Friday, July 30, 2010

[Sunlight] "A loving shepherd"

~

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

Your grace is the shepherd of all who have been created,
guarding them from the wolf of pain--
a loving shepherd like God's pen, Moses.
A single sheep fled from him: Moses wore out his shoes
and his feet blistered as he followed after it.
He continued searching until night fell;
meanwhile the flock had vanished from sight.
The lost sheep was weak and exhausted;
Moses shook the dust from it
and stroked its back and head with his hand,
fondling it lovingly like a mother.
Not a bit of irritation or anger, nothing but love and pity and tears!
He said to the sheep, "I can understand
that you naturally had no pity on me,
but why did your nature show such cruelty to itself?"
At that moment God said to the angels,
"This human being is suitable to be a prophet."

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

Khalq-râ az gorg-e ghamm lotfet shabân
chon Kalim Allâh shabân-e mehrabân
Gusfandi az Kalim Allâh gorikht
pâ-ye Musâ âbeleh shod na`l rikht
Dar pay-e u tâ beh-shab dar jost o ju
v-ân rameh ghâyeb shodeh az cheshm-e u
Gusfand az mândegi shod sost o mând
pas Kalim Allâh gard az vay feshând
Kaff hami mâlid bar posht o saresh
mi navâkht az mehr hamchon mâdaresh
Nim zarreh tiregi o kheshm ni
ghayr-e mehr o rahm o âb-e cheshm ni
Goft "Giram bar manet rahmi na-bud
tab`-e to bar khvod cherâ estam namud"
Bâ malâyek goft Yazdân ân zamân
keh "Nobuvet-râ hami zibad folân"

-- Mathnawi VI:3280-3287
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 29, 2010

[Sunlight] A day beyond and above

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 163:

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

What is this day with two suns in the sky?
Day unlike other days,
with a great voice giving it to the planet,
Here it is, enamored beings, your day!

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

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

what type of day is this
with two shining suns
a day beyond and above
every day known
a whirling cosmos is endowing
and calling everyone on earth
good news to those in love
call today your own

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

[Sunlight] How shall I beguile him?

~


Sunlight presents Ghazal 1634 , in a poetic version by Jonathan Star and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"This Will Not Win Him"


Reason says,
I will win him with my eloquence.

Love says,
I will win him with my silence.

Soul says,
How can I ever win him
When all I have is already his?

He does not want, he does not worry,
He does not seek a sublime state of euphoria -
How then can I win him
With sweet wine or gold? . . .

He is not bound by the senses –
How then can I win him
With all the riches of China?

He is an angel,
Though he appears in the form of a man.
Even angels cannot fly in his presence -
How then can I win him
By assuming a heavenly form?

He flies on the wings of God,
His food is pure light –
How then can I win him
With a loaf of baked bread?

He is neither a merchant, nor a tradesman -
How then can I win him
With a plan of great profit?

He is not blind, nor easily fooled -
How then can I win him
By lying in bed as if gravely ill?

I will go mad, pull out my hair,
Grind my face in the dirt –
How will this win him?

He sees everything –
how can I ever fool him?

He is not a seeker of fame,
A prince addicted to the praise of poets –
How then can I win him
With flowing rhymes and poetic verses?

The glory of his unseen form
Fills the whole universe
How then can I win him
With a mere promise of paradise?

I may cover the earth with roses,
I may fill the ocean with tears,
I may shake the heavens with praises -
none of this will win him.

There is only one way to win him,
this Beloved of mine -

Become his.

-- Version by Jonathan Star
"A Garden Beyond Paradise"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

Reason says, I will beguile him with the tongue;" Love
says, "Be silent. I will beguile him with the soul."
The soul says to the heart, "Go, do not laugh at me
and yourself. What is there that is not his, that I may
beguile him thereby?"
He is not sorrowful and anxious and seeking oblivion
that I may beguile him with wine and a heavy measure.
The arrow of his glance needs not a bow that I should
beguile the shaft of his gaze with a bow.
He is not prisoner of the world, fettered to this world
of earth, that I should beguile him with gold of the
kingdom of the world.
He is an angel, though in form he is a man; he is not
lustful that I should beguile him with women.
Angels start away from the house wherein this form
is, so how should I beguile him with such a form and
likeness?
He does not take a flock of horses, since he flies on wings;
his food is light, so how should I beguile him with bread?
He is not a merchant and trafficker in the market of the
world that I should beguile him with enchantment of gain
and loss.
He is not veiled that I should make myself out sick and
utter sighs, to beguile him with lamentation.
I will bind my head and bow my head, for I have got out
of hand; I will not beguile his compassion with sickness or
fluttering.
Hair by hair he sees my crookedness and feigning; what's
hidden from him that I should beguile him with anything
hidden.
He is not a seeker of fame, a prince addicted to poets,
that I should beguile him with verses and lyrics and
flowing poetry.
The glory of the unseen form is too great for me to
beguile it with blessing or Paradise.
Shams-e Tabriz, who is his chosen and beloved – perchance
I will beguile him with this same pole of the age.

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunlight footnote:

*"pole" –
Arberry (from elsewhere in the "Mystical Poems of Rumi"
collection): "'The Pole': the supreme mystic of his age."
Nicholson: "Qutb, the head of the mystic hierarchy on which
the preservation of the world depends.""Qutb (head of the Sufi
hierarchy)" "the Qutb (supremesaint) of the age" "the Qutb, in
whom the all-comprehendingName of Allah (al-ismu 'l -jami) is
manifested." "Qutbiyyah,the highest degree of saintship."

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

[Sunlight] Don't be afraid of putting him to the test

~

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

Give him milk, mother of Moses,
then cast him into the water.
Don't be afraid of putting him to the test.
Whoever drank that milk in pre-eternity*
distinguishes the true milk here,
just as Moses knew his own mother's milk.

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

Shir deh ay mâdar-e Musâ varâ
v-andar âb afkan minadish az balâ
Har keh dar Ruz-e Alast* ân shir khvord
hamcho Musâ shir-râ tamyiz kard

*Qur'ân 7:172

-- Mathnawi II: 2969-2970
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, July 26, 2010

[Sunlight] Splitting the moon -- Ghazal 2967

~

Sunlight presents Ghazal 2967, in a poetic version by
Coleman Barks and in translation by A.J. Arberry, with added
footnotes:

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

It’s lucky to hear the flutes for dancing
coming down the road.
The ground is glowing.
The table set in the yard.

We will drink all this wine tonight
because it’s Spring. It is.
It’s a growing sea. We’re clouds
over the sea,
or flecks of matter
in the ocean when the ocean seems lit from within.
I know I’m drunk when I start this ocean talk.

Would you like to see the moon split
in half with one throw?

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

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

Once again a melody has come from the reed pipe of fortune;
O soul, clap hands, O heart, stamp feet.
A mine has become aglow, a world is laughing, a table is
adorned, acclamation is coming.
We are drunk and roaring in hope of the spring over the
meadow, adoring one of handsome cheek.
He is the sea, we are a cloud; he the treasure, we a ruin;
in the light of a sea we are as motes.
I am distracted, I am excused; suffer me to brag �" with
the light of Mostafa* I will split the moon.* **

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

*The splitting of the moon will be the sign of the approaching
end of the world (Qur’an 54:1)

Additional notes from Ibrahim Gamard:

*Mostafa: a well-known title of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning the
"Chosen one."
**will split the moon: refers to an early interpretation of Qur'an 54:1
("and the moon is split asunder"), that (rather than a future sign of the
coming of the Day of Judgment) it meant a miracle witnessed by
several of the Prophet's companions (that the moon appeared one
night as if split into two parts). This is the interpretation believed by
Muslims for centuries (and believed by Rumi, as shown by II: 1606:
"The unbelievers viewed Muhammad as an (ordinary) man because
they did not see 'the moon is split asunder' (caused) by him").

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 22, 2010

[Sunlight] "Don't look at your form"

~

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

Don't look at your form, however ugly or beautiful.
Look at love and at the aim of your quest.

O you whose lips are parched, keep looking for water.
Those parched lips are proof that eventually you will
reach the source.

--Mathnawvi, III: 1438/1440
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Selected and Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

[Sunlight] "We two were once one" -- Ghazal 2243

~

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

Thy shining Face has become my spirit's mirror -
we two were once one, my spirit and thy Spirit.
Oh perfect, full Moon! The house of the heart is
Thine! The intellect - which was once the master - has
become Thy slave and doorman.
From the day of Alast the spirit has been drunk
with Thee, though for a time it was distracted by water
and clay.
Since the clay has now settled to the bottom, the
water is clear - no more do I say, "This is mine, that is
Thine."
Now the Emperor of Rum has smashed the
Ethiopians* - may Thy laughing good fortune be forever
victorious!
Oh, Thy Face is like the moon - let me lament
from time to time, for Thy eloquent love has become my
veil.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2243
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

* Rum or the Byzantine Empire is employed by Rumi to symbolize
light and union, while the Ethiopians symbolize darkness and
separation.

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

[Sunlight] "These impulses to action"

~

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

You can't sit inactive for a moment;
you can't rest until some good or bad
has come out of you.
These impulses to action
bring your inner consciousness
more clearly into outer view.
How then should the reel—
which is the body—
become still, when the line's end—
which is the mind—is pulling.

~ ~ ~ ~

Yek zamân bi kâr na-tavâni neshast
tâ badi yâ nika'i az to na-jast
in taqâzâ-hâ-ye kâr az bahr-e ân
shod movakkal tâ shavad serret `iyân
Pas kalâbeh-ye tan kojâ sâken shavad
chon sar-e reshteh-ye zamiresh mi-kashad

-- Mathnawi II: 996-998
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Monday, July 19, 2010

[Sunlight] The Phrasing Must Change

~

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

The Phrasing Must Change

Learn about your inner self from those who know such things,
but don't repeat verbatim what they say.
Zuleikha let everything be the name of Joseph, from celery seed
to aloes wood. She loved him so much she concealed his name
in many different phrases, the inner meanings
known only to her. When she said, The wax is softening
near the fire, she meant, My love is wanting me.
Or if she said, Look, the moon is up or The willow has new leaves
or The branches are trembling or The coriander seeds
have caught fire or The roses are opening
or The king is in a good mood today or Isn't that lucky?
Or the furniture needs dusting or
The water carrier is here or It's almost daylight or
These vegetables are perfect or The bread needs more salt
or The clouds seem to be moving against the wind
or My head hurts or My headache's better,
anything she praises, it's Joseph's touch she means,
any complaint, it's his being away.
When she's hungry, it's for him. Thirsty, his name is a sherbet.
Cold, he's a fur. This is what the Friend can do
when one is in such love. Sensual people use the holy names
often, but they don't work for them.
The miracle Jesus did by being the name of God,
Zuleikha felt in the name of Joseph.

When one is united to the core of another, to speak of that
is to breathe the name Hu, empty of self and filled
with love. As the saying goes, The pot drips what is in it.
The saffron spice of connecting, laughter.
The onion smell of separation, crying.
Others have many things and people they love.
This is not the way of Friend and friend.

-- Mathnawi VI: 4020-43
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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


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

The Phrasing Must Change

Learn about your inner self from those who know such things,
but don't repeat verbatim what they say.
Zuleikha let everything be the name of Joseph, from celery seed
to aloes wood. She loved him so much she concealed his name
in many different phrases, the inner meanings
known only to her. When she said, The wax is softening
near the fire, she meant, My love is wanting me.
Or if she said, Look, the moon is up or The willow has new leaves
or The branches are trembling or The coriander seeds
have caught fire or The roses are opening
or The king is in a good mood today or Isn't that lucky?
Or the furniture needs dusting or
The water carrier is here or It's almost daylight or
These vegetables are perfect or The bread needs more salt
or The clouds seem to be moving against the wind
or My head hurts or My headache's better,
anything she praises, it's Joseph's touch she means,
any complaint, it's his being away.
When she's hungry, it's for him. Thirsty, his name is a sherbet.
Cold, he's a fur. This is what the Friend can do
when one is in such love. Sensual people use the holy names
often, but they don't work for them.
The miracle Jesus did by being the name of God,
Zuleikha felt in the name of Joseph.

When one is united to the core of another, to speak of that
is to breathe the name Hu, empty of self and filled
with love. As the saying goes, The pot drips what is in it.
The saffron spice of connecting, laughter.
The onion smell of separation, crying.
Others have many things and people they love.
This is not the way of Friend and friend.

-- Mathnawi VI: 4020-43
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

~

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

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Friday, July 16, 2010

[Sunlight] "The Five Spiritual Senses"

~

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


The five spiritual senses are all connected.
They've grown from one root.
As one grows strong, the others strengthen, too:
each one becomes a cupbearer to the rest.
Seeing with the eye increases speech;
speech increases discernment in the eye.
As sight deepens, it awakens every sense,
so that the perception of the spiritual
becomes familiar to them all.

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

Panj hess bâ hamdegar payvasteh-'and
zânke in har panj ze asli rasteh-'and
Qut-e yek qut-e bâqi shavad
mâ baqi-râ har yeki sâqi shavad
Didan dideh fazâyad notq-râ
notq dar dideh fazâyad sedq-râ
Sedq bidâri-ye har hess mi-shavad
hess-hâ-râ zawq munes mi-shavad


-- Mathnawi II: 3236-3239
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 15, 2010

[Sunlight] "You are" -- Ghazal 37

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal 37, in translations from Jonathan
Star and Shahram Shiva, from Eva de Vitray-Meyerovitch via Simone
Fattal; as well as a modern-English literal translation from Dr. Ibrahim Gamard:


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

Don't Leave Me Unbaked

Be a lover for me, a cave for me,
The sweet burn of love for me.
O master, protect me!

You are Noah, you are the soul,
you are the slayer and the slain.
You are the treasure of knowledge –
O master, open your secret door for me!

You are the light and the celebration;
the land rejoicing in victory.
You are the great bird of Mount Sinai –
O master, don't drop me from your beak!

You are the ocean, and the shore;
a kind word, and a heart
filled with despair.
You are the sugar and the poison –
O master, more sugar and less poison!

You are the orb of the Sun,
and the house of Venus,
You are the light of hope
that touches the world.
O master, open up and let me see you!

You are the pain of hunger
and the crumbs of every beggar.
You are the water oveflowing.
O master, fill my empty cup!

You are the bait and the trap,
the wine and the glass.
You are the heat
and the bread in the oven.
O master, don't leave me unbaked!

This body is not fast enough
to reach the end
of Love's path.
Let me enter that emptiness –
O master, take away all these words of mine.

-- Ode 37
Version/translation by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

O Love who devours the heart,
O Master, protect me!
You are like Noah, my savior, you are my soul,
you are the winner and the vanquished,
You are the wounded heart, and I am in front
of the door of Secrets.
You are the light, you are the joy,
you are fortune triumphant!
You are the bird of Mount Sinai
and I have been wounded by your beak.
You are the drop of water and you are the ocean,
you are the grace and you are the fury,
You are the sugar and you are the poison,
do not torture me futhermore!

-- Translated to French by Eva de Vitray-Meyerovitch
Translated from the French by Simone Fattal
"Rumi and Sufism"
The Post-Apollo Press, Sausalito, California 1987

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

For me, (there is) a friend,* a cave,* (and) a heart-afflicting* love.
(And) you are (that) friend and cave, (O) master! Protect me!
You are Noah (and) you are the spirit.* You are the opener and the
opened. (And) for me, you are the refreshed heart at the door of
secrets.
You are the light (and) the feast, and the triumph of Mansoor.*
For me, you are the bird of the mountain of Sinai,* broken of beak.*
You are the drop and the ocean, kindness and severity, (and) you
are sugar (and) poison. Don't torment me* (any) more!
You are the cell of (seclusion) for the sun (and) the (overnight)
house for Venus. You are (also) the (green) meadow of hope: show
me the way, O beloved!
You are the day and the fast* (of Ramadan), (and) the gain from
begging. You are the water (and) the pitcher: give me water this time!
You are the seed and the trap, (and) you are the wine and the cup.*
You are (both) ripe and raw:* don't leave me (in the state of being)
raw!
If (my) body was less hot-spirited, it would rob my heart less.
(But) you went on the road, so that this entire speech of mine would
not be (any use)!*

-- From The Dîwân-é Kabîr (also known as "Kulliyat-é Shams" and
"Dîwân-é Shams-é Tabrîz") of Jalaluddin Rumi, Ode 37
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard, 1/14/99;
revised 1/22/00 (all rights reserved)
Footnotes courtesy of Ibrahim Gamard

*a friend (yâr): may also be translated "a beloved."
* a cave (ghâr): a word play referring to Abu Bakr, called in Persian
"Friend of the Cave" (yâr-é ghâr) because he shared a small cave
with the Prophet Muhammad (in order to escape from pursuing
enemies) during the famous flight (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in
622. The traditional account is that they were protected by a miracle
of God: when the enemy checked the cave, they found it covered by
a spider web and concluded that no one could be inside.
*heart-afflicting: literally, "liver-devouring." An idiom for grievous
suffering.
*the spirit (rûH): usually understood to me an the angel Gabriel (see
"the Spirit (of Revelation)," Qur'an 17:85; "the angels and the spirit,"
70:4, 78:38, 97:4; "the holy spirit," which strengthened the Prophet
Jesus, 2:87, 253; and passages where God strengthened the believers
with a spirit from Him, such as 58:22. In sum, the reference here is
to protection sent by God.
*the opener and the opened: although the primary meaning of these
words has to do with opening, the usual meaning is "the conqueror
and the conquered," in the sense of "opening" a fortified town.
However, the primary meaning seems more suitable here-- per the
effects of the spirit, and the mention of "door of secrets" in the
second half of the verse.
*the triumph of Mansoor: may also be translated as "the good-fortune
of Mansoor." Refers to the radical sufi Mansûr Hallâj, who was
executed for heresy in 922. May refer to the legend that after his
execution, his scattered blood formed the words of his (alleged)
words of blasphemy ("I am the Truth/God") on the ground. Rumi (as
well as other later sufi masters) taught that God spoke the words, and
Hallâj was mystically annihilated and therefore incapable of speaking
from his own ego-consciousness.
*the bird of the mountain of Sinai: refers to the hoopoe bird
(mentioned in a story about Solomon in Qur'an 27:22-28).
*broken of beak: meaning unclear. The Arabic word "beak" was
needed for the rhyme. The word translated as "broken" (khasta)
literally means (in classical Persian) "wounded," so perhaps it is a
reference to the final disappearance of Shams-i Tabriz. Shams had
been murdered, and his body thrown down into a well, but this was
concealed from Rumi. Shams had left town before (because of the
hostility of his enemies) and had been found in Damascus and had
been persuaded to return. Perhaps Rumi heard that Shams had been
attacked and thought he may have been wounded and then left town.
In any case, for several years Rumi ardently hoped that Shams could
be found again. The other way of reading the line ("You are the bird
of the mountain of Sinai, my wound in the beak") makes little sense.
*Don't torment me: in Classical Persian culture, the expected role of
the beloved was to act harshly and tyrannically toward the lover (as
well as to impose periods of separation), an the lover's role was both
to take delight in such treatment and to yearn for an end of harshness
and separation.
*You are the day and the fast: a word play on "rôz" and "rôza." The
latter word (literally, "daily") is the Persian word for fasting, and
refers to the fast of the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims do
not eat or drink during the daylight hours.
*the wine and the cup: symbols, in Persian sufi poetry, of spiritual
blessing and drunkenness, and the dispenser (the sufi master) of
such.
*ripe and raw (pokhta, khâm): technical words in sufism, which also
mean (spiritually) mature, experienced, prepared, refined;
(spiritually) immature, inexperienced, etc., uncooked, bearing no
fruit.
*line 8: difficult to translate.

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

yâr ma-râ ghâr ma-râ, `ishq-é jegar-khwâr ma-râ
yâr tow-î, ghâr tow-î, khwâja! negahdâr ma-râ

nûH tow-î, rûH tow-î, fâtiH-o maftûH tow-î
sîna-yé mashrûH tow-î, bar dar-é asrâr ma-râ

nûr tow-î, sûr tow-î, dawlat-é manSûr tow-î
morgh-é koh-é Tûr tow-î, khasta ba-minqâr ma-râ

qaTra tow-î, baHr tow-î, tuTf tow-î, qahr tow-î
qand tow-î, zahr tow-î, bêsh ma-y-âzâr ma-râ

Hujra-yé khworshêd tow-î, khâna-yé nâhêd tow-î
rawZa-yé ômêd tow-î, râh deh ay yâr ma-râ

rôz tow-î, rôza tow-î, HâSil-é daryôza tow-î
âb tow-î, kôza tow-î, âb deh în bâr ma-râ

dâna tow-î, dâm tow-î, bâda tow-î, jâm tow-î
pokhta tow-î, khâm tow-î, khâm be-ma-goZâr ma-râ

în tan agar kam tandy, râh-é del-am kam zandy
râh shod-î tâ na-body, în hama goftâr ma-râ

(meter: XoX XoX XooX XoX)

-- Transliteration courtesy of Dr. Ibrahim Gamard

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

[Sunlight] We ask Thee, Lord, for help -- Ghazal 2046

~

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

"We worship Thee!" -- that is the garden's prayer
in winter time.
"We ask Thy help!" -- that is its cry then
in time of spring.
"We worship Thee" -- that means: I come to beg,
imploring Thee:
Don't leave me in this sorrow, Lord, make wide
the door of joy!
"We ask Thee, Lord, for help" -- that is, the fullness
of ripe, sweet fruit.
Now break my branches and my twigs -- protect me,
My Lord, My God!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2046
Translated by Annemarie Schimmel
"I Am Wind, You are Fire"
Shambhala, 1992

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

[Sunlight] This marvelous opinion

~

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

The goods of this world and this body are melting snow;
yet God buys them, for it is said God has purchased.*
You prefer the melting snow to God's offer,
because you are dubious, you have no certainty.
There is this marvelous opinion within you
which won't fly to that garden of certainty.
Every opinion is really thirsting for conviction
and flapping its wings in pursuit.
When it attains knowledge, then the wing becomes a foot,
and its knowledge begins to scent that garden.
In the tested Way,
knowledge is inferior to certainty but above opinion.
Know that knowledge is a seeker of certainty,
and certainty is a seeker of vision and intuition.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mâl o tan barfand rizân-e fanâ
Haqq kharidâresh keh Allâha-shtarâ*
Barf-hâ ze ân az saman-e avvalistet
keh hayi dar shakk yaqini nistet
Vin `ajab zannast dar to ay mohin
keh na-mi parad be-bostân-e yaqin
Har gomân teshneh-ye yaqin ast ay pesar
mi zanad andar tazâyod bâl o par
Chon resad dar `elm pas par pâ shavad
mar yaqin-râ `elm-e u buya shavad
Zânke hast andar Tariq-e moftatan
`elm kamtar az yaqin va fawq-e zann
`Elm juyâ-ye yaqin bâshad be-dân
vân yaqin juyâ-ye didast va `iyân

*al-Tawbah, 111

-- Mathnawi III: 4115-4121
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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

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Monday, July 12, 2010

[Sunlight] Harvest -- Ghazal 524

~

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

"Harvest"

As the sun goes down in its well,
lovers enter the seclusion of God.

Late at night we meet like thieves
who have stolen gold, our
candlelit faces.

A pawn has become a king.
We sit secretly inside presence
like a Turk in a tent among the Hindus,

and yet we're traveling past
a hundred watchmen, nightfaring,
drowned in an ocean of longing.

Sometimes a body rises to the surface
like Joseph coming out of his well
of abandonment to be the clarity

that divides Egypt's wheat fairly
and interprets the royal dreaming.

Some people say about human beings,
"Dust to dust", but can that be true of
one who changes from road dust to doorway?

The crop appears to be all one thing,
while it's still in the field.

Then a transformation-time arrives,
and we see how it is:
half chaff, half grain.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 524
Version by Coleman Barks
(from a translation by John Moyne)
"Say I Am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

~

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

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Friday, July 09, 2010

[Sunlight] That root must be cherished with all one's might

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are you fleeing from Love because of a single humiliation?
What do you know of Love except the name?
Love has a hundred forms of pride and disdain,
and is gained by a hundred means of persuasion.
Since Love is loyal, it purchases one who is loyal:
it has no interest in a disloyal companion.
The human being resembles a tree; its root is a covenant with God:
that root must be cherished with all one's might.
A weak covenant is a rotten root, without grace or fruit.
Though the boughs and leaves of the date palm are green,
greenness brings no benefit if the root is corrupt.
If a branch is without green leaves, yet has a good root,
a hundred leaves will put forth their hands in the end.

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

To be-yek khvâri gorizâni ze `Eshq?
to be-joz-e nâmi cheh mi dâni ze `Eshq?
`Eshq-râ sad nâz o estekbâr hast
`Eshq bâ sad nâz mi âyad be-dast
`Eshq chon vâfiyast vâfi mi kharad
dar harif-e bi vafâ mi na-negarad
Chon derakhtast âdami va bikh `ahd
bikh-râ timâr mi bâyad be-jahd
`Ahd-e fâsed bikh-e pusideh bud
vaz semâr o lotf be-borideh bud
Shâkh o barg-e nakhl garcheh sabz bud
bâ fasâd-e bikh sabzi nist sud
Var na-dâri barg-e sabz, va bikh hast
`âqebat birun konad sad barg dast

-- Mathnawi V:1163-1169
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 08, 2010

[Sunlight] We Can See the Truth in Your Eyes -- Ghazal 120

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal 120, from Molana Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams",
in versions by Jonathan Star and Kabir Helminski, and in translation by William Chittick:

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

We Can See the Truth in Your Eyes


For ages you have come and gone
courting delusion.
For ages you have run from the pain
and forfeited the ecstasy.
So come, return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

Although you appear in earthly form
Your essence is pure Consciousness.
You are the fearless guardian
of Divine Light.
So come, return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

When you lose all sense of self
the bonds of a thousand chains will vanish.
Lose yourself completely.
Return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

You descended from Adam, by the pure Word of God,
but you turned your sight
to the empty show of this world.
Alas, how can you be satisfied with so little?
So come, return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

Why are you so enchanted by this world
when a mine of gold lies within you?
Open your eyes and come -
Return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

You were born from the rays of God's Majesty
when the stars were in their perfect place.
How long will you suffer from the blows
of a nonexistent hand?
So come, return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

You are a ruby encased in granite.
How long will you deceive Us with this outer show?
So come, return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

After one moment with that glorious Friend
you became loving, radiant, and ecstatic.
Your eyes were sweet and full of fire.
Come, return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

Shams-e Tabriz, the King of the Tavern,
has handed you an eternal cup.
And God in all His glory is pouring the wine.
So come! Drink!
Return to the root of the root
of your own soul.

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

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

The Root of the Root of Your Self

Don't go away, come near.
Don't be faithless, be faithful.
Find the antidote in the venom.
Come to the root of the root of yourself.

Molded of clay, yet kneaded
from the substance of certainty,
a guard at the Treasury of Holy Light -
come, return to the root of the root of your Self.

Once you get hold of selflessness,
you'll be dragged from your ego
and freed from many traps.
Come, return to the root of the root of your Self.

You are born from the children of God's creation,
but you have fixed your sight too low.
How can you be happy?
Come, return to the root of the root of your Self.

Although you are a talisman protecting a treasure,
you are also the mine.
Open your hidden eyes
and come to the root of the root of your Self.

You were born from a ray of God's majesty
and have the blessings of a good star.
Why suffer at the hands of things that don't exist?
Come, return to the root of the root of your Self.

You are a ruby embedded in granite.
How long will you pretend it isn't true?
We can see it in your eyes.
Come to the root of the root of your Self.

You came here from the presence of that fine Friend,
a little drunk, but gentle, stealing our hearts
with that look so full of fire; so
come, return to the root of the root of your Self.

Our master and host, Shamsi Tabriz,
has put the eternal cup before you.
Glory be to God, what a rare wine!
So come, return to the root of the root of your Self.

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

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

How long will you move backwards? Come
forward! Enter not into unbelief, come to religion!
Behold the elixir hidden within the venom --
come to the venom! And come, return to the root of the root
of your own self!
Although in form you are earthly, you have
been kneaded from certainty's substance.
You guard the treasury of God's Light -- so come,
return to the root of the root of your own self!
Once you have tied yourself to selflessness, you
will be delivered from selfhood
And released from the ties of a hundred
snares -- so come, return to the root of the root of your own self!
Though you are the talisman protecting the
world's treasure, within yourself, you are the Mine.
Open your hidden eyes and come, return to the
root of the root of your own self!
You were born of the rays of God's majesty and
have gained the good fortunes of your auspicious star.
How long will you suffer at the hands of
nonexistent things? Come! Return to the root of the root of
your own self!
You are a ruby in the midst of granite -- how
long will you try to deceive us?
We can see the truth in your eyes -- so come,
return to the root of the root of your own self!
You came here from the presence of that
haughty Friend, so you are drunk, gentle, and heart-ravishing,
And your eyes are sweet and full of fire -- so
come, return to the root of the root of your own true self!
The king and saki, Shams-i Tabrizi, has placed
before you the everlasting cup.
Glory be to God! What marvelous pure wine!
So come, return to the root of the root of your own self!

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 07, 2010

[Sunlight] "When he could not find it"

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 167:

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

The Friend comes into my body
looking for the center, unable
to find it, draws a blade,
strikes anywhere.

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

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

In a dream my lover came
searching through my body
for the state of love.
When he could not find it
he drew his dagger and stabbed
my heart.

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

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

~


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

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Tuesday, July 06, 2010

[Sunlight] "The waxen candle fled from itself"

~

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

When through spiritual poverty someone is graced with nonexistence,
like Muhammad, he loses his shadow.
Fanâ'* graced the Prophet who said, "Poverty is my pride."
He became shadowless like the flame of a candle.
When the candle has become entirely flame from head to foot,
a shadow has no way to approach it.
The waxen candle fled from itself and its shadow into radiance
for the sake of the One by whom it was made.
God said, "I molded you for the sake of fanâ'."
It replied, "And so I took refuge in fanâ'."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon fanâsh az faqr pirâyeh shavad
u Mohammad-vâr bi sâyeh shavad
"Faqr fakhri"-râ fanâ* pirâyeh shod
chon zabâneh-ye shama` u bi sâyeh shod
Shama` jomleh shod zabâneh pâ o sar
sâyeh-râ na-bovad beh-gerd-e u gozar
Mum az khvish o ze sâyeh dar gorikht
dar sho`â` az bahr-e U ki shama` rikht
Goft U "Bahr-e fanâyet rikhtam"
goft "Man ham dar fanâ be-gorikhtam"

*Disappearance of the individual self in the being of God.

-- Mathnawi V: 672-676
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, July 05, 2010

[Sunlight] The sleeper dreams of the sore pangs of thirst

~

Today, Sunlight offers verses from the Mathnawi, in an interpretive version by Professor Coleman Barks, and in the translation by Professor Nicholson, upon which Professor Barks based his version:

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The Water You Want

Someone may be clairvoyant, able to see
the future, and yet have very little wisdom.

Like the man who saw water in his dream,
and began leading everyone toward the mirage.

"I am the one with heart-vision.
I've torn open the veil."

So they set out with him inside the dream,
while he is actually sleeping beside a river
of pure water. Any search moves away from
the spot where the object of the quest is.

Sleep deeply wherever you are on the way.
Maybe some traveler will wake you.

Give up subtle thinking,
the twofold, threefold

multiplication of mistakes.
Listen to the sound of waves
within you.

There you are,
dreaming your thirst,
when the water you want
is inside the big vein on your neck.

-- Mathnavi IV: 3226-3241
Version by Coleman Barks
"Say I Am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

The eye and spirit that sees (only) the transient falls on its face
continually wherever it goes.
A far-seeing man who lacks knowledge may see far, just as
(one has)far sight in dreams.
You are asleep with parched lips on the bank of the river, and (in
your dream) are running in search of water towards the mirage.
You see the mirage far away and run (towards it): you become in love with
your own sight.
In the dream you boast to your friends, saying, "I am the one
whose heart possesses vision, and (I am) the one that rends the veil.
Lo, I see water yonder: hark, make haste that we may go
there" – and it is (only) the mirage.
At every step you hurry farther away from the water, whilst
you keep running on towards the perilous mirage.
Your very setting-out has become the barrier (which prevents you) from
(seeing) this that has come close to you.
Oh, many a one sets out to some place from the spot where the object of
his quest is (to be found).
The (far) sight and boasting of the sleeper is of no avail; it is
naught but a phantasy: hold aloof from it.
Thou art sleepy, but anyhow sleep on the Way (i.e., do not abandon the
Way and sleep elsewhere): for God's sake, for God's sake, sleep on the Way
of God,
That perchance a Traveller (on the Way) may attach himself to thee and
tear thee from the phantasies of slumber.
(Even) is the sleeper's thought become (subtle) as a hair, he
will not find the way to the Abode by the subtlety.
Whether the sleeper's thought is twofold or threefold, still it is error
on error on error.
The waves are beating upon him without restraint, (whilst) he asleep is
running in the long wilderness.
The sleeper dreams of the sore pangs of thirst, (whilst) the water is
nearer unto him than the neck-vein.

-- Mathnawi IV: 3226-3241
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, July 02, 2010

[Sunlight] If there had not been Love

~

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

If there had not been Love, how would there have been existence?
How would bread have attached itself to you and become assimilated?
The bread became you through your love and appetite;
for how else should bread have had any access to your living spirit?
Love makes lifeless bread into spirit:
it can make the spirit that was perishable everlasting.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar na-budi `Eshq hasti kay bodi
kay zadi nân bar to o kay to shodi
Nân to shod az cheh ze `eshq o eshtâ
var nah nân-râ kay bodi tâ jân rahâ
`Eshq nân-e mordeh-râ mi jân konad
jân keh fâni bovad jâvidân konad

-- Mathnawi V: 2012-2014
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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Thursday, July 01, 2010

[Sunlight] The grace of the answer, the knowledge of the question -- Ghazal 1353

~

Today, Sunlight offers six presentations of Ghazal (Ode) 1353 - a
version by Jonathan Star, an early Coleman Barks version (from
Arberry), a later Barks version (from Ergin), a version by James
Cowan, and, finally, translations by Annemarie Schimmel and A.J.
Arberry:

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"The Return"

My soul wants to fly away
When your Presence calls it so sweetly.
My soul wants to take flight
When you whisper, "Arise."

A fish wants to dive from dry land
into the ocean
when it hears the roaring waves.
A falcon wants to return from the forest
to the King's wrist
when it hears the drum beating "Return."
A Sufi, shimmering with light,
wants to dance like a sunbeam
when darkness surrounds him.

O God - you are the graceful and the beautiful,
you are the highest love,
you are the giver of life.
What misery and hardship comes
to those who turn away from you!

O bird, fly back to your native land.
You have broken free from your cage;
Your wings are eager for flight.

Fly from the brackish puddle
toward the flowing waters of life!
Leave the room where they put the dirty sandals
and return to the royal seat of the soul!

Be off! Be off!
O soul, leave behind this world of separation
and come with us to the world of union.
How long will you play in this dusty world
like a child filling his shirt with worthless stones?

Cast away the burdens of the earth
and fly upward toward heaven!
Put away your childish care
and join the royal banquet.

Behold the countless ways this body has entrapped you!
Break its deadly hold.
Rise up, lift your head clear of this delusion.

Reach for the Holy Book with your right hand
You are not like a child
who doesn't know right from left.

God said to the mind, "Return from where you came."
He said to the hand of Death,
"Grab hold of worldly men."
He said to the soul, "Fly to the Unseen.
Take all the treasure you can carry
and cry no more."

You ask, "Who is the King?" -
Tell the world that you are the King!

Your knowledge has brought the question,
And your grace has given the answer.

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

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

Why doesn't the soul fly
when it hears the call?

A fish on the beach always
moves toward wave-sound.

A falcon hears the drum
and brings its quarry home.

Why doesn't every dervish
dance in the sun?

You've escaped the cage.
Your wings are stretched
out. Now, fly!

You've stayed in sheds and out-buildings
so long you think that's where you live!

How many years, like children,
do we have to collect sticks and pieces
of broken pottery and pretend they're valuable?

Let's leave childhood and go
to the banquet of free human beings.

Split open the cultural mould.
Put your head up out of the sack.

Hold this book in the air
with your right hand. Are you old enough
to know your right from your left?

God said to clarity,
Walk,
and to death,
Help them with discipline.
To the soul,
Move into the invisible.
Take what's there,
and don't sing
the pain anymore.
Call out that
you are now the king.

You have been given both the answer
and an understanding of the question.

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

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

A Voice Through the Door

Sometimes you hear a voice through
the door calling you, as fish out of

water hear the waves, or a hunting
falcon hears the drum's come back.

This turning toward what you deeply
love saves you. Children fill their

shirts with rocks and carry them
around. We're not children anymore.

Read the book of your life which has
been given you. A voice comes to

your soul saying, Lift your foot;
cross over; move into the emptiness

of question and answer and question.

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

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

Why doesn't the soul fly, when from your glorious
Presence
A speech of such sweet favour comes, saying, 'Arise'?

Why shouldn't a fish leap from dry land into the water
When wave-sounds from the ocean curl in its ear?

Why shouldn't a falcon fly from its kill to be near the King
When it hears drum-stick against drum chatter, 'Return'.

Shouldn't every Sufi dance like a speck of dust on the sun
Of eternity, that he night be delivered from decay?

Such grace, beauty, loveliness and life richly bestowed!
Dispense with Him, O misery and error.

Fly, O bird, fly to your natural home,
Your wings are outspread, your cage open.

Voyage from this bitter stream towards life's waters,
Return from the vestibule to the high seat of the soul.

Make haste, O soul! For we too are coming
From this world of duality to that of union.

How long shall we fill our laps with dust, stones
And such stuff from this world, like children?

Let us give up this world and fly towards Heaven,
Let us flee childhood to the banquet of men.

Behold, how your body has entrapped you!
Tear the sack and raise clear your head.

Take this scroll from Love with your right hand;
You are not child, not knowing right from left.

God said to Reason's messenger, 'Go',
To the hand of Death he said, "World desire, Chastise.'

A voice came to the spirit, 'Deliver me to the unseen'.
Take what gains, what treasure, and regret no more pain.

Cry out, announce that you are King;
In reply is your grace, in question your knowledge.

-- Version by James Cowan
"Rumi's Divan of Shems of Tabriz, Selected Odes"
Element Books Limited 1997

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

How should the soul not take wings
when from the Glory of God
It hears a sweet, kindly call:
"Why are you here, soul? Arise!"
How should a fish not leap fast
into the sea from dry land
When from the ocean so cool
the sound of the waves reached its ear?
How should the falcon not fly
back to his king from the hunt
When from the falconer's drum
it hears the call: "Oh, come back!"?
Why should not every Sufi
begin to dance atom-like
Around the Sun of duration
that saves from impermanence?
What graciousness and what beauty!
What life-bestowing! What grace!
If anyone does without that, woe -
what error, what suffering!
Oh fly, oh fly, O my soul-bird,
fly to your primordial home!
You have escaped from the cage now -
your wings are spread in the air.
Oh travel from brackish water
now to the fountain of life!
Return from the place of the sandals
now to the high seat of souls!
go on! Go on! we are going,
and we are coming, O soul,
From this world of separation
to union, a world beyond worlds!
How long shall we here in the dust-world
like children fill our skirts
With earth and with stones without value,
with broken shards without worth?
Let's take our hand from the dust grove,
let's fly to the heavens high,
Let's fly from our childish behavior
and join the banquet of men!
Call out, O soul, to proclaim now
that you are ruler and king!
You have the grace of the answer,
you know the question as well!

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

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

Why does the soul not take wing, when from the presence of
Glory the address of grace like sugar comes to the soul saying,
"Come up"?
How should a fish not leap nimbly from the dry land into the
water, when the sound of waves reaches its ear from the limpid
sea?
Why should the falcon not fly from the quarry towards the
king, when it hears from drum and drumstick the tidings Return?
Why should not every Sufi begin to dance like a mote in the
sun of immortality, that it may deliver him from decay?
Such grace and beauty and loveliness and life-bestowing - can
any man dispense with Him? What misery and error!
Fly, fly, O bird, to your origin, for you have escaped from the
cage and your feathers and wings are outspread.
Journey away from the brackish water towards the water of
life; return to the high table of the soul from the porter's lodge.
Off, off! For we too, O soul, are arriving from this world of
separation to that world of union.
How long like children in this earthly world shall we fill our
skirts with dust and stones and crocks?
Let us leave go of earth and fly heavenwards, let us flee from
childhood to the banquet of men.
Look not to see how the earthly mould has put you in a sack;
split the sack and lift your head out of the sack.
Take from the air this book in your right hand; you are not a
child, not to know your right from your left.
God said to Reason's messenger, "Lift up your foot!", to the
hand of Death, "Beat the ear of concupiscence!"
A call came to the spirit, "Speed away into the Unseen; take
the gain and the treasure, and lament the pain no more."
Do you call aloud, and proclaim that you are King; yours is the
grace of the answer, and yours is the knowledge of the question.

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

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

~

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

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