the night sky,
Now I am the Moon and the two hundred folds of heaven.
I was Joseph at the bottom of a well,
Now I am Joseph the King!

O famous Moon, shine on me.
A ray of your light
would turn my world into a rosegarden.

Now I will move in silence,
Like a chess piece,
Watching as my whole life
revolves around
the position of my King.

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

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

i was dead
i came alive
i was tears
i became laughter

all because of love
when it arrived
my temporal life
from then on
changed to eternal

love said to me
you are not
crazy enough
you don't
fit this house

i went and
became crazy
crazy enough
to be in chains

love said
you are not
intoxicated enough
you don't
fit the group

i went and
got drunk
drunk enough
to overflow
with light-headedness

love said
you are still
too clever
filled with
imagination and skepticism

i went and
became gullible
and in fright
pulled away
from it all

love said
you are a candle
attracting everyone
gathering every one
around you

i am no more
a candle spreading light
i gather no more crowds
and like smoke
i am all scattered now

love said
you are a teacher
you are a head
and for everyone
you are a leader

i am no more
not a teacher
not a leader
just a servant
to your wishes

love said
you already have
your own wings
i will not give you
more feathers

and then my heart
pulled itself apart
and filled to the brim
with a new light
overflowed with fresh life

now even the heavens
are thankful that
because of love
i have become
the giver of light

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

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

I was dead, I became alive; I was weeping, I became laughing;
the power of love came, and I became everlasting power.
My eye is satiated, my soul is bold, I have the heart of a lion, I
have become shining Venus.
He said, "You are not mad, you are not appropriate to this
house"; I went and became mad, I became bound in shackles.
He said, "You are not intoxicated; go, for you belong not to
this party"; I went and became intoxicated, I became overflowing
with joy.
He said, "You are not slain, you are not drenched in joy";
before his life-giving face I became slain and cast down.
He said, "You are a clever little man, drunk with fancy and
doubt"; I became a fool, I became straightened, I became
plucked up out of all.
He said, "You have become a candle, the qibla of this assem-
bly"; I am not of assembly, I am not candle, I have become
scattered smoke.
He said, "You are shaikh and headman, you are leader and
guide"; I am not shaikh, I am not leader, I have become slave
to your command.
He said, "You have pinions and wings, I will not give you
wings and pinions"; in desire for his pinions and wings I became
wingless and impotent*.
New fortune said to me, "Go not on the way, do not become
pained, for out of grace and generosity I am now coming to you."
Old love said to me, "Do not move from my breast"; I said,
"Yes, I will not, I am at rest and remain."
You are the fountain of the sun, I am the shadow of the
willow; when You strike my head, I become low and melting.
My heart felt the glow of the soul, my heart opened and split,
my heart wove a new satin, I became enemy of this ragged one.
The form of the soul at dawn swaggered insolently; I was a
slave and an ass-driver, I became king and lord.
Your paper gives thanks for your limitless sugar, for it came
into my embrace, and I dwelt in it.
My darkling earth gives thanks for my bent sky and sphere,
for through its gaze and circling I became light-receiving.
The sphere of heaven gives thanks for king and kingdom and
angel, for through his generosity and bounty I have become
bright and bountiful.
The gnostic of God gives thanks that we have outraced all;
above the seven layers* I have become a shining star.
I was Venus, I became the moon, I became the two hundred-
fold sky; I was Joseph, henceforth I have become the waxing
Joseph*.
Famous moon, I am yours, look upon me and yourself, for
from the trace of your smile I have become a smiling rosegarden.
Move silently like a chessman, yourself all tongue, for through
the face* of the king of the world I have become happy and
blissful.

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

* "Impotent": i.e. "plucked clean of feathers."
* "The seven layers": the seven heavens.
* Joseph, after coming up from the well, waxed in beauty and
power.
* "The face": a pun on "rukh", which also means "rook".

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

~

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

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Wednesday, June 09, 2010

[Sunlight] "Who says?" -- Quatrain 534

~

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

Who says that the Eternally Living is dead,
Who says that yonder Sun of Hope is dead -
He is the sun's enemy; climbing onto the roof,
He veiled his eyes and cried: "The sun is dead!"

-- Quatrain 534
Translation by Annemare Schimmel
"I Am Wind, You are Fire"
Shambhala, 1992

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

~

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

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Tuesday, June 08, 2010

[Sunlight] Optical Illusions

~

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

In the well of this world there are optical illusions,
the least of which is that stones appear to be gold.
To the fantasy of children playing
the debris with which they play appears as gold and riches.
Yet through the alchemy God's gnostics practice,
to their eyes, mines of gold become worthless.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hast dar châh en`ekâsât-e nazar
kamtarin ânkeh namâyad sang zar
Vaqt-e bâzi kudakân-râ ze ekhtelâl
mi namâyad ân khazaf-hâ zar o mâl
`refânesh kimiyâgar gashteh-'and
tâ keh shod kân-hâ bar ishân nezhand

-- Mathnawi IV: 675-677
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, June 07, 2010

[Sunlight] "Make peace with this Father"

~

Here, Sunlight offers Mathnawi IV, verses 3259-3270, in a
version by Coleman Barks, a version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
and a translation by Reynold A. Nicholson:

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

The Reasonable Father

The universe is a form of divine law,
your reasonable father.

When you feel ungrateful to him,
the shapes of the world seem mean and ugly.

Make peace with that father,
the elegant patterning,
and every experience will fill with immediacy.

Because I love this, I am never bored.
Beauty constantly wells up,
a noise of spring water
in my ear and in my inner being.

Tree limbs rise and fall like the
ecstatic arms of those
who have submitted to the mystical life.

Leaf-sounds talk together like poets
making fresh metaphors.
The green felt cover slips,
and we get a flash of the mirror underneath.

Think how it will be when
the whole thing is pulled away!
I tell only one one-thousandth
of what I see, because there is
so much doubt everywhere.

The conventional opinion of this poetry is,
it shows great optimism for the future.

But Father Reason says,
No need to announce the future!
This is it. This. Your deepest need
and desire is satisfied by the
moment's energy here in your hand.

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

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


The whole world is the unfolding of Universal Reason
which is the father of whoever takes the Divine Word as a guide.
When anyone shows extreme ingratitude to Universal Reason,
the whole form of the universe appears to him to snarl.
Make peace with this father, stop rebelling,
that the water and clay of this world
might appear to you as a carpet of gold.
Then you will live in the Resurrection:
heaven and earth will be transfigured before you.
Since I am always at peace with this father,
this world looks to me like Paradise.
At every moment a new form appears and a new beauty,
so that from seeing new visions, boredom dies.
I see the world as full of bounty—
the waters constantly gushing from the springs.
The voice of their water comes to my ear,
and my inner consciousness is drunk with the sound.

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

Koll-e `âlam surat-e `Aql-e Koll ast
kust bâbâ-ye har ânkeh ahl-e Qol ast
Chon kasi bâ `Aql-e Koll kofrân fazud
surat-e koll pish-e u ham sag namud
Solh kon bâ in pedar `âqi be-hel
tâ keh farsh-e zar namâyad âb o gel
Pas Qiyâmat naqd-e hâl-e to bovad
pish-e to charkh o zamin mobdal shavad
Man keh solham dâyeman bâ in pedar
in jahân chon Jannatastam dar nazar
Har zamân naw surati o naw jamâl
tâ ze naw didan foru mirad malâl
Man hami binam jahân-râ por-e na`im
âb-hâ az cheshmeh-hâ jushân moqim
Bâng-e âbesh mi resad dar gush-e man
mast mi gardad zamir o hush-e man

-- Mathnawi IV: 3259-2366
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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


The whole world is the form of Universal Reason, which is
the father of whosoever is a follower of the (Divine) Word.
When any one shows excessive ingratitude to Universal Reason,
the form of the universe appears to him (as) a cur accordingly.
Make peace with this Father, abandon disobedience, that the
water and clay (the world) may appear (to thee as) a carpet of gold.
Then the Resurrection will become thy present state
(immediate experience): heaven and earth will be transfigured before
thee.
Since I am ever at peace with this Father, this world is like
Paradise in my sight.
At every moment (appears) a new form and a new beauty, so
that from seeing the new (visions) ennui dies away.
I see the world to be full of bounty ˆ the waters constantly
gushing from the springs.
The noise of their water is coming into mine ear: my inner
consciousness and intelligence are being intoxicated.
(I see) the boughs dancing like penitents (i.e., those who
have been newly converted to the mystical life), the leaves clapping
their hands like minstrels.
The gleam of the mirror is flashing through the (cover of)
felt cloth: think how it will be if the mirror (itself) be displayed!
I am not telling one (mystery) out of thousands, because every
ear is filled with a doubt.
To Opinion this saying (of mine) is (only) a joyful
announcement (concerning the future), (but) Reason says, "What
(occasion for) announcement? It is my cash in hand (actual and
present experience)."

-- 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"

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

~

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

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Friday, June 04, 2010

[Sunlight] By a single thought

~

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

By a single thought that comes into the mind,
in one moment a hundred worlds are overturned.

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

Az yak andisheh keh âyad dar darun
sad jahân gardad be-yek dam sarengun

-- Mathnawi II: 1029
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, June 03, 2010

[Sunlight] More than all heavens, all worlds

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 912:

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

This silence is worth
More than a thousand lives,
This freedom worth
More than all the empires on earth.

To glimpse that truth within yourself,
For even just a moment, is worth
More than all heavens, all worlds,
All this, and all that.

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, June 02, 2010

[Sunlight] "The time has come" -- Ghazal 1591

~

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

the time has come
to break all my promises
tear apart all chains
and cast away all advice

disassemble the heavens
link by link
and break at once
all lovers' ties
with the sword of death

put cotton inside
both my ears
and close them to
all words of wisdom

crash the door and
enter the chamber
where all sweet
things are hidden

how long can i
beg and bargain
for the things of this world
while love is waiting

how long before
i can rise beyond
how i am and
what i am

-- Ghazal 1591
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

~

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

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Tuesday, June 01, 2010

[Sunlight] "Borne onward by their fear"

~

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

In battle the cowardly out of fear for their lives
have chosen the means of retreat,
while the courageous, also from fear of their lives,
have charged toward the ranks of the enemy.
Heroes are borne onward by their fear and pain;
from fear, too, the human being of weak spirit dies within.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bad-delân az bim-e jân dar kârzâr
kardeh asbâb-e hazimat ekhtiyâr
Por-delân dar jang ham az bim-e jân
hamleh kardeh su-ye saff-e doshmanân
Rostamân-râ tars o ghamm vâpish bord
ham ze tars ân bad-del andar khvish mord

-- Mathnawi IV:2917-2919
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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