Wednesday, March 31, 2010

[Sunlight] "Look and see who loses!”

~

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

The deniers are their own enemies: by denying,
they keep on wounding themselves.
An enemy is a man who tries to take your life,
not one who takes his own.
The pitiful, veiled bat is its own enemy, not the
sun's.
The sun's shining will kill it -- but how can it
annoy the sun?
An enemy is one who inflicts torment, who bars
the ruby from glowing with light.
But the unbelievers all bar themselves from the
radiance of the prophets' gem.
How can people veil the eyes of those unique
men? No, they make their own eyes blind and perverse,
Like an angry Hindu slave who kills himself to
spite his master,
Throwing himself down from the roof of the
house to inflict on him a heavy loss.
If the patient becomes the physician's enemy, if
the child becomes hostile to his teacher,
In reality they waylay their own roads -- they
themselves have wasted their own lives and intellects.
If a washerman becomes angry with the sun, if
a fish becomes angry with the ocean,
Look and see who loses! In the end, who will
suffer misfortune?
If God has created you with an ugly face,
beware! Add not to it an ugly disposition!

-- Mathnawi II: 789 - 802
Translation by William Chittick
The Sufi Path of Love
SUNY Press, 1983

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

~

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

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

[Sunlight] "The scroll of one's good and harmful actions"

~

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

The foot knows its own shoe in the dark;
how should the soul not know its own body?
Dawn is a little resurrection: seeker of refuge,
judge from it what the greater resurrection will be like.
Even as the soul flies toward the clay of its body,
the scroll of one's good and harmful actions
will fly into the left or right hand.

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

Pây kafsh-e khvod shenâsad dar zolam
chon na-dânad jân tan-e khvod ay sanam
Sobh hashr-e kuchekast ay mostajir
hashr-e akbar-râ qiyâs az vay be-gir
nchonânkeh jân be-parad su-ye tin
nâmeh parad tâ yasâr o tâ yamin

-- Mathnawi V: 1779-1781
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, March 29, 2010

[Sunlight] Not a day on any calendar - Ghazal 2728

~

Sunlight offers Molana's Ghazal 2728, from the Diwan-e Shams-e
Tabrizi, in a version by Coleman Barks:

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

NOT A DAY ON ANY CALENDAR

Spring, and everything outside is growing,
even the tall cypress tree.
We must not leave this place.
Around the lip of the cup we share, these words,

"My Life Is Not Mine."

If someone were to play music, it would have to be very sweet.
We're drinking wine, but not through lips.
We're sleeping it off, but not in bed.
Rub the cup across your forehead.
This day outside is living and dying.

Give up wanting what other people have.
That way you're safe.
"Where, where can I be safe?" you ask.

This is not a day for asking questions,
not a day on any calendar.
This day is conscious of itself.
This day is a lover, bread, and gentleness,
more manifest than saying can say.

Thoughts take form with words,
but this daylight is beyond and before
thinking and imagining. Those two,
they are so thirsty, but this gives smoothness
to water. Their mouths are dry, and they are tired.

The rest of this poem is too blurry
for them to read.

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

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

~

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

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Friday, March 26, 2010

[Sunlight] God’s prophets

~

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

God did not need the prophets,
but with majesty and grace
let His lightning Beauty strike.
Adam received from that light
his knowledge of God.
With that radiance
Abraham went fearlessly
into the fire.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ân Khodâyi keh ferestâd anbiyâ
nah be-hâjat bal be-fazl o kebriyâ
Ân sanâ barqi keh bar arvâh tâft
tâ keh Âdam ma`refat ze ân nur yâft
Jân-e Ebrâhim az ân anvâr zhaft
bi hazar dar sho`leh-hâ-ye nâr raft

-- Mathnawi II: 906; 910; 913
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

[Sunlight] "Behold the faithfulness of spring" -- Ghazal 1000

~

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

The red rose, which tears its cloak to shreds -- I
for one know its motive.
The willow has let down its branches in straight
rows to make up for all the ritual prayers it has missed.
The lily with its sword and the jasmine with its
shield are preparing themselves for the holy war.
The poor nightingale--how he suffers! He sighs
at the rose's display.
Each of the lovely brides in the garden says,
"The rose is glancing at me."
The nightingale replies, "The rose makes those
amorous gestures for my sake, headless and footless me!"
The plane-tree has lifted up its hands in
lamentation--shall I tell you what supplications he makes?
Who put the hat on the bud's head? Who bent
the violet over double?
Although autumn was very cruel, behold the
faithfulness of spring!
Whatever autumn took in pillage, spring has
come and replaced.
I speak of roses, nightingales and the beauties of
the garden as a pretext -- why do I do it?
For the sake of Love's Jealousy -- at any rate, I
am describing God's graces.
The pride of Tabriz and the world, Shams al-
Din, has again shown me favor.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1000
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~

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

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

[Sunlight] When one fades away, the other starts to grow

~


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


Once the blossoms are gone, the fruit becomes visible;
when one fades away, the other starts to grow.
How could bread give strength without being broken?
How could the grape give wine without being trodden?

-- Mathnawi I, 2930-31
Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997


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


~

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

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

[Sunlight] "All religions are but one religion"

~

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

Since the object of praise is one,
from this point of view,
all religions are but one religion.
Know that all praise belongs to the Light of God
and is only lent to created forms and beings.
Should people praise anyone but the One
who alone deserves to be praised?
But they go astray in useless fantasy.
The Light of God in relation to phenomena
is like light shining upon a wall—
the wall is but a focus for these splendors.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zânke khvod mamduh joz yek pish nist
kish-hâ zin ruy joz yek kish nist
Dân ke har madhi be-Nur-e Haqq ravad
bar sovar o ashkhâs `âriyat bovad
Madh-hâ joz Mostaheqq-râ kay konand
lik bar pendâsht gomrah mi shavand
Hamcho Nuri tâfteh bar hâyeti
hâyet ân anvâr-râ chon râbeti

-- Mathnawi III: 2124-2127
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, March 22, 2010

[Sunlight] "Again, the season of Spring has come" -- Ghazal 211

~

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

Again, the violet bows to the lily.
Again, the rose is tearing off her gown!

The green ones have come up from the other world,
tipsy like the breeze up to some new foolishness.

Again, near the top of the mountain
the anemone's sweet features appear.

The hyacinth speaks formally to the jasmine,
"Peace be with you." "And peace to you, lad!
Come walk with me in this meadow."

Again, there are sufis everywhere!

The bud is shy, but the wind removes
her veil suddenly, "My friend!"

The Friend is here like the water in the stream,
like a lotus on the water.

The narcissus winks at the wisteria,
"Whenever you say."

And the clove to the willow, "You are the one
I hope for." The willow replies, "Consider
these chambers of mine yours. Welcome!"

The apple, "Orange, why the frown?"
"So that those who mean harm
will not see my beauty."

The ringdove comes asking, "Where,
where is the Friend?"

With one note the nightingale
indicates the rose.

Again, the season of Spring has come
and a spring-source rises under everything,
a moon sliding from the shadows.

Many things must be left unsaid, because it's late,
but whatever conversation we haven't had
tonight, we'll have tomorrow.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 211
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

~

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

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Friday, March 19, 2010

[Sunlight] "Sit down, and weep for yourself"

~

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

Opinions are sometimes wrong,
but what kind of opinion is this
that's blind to the right road?
O eye, you cry for others:
sit down awhile and weep for yourself!
The bough is made green and fresh
by the weeping cloud for the same reason
that the candle is made brighter
by its weeping.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sahv bâshad zann-hâ-râ gâh gâh
in cheh zannast in keh kur âmad ze râh
Dideh â bar digarân nawheh geri
moddati be-neshin va bar khvod mi geri
Ze abr-e geryân shâkh sabz o tar shavad
zânke shama` az geryeh rawshan-tar shavad

-- Mathnawi II: 478-480
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

[Sunlight] The secret hidden in the heart

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 79:

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

This piece of food cannot be eaten,
nor this bit of wisdom found by looking.
There is a secret core in everyone
not even Gabriel can know by trying to know.

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

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

yearn for the bite
you cannot swallow
search for the knowledge
that doesn't exist
there is a secret
hidden in the heart of holy men
seek that
which God's angel can't

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

[Sunlight] "Look now, here is a bargain" -- Ghazal 2577

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2577, in six presentations --
versions by Barks, Star, and Helminski, a second generation
translation, from the Turkish, by Nevit Ergin, and translations
by both Arberry and Nicholson.

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

There is a community of the spirit.
Join it, and feel the delight
of walking in the noisy street
and being the noise.

Drink all your passion
and be a disgrace.

Close both eyes
to see with the other eye.

Open your hands,
if you want to be held.

Sit down in this circle.

Quit acting like a wolf, and feel
the shepherd's love filling you.

At night, your beloved wanders.
Don't accept consolations.

Close your mouth against food.
Taste the lover's mouth in yours.

You moan, "She left me." "He left me."
Twenty more will come.

Be empty of worrying.
Think who created thought!

Why do you stay in prison
when the door is so wide open?

Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.
Live in silence.

Flow down and down in always
widening rings of being.

-- Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi "
Castle Books, 1997

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


"The Shepherd's Care"

Join the community of saints
and know the delight
of your own soul.
Enter the ruins of your heart
and learn the meaning of humility.

Drain the cup of passion
and walk steadfast
on the path of Truth.
Close both eyes
and see the mysteries
with your inner eye.

Open your arms if you want the Beloved's embrace.
Break your bonds with this body
is you want to see
His pure and radiant Face.

Would you marry an old woman
to gain a dowry of a few pennies?
Would you face the threat of swords and spears
for three loaves of bread?

The Saqi is not a tyrant.
So come and sit within her circle.
How long will you stay outside
and watch her dance
the way you watch the circling night sky?

God's creation is vast
Why do you sit all day in a tiny prison?

Look! He's giving you a real bargain
Give up one and get a hundred.
Stop running around like a wolf or a dog
stay and receive the Shepherd's care.

You say, He stole away my sweetheart!
Forget it: twenty more sweethearts will come.

Thoughts of the Beloved will feed your soul.
How can your hunger be satisfied
by thought of bread alone?

Speak little,
Learn the words of eternity.

Go beyond your tangled thoughts
and find the splendor of Paradise.
Go beyond your little world
and find the grandeur of God's world.

-- Version by Jonathan Star
"In the Arms of the Beloved"
Putnam, 1997

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


"Empty the Glass of Your Desire"

Join yourself to friends
and know the joy of the soul.
Enter the neighborhood of ruin
with those who drink to the dregs.

Empty the glass of your desire
so that you won't be disgraced.
Stop looking for something out here
and begin seeing within.

Open your arms if you want an embrace.
Break the earthen idols and release the radiance.
Why get involved with a hag like this world?
You know what it will cost.

And three pitiful meals a day
is all that weapons and violence can earn.
At night when the Beloved comes
will you be nodding on opium?

If you close your mouth to food,
you can know a sweeter taste.
Our Host is no tyrant. We gather in a circle.
Sit down with us beyond the wheel of time.

Here is the deal: give one life
and receive a hundred.
Stop growling like dogs,
and know the shepherd's care.

You keep complaining about others
and all they owe you?
Well, forget about them;
just be in His presence.

When the earth is this wide,
why are you asleep in prison?
Think of nothing but the source of thought.
Feed the soul; let the body fast.

Avoid knotted ideas;
untie yourself in a higher world.
Limit your talk
for the sake of timeless communion.

Abandon life and the world,
and find the life of the world.

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

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

You color yourself with
The color of the community;
Taste the pleasure of Soul.
Come to the neighborhood of the tavern,
And watch the ones who drink heavy wine.

Drink a glass from Love.
Leave shame and modesty; become disgraceful.
Close the eye of your head
So the eye of your soul will be open.

If you want to reach the shore,
Let your arms drop to the side.
Break this idol which is made of soil;
See the faces of beauty,
And enjoy that beauty.

How long will you be worrying
About the price of betrothal for an old woman?
How long will you be a target
For all kinds of swords
just for a few mouthfuls of bread?

Here is the cupbearer who doesn't
Know torment or oppression.
Glasses turn around in his assembly.
Enter among the ones who are sitting.
How long will you be whirling by the universe?

There is a good deal here:
Give one soul, and take a hundred.
Act less like a dog or a wolf,
So you can gain the love of the shepherd.

Night has been your friend all along-
Don't swallow opium tonight.
Quit eating and drinking;
That taste of your mouth will come back to you.

You say the enemy separated so and so from me.
Go, give up this so and so,
And you will get twenty of this and that.

Don't get involved with any thought
Other than the one who created thought.
Is the worry of bread and meals
Better than the Beloved's worry and concerns?

When God's place is so big,
Why do you cage yourself in this jail?
Don't bind this knot
Of thought too closely, because then
You can't see the openness of the heart.
Watch the endless heart.

Quit talking. Abandon soul
And the universe, so you
Can see the Soul and the world.

-- Translation by Nevit Ergin
(From the Turkish translation by Mevlevi scholar
Abdulbaki Golpinarli)
"Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi: Divan-i Kebir,"
Meter 3, #213, pg 366 (1995)

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

Become of one hue with the community, that you may feel
spiritual delight; enter the street of the tavern, that you may
behold the dregs-drinkers*.
Drain the cup of passion, let it be that you become a disgrace;
close up the eyes of your head, that you may see the secret eye.
Open your two hands if you desire an embrace; break the idol
of clay, that you may see the face of the idols**.
How long for the sake of an old woman will you endure such a
dowry?
How long for the sake of three loaves will you face sword and
spear***?
Lo, the saaqi who is no tyrant, in this assembly there is a
circle -- enter and sit in that circle; how long will you gaze on the
circling of fate?
Here is a good bargain -- give a life and receive a hundred;
cease to act the wolf and dog, that you may behold the shepherd's
love.
By night, the Beloved goes about; do not take opium tonight,
close your mouth against food, that you may feel the taste of the
mouth.
You say, "the enemy took so-and-so away from me"; go,
abandon so-and-so, that you may see twenty so-and-so's.
Think of naught but the creator of thought; thought for the
Beloved is better than thinking about bread.
With the breadth of God's earth, why have you clung to prison?
Knot care less, that you may see the expanse of Paradise****.
Silence this speech, that you may gain speech one day; pass
down from the soul and the world, that you may behold the Soul of the
world.

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

Arberry's footnotes:
* Nicholson comments: "Jama-a means the community or
brotherhood of saints and spiritual men".
** "The idol of clay" is the "self" which veils man from God.
*** In Persian literature the world is often likened to an
old woman who survives many bridegrooms.
**** "Was not God's land wide enough that you might
take refuge in it?" Qur'an 4:99. The prison refers to earthly
involvements separating man from God. "Knot care less" --
Nicholson translates this phrase as "Avoid entangled
thoughts" or "Do not bewilder yourself by useless thinking."

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


Make yourself like to the community,* that you may feel
spiritual joy;
Enter the street of the tavern,* that you may behold the
wind-bibbers.*
Drain the cup of passion, that you may not be shamed;
Shut the eyes in your head, that you may see
the hidden eye.*
Open your arms,* if you desire and embrace;
Break the idol of clay,* that you may behold the face of
the Fair.
Why, for an old woman's sake,* do you endure so large
a dowry,*
And how long, for the sake of three loaves,* will you
look on the sword and the spear?
Always at night returns the Beloved: do not eat opium*
to-night;
Close your mouth against food, that you may taste the
sweetness of the mouth.*
Lo, the cup-bearer* is no tyrant, and in his assembly there
is circle:*
Come into the circle, be seated; how long will you regard
the revolution (of time)?
Look now, here is a bargain: give one life and receive
a hundred.
Cease to behave as wolves and dogs, that you may
experience the Shepherd's love.
You said: "my foe took such an one away from me':
Go, renounce that person* in order to contemplate the
being of Him.
Think of nothing except the creator of thought;
Care for the soul is better than feeling care for one's
bread.
Why, when God's earth is so wide,* have you fallen
asleep in a prison?*
Avoid entangled thoughts,* that you may see the
explanation in Paradise.
Refrain from speaking,* that you may win speech
hereafter;
Abandon life and the world, that you may behold the
Life of the world.

-- T.319.6 ("Tabriz Edition of the Divani Shamsi Tabriz)
Edited and translated by Reynold A. Nicholson
"Selected Poems from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz"
Cambridge, At the University Press, 1898, 1952

Nicholson's notes:

* "Make yourself like to the community" the interpretation of
these words is doubtful. (1) the community means the community
Cf. Nafahatu'l Unus, p. 206. 1.5: "Associate with God, or if ye
cannot, with those who are the associates of God, in order that the
blessing of their society may lead you to him.' Jalal'uddin gives
the same advice in the Masnavi (22.4; Redhouse, p. 53, 1.412).
(2) the community is used mystically= divine unity, the All. Cf.
Attar, Mantiqu'ttair, 1315:

Whoever is not of one essence with his Beloved,
His love is no better than colour and perfume.

For the community of Mohammedan Theology= consensus of
opinion in the Church,' see Dozy "Supplement aux Dictionnaires
Arabes." Naturally Jalalu'ddin, in his condemnation of schism,
is not speaking as one of the orthodox.
"the street of the tavern":-- the tavern signifies God. Cf.
"Gulshani Raz," 839 seq.
"wine bibbers" those who drain to the lees the cup of celestial love.
* "the hidden eye": Cf. The oculus cordis described by Hugo of St.
Victor: an eye within . . . one that beholds at once the past, the
present, and the future; which diffuses through all things the
keen brightness of its vision; which penetrates what is hidden,
investigates what is impalpable; which needs no foreign light
wherewith to see, but gazes by a light of its own, peculiar to
itself' (Vaughan, "Hours with the Mystics," Vol. I. p. 305).
* "Open your arms": this may also mean: "be open-handed,
sacrifice all that you have. Cf. Masnavi, 370.13

Tis my business to yield up life unselfishly,
To bestow life is the business of our King of kings.

* "Break the idol of clay" destroy self,' which veils you
from God.
* "for an old woman's sake" meaning for the sake of the world.
* " *do you endure so large a dowry why do you consent to pay
so heavy a price? By Mohammedan law the dowry is paid to the wife
(see Lane's "Arabian Nights," Vol. I. p. 321; "Modern Egyptians,"
Vol. I. p. 212). Cf. Hafez, I. 438. 5:

The world is a fair bride as to outward looks,
But he who weds with her gives his life's joy in exchange.

Cf. Omar Khayyam, Quatrain 59:

To Destiny, my bride, I said: "What is thy dowry?"
"My dowry," she answered, "is thy heart's happiness."

* "three loaves" the petty doles of Fortune, contrasted with
divine beneficence.
* "opium" Virgil's soporiferum papaver.
* "sweetness of the mouth" the fragrant lips of the Beloved.
Food and sleep produce spiritual lethargy.
* "cupbearer" the cupbearer is God, who intoxicates all creation
with the rapture of love (see "Gulshani Raz, 805 seq.).
* "in his assembly there is a circle" like circulus in Latin, denotes
any company for social and convivial intercourse. Here it may refer
to the mystic dance (Sama). Cf. Brown's "Dervishes," p. 225:
"They (the Mevlevees) commence by forming a circle, seated on
sheep-skins spread on the floor at equal distances from each other;
they remain nearly a half-hour in this position, the arms folded, the
eyes closed, the head inclined, and absorbed in profound meditation."
* "renounce that person" that person is here an abstract noun.
The misra should be rendered:

Go, renounce personality, that you may regard the being
of the Person.

When "that person" is used of God, it means "the love of God".
* "Why, when God's earth is so wide" Koran IV. 99: "Was
not God's earth wide enough that ye might take refuge therein?
Notwithstanding, nevertheless.
* " have you fallen asleep in a prison?" why are you fast asleep
in the chains of sense and worldly illusion? Our birth is but
a sleep and a forgetting.'
* "Avoid entangled thoughts" do not bewilder yourself by
useless thinking. . . Translate:

Pass away from thought of the knot (problem), that you
may see the solution in Paradise.

This rendering brings out more clearly the double contrast of
"entangled" with "explanation" and of "thought" (opinion)
with "that you may see" (actual vision).

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

~

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

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

[Sunlight] "Pay attention to the aspiration"

~

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

A bird flies to the nest by means of wings:
the wings of the human being are aspiration.
In the case of the lover who is soiled with good and evil,
don't pay attention to the good and evil, pay attention to the aspiration.
If a falcon is white and beyond compare,
still it becomes despicable when it hunts a mouse;
and if there is an owl that yearns for the king,
it's as noble as the falcon's head:
don't pay attention to the hood.
The human being, no bigger than a wooden kneading trough,
has surpassed in glory the heavens and the empyrean.
Did heaven ever hear the words We have honored*
which this sorrowful human being heard from God?

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

Morgh bâ parr mi parrad tâ âshyân
parr-e mardom hemmatast ay mardomân
`sheqi k-âludeh shod dar khayr o sharr
khayr o sharr ma-negar to dar hemmat negar
Bâz agar bâshad sapid o bi nazir
chonkeh saydesh mush bâshad shod haqir
Var bovad choghdi o mayl-e u beh-shâh
u sar-e bâzast ma-negar dar kolâh
dami bar qadd-e yek tasht-e khamir
bar fozud az âsmân o az asir
Hich Karramnâ* shenid in âsmân
keh shenid in âdami por ghammân

*al-Isrâ', 70

-- Mathnawi VI:134-139
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Friday, March 12, 2010

[Sunlight] "Each pillar a destroyer of the other"

~

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

The four elements are four strong pillars
that support the roof of this present world.
Each pillar is a destroyer of the other:
the pillar known as water destroys the flames of fire.
The edifice of creation is based upon opposites,
and so we are always at war.
My states of mind and body are mutually opposed:
each one is opposite in its effect.
Since I am incessantly struggling with myself,
how should I act in harmony with someone else?
You cannot escape unless God saves you from this war
and brings you into the unicolored world of peace.
That world is forever flourishing,
because it's not composed of opposites.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Châr `onsor châr ostun-e qavist
keh bedishân saqf-e donyâ mostavist
Har sotuni eshkanandeh-ye ân degar
oston-e âb eshkanandeh-ye ân sharar
Pas benâ-ye khalq bar azdâd bud
lâ jaram mâ jangiyim az zarr o sud
Hast ahvâlam khelâf-e hamdegar
har yeki bâ ham mokhâlef dar asar
Chonkeh har dam râh khvod-râ mi zanam
bâ degar kas sâzgâri chon konam
Yâ magar zin jang Haqqet vâ kharad
dar jahân-e solh-e yek ranget barad
Ân jahân joz bâqi o âbâd nist
zânkeh ân tarkib az azdâd nist

-- Mathnawi VI: 48-52; 55-56
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, March 11, 2010

[Sunlight] I am an empty vessel for your light -- Ghazal 1397

~

Here, Sunlight presents Ghazal (Ode) 1397, in a poetic version by
Coleman Barks, a translation by Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi,
and a translation by A.J. Arberry:


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

"Saladin's Begging Bowl"

Of these two thousand "I" and "We" people,
which am I?

Don't try to keep me from asking!
Listen, when I'm this out of control!
But don't put anything breakable in my way!

There is an original inside me.
What's here is a mirror for that, for you.

If you are joyful, I am.
If you grieve, or if you're bitter, or graceful,
I take on those qualities.

Like the shadow of a cypress tree in the meadow,
like the shadow of a rose, I live
close to the rose.

If I separated myself from you,
I would turn entirely thorn.

Every second, I drink another cup of my own blood-wine.
Every instant, I break an empty cup against your door.

I reach out, wanting you to tear me open.

Saladin's generosity lights a candle in my chest.
Who am I then?
His empty begging bowl.

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

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

I wonder
from these thousands of "me's",
which one am I?
Listen to my cry, do not drown my voice
I am completely filled with the thought of you.
Don't lay broken glass on my path
I will crush it into dust.
I am nothing, just a mirror in the palm of your hand,
reflecting your kindness, your sadness, your anger.
If you were a blade of grass or a tiny flower
I would pitch my tent in your shadow.
Only your presence revives my withered heart.
You are the candle that lights the whole world
and I am an empty vessel for your light.

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

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


Of these two thousand I's and we's I wonder, which one am I?
Give ear to my babble, do not lay your hand on my mouth.
Since I have gone out of control, do not put glass on my path,
for if you do I will stamp and break all that I find.
Because every moment my heart is confused with your fantasy,
if you are joyous I am joyful, if you are sorrowing I am sorrowful.
You give bitterness and I become bitter, you give grace and I
become all grace; with you it is pleasant, O my sugar-lipped,
sweet-chinned idol.
You are the original-what person am I? A mirror in your
hand, whatever you show, that I become, I am a well proved
mirror.
You are like the cypress of the meadow, I am like your
shadow; since I have become the shadow of the rose, I have
pitched my tent beside the rose.
If without you I break off a rose, it will become a thorn in my
hand, and if I am all thorn, through you I am all rose and
jasmine.
Every moment I drain a bloody beaker of the blood of my
heart; every instant I break my own pitcher against the saki's
door.
Every second I reach out my hand towards the skirt of an idol,
that he may scratch my cheek, that he may rend my shirt.
The grace of Salah-i Dil u Din shone in the midst of my heart;
he is the heart's candle in the world; who am I? His bowl.

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

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

~


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

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

[Sunlight] Inner Sunrise -- Ghazal 2996

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (ode) 2996, in a version by Jonathan Star, and in translation by William C. Chittick.

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

"Inner Sunrise"

If I were the plaything of every thought
I'd be a fool, not a wise man.
If the Sun of Love was not my own
I'd be mournful like Saturn,
rising and falling in the night sky.

If I were not guided by the fragrance of Love's City
I'd have followed dark spirits
into the endless desert of greed.

If the soul's light had to stay inside its house
I'd open every door and window!

If the garden of the soul
did not comfort those in pain
I could not carry Love's message
on the east wind.

If lovers were not addicted to music and dancing
why would I sing all day and night
like a wailing flute?

If the Saaqi's weight-giving wine
had been kept from my mouth
I'd be like the thin lip of a cup!

If the Garden had no leaves or shade I'd be rootless
like the fortune-trees of deceitful men.

If God's servants were not upon the earth I'd have fallen into
the sin and folly of this world.

If there was no way from the grave to paradise I could not
behold the joyful heavens in this body.

If there was no road from East to West

I would not be dancing through the garden with the North
and South winds!

If the Abundant Garden did not grow my soul would never blossom.
If God's grace were not with me
I'd be a babbling fool!

Go within.

Hear the story of sunrise from the Sun itself.
if there were no sunrise within
I would have set long ago!

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

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

Were I a plaything in the hand of every
heartache, I would not be clever and wise, but a fool.
Did not the sun of Love belong to me, like
Saturn I would sometimes ascend in grief, and sometimes
descend.
Were the fragments of Love's city not my guide,
I would be caught by the ghouls, like those lost in greed's
desert!
If the Sun of the spirits remained sitting in its
house, I would be busy with opening doors and coming and
going.
If the Rosegarden of the spirit did not caress the
afflicted, how could I be a messenger from the Garden of
Faithfulness, like the east wind?
Were Love not a sama-lover and tambourine-
addict, why would I be singing songs like a flute and a harp?
If my Saki did not give me a potion to make me
plump, I would be as thin as the lip of the cup.
Did not the Garden have branches and shade, I
would be without roots, like the trees of fortune of vile men.
Had not God's trust shone upon my earth, I
would be sinful, very foolish, like the earthly temperament.*
Were there no way from grave to paradise,
why am I so joyful and expansive in this grave of the body?
And were there no road from left to right, why
am I the companion of the north and south winds like the
garden?
Were there no Garden of Generosity, how could
I have blossomed? If not for God's Gentleness and Bounty, I
would be a meddlesome bore!
Enough! Listen to the story's sunrise from the
Sun! If there were no such sunrise, I would have set!

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

* Chittick refers readers to an earlier section of the same volume,
a section which discusses the creation of God's viceregent, man.

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

~

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

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Tuesday, March 09, 2010

[Sunlight] "As the Infinite doesn't have limits, how can you apply a mean?"

~

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


You may be tired by ten cycles of prayer;
I may not be worn out by five hundred.
One goes barefoot all the way to the Ka`bah,
and another is totally exhausted
just going as far as the mosque.
One in utter self-devotion gives away his life,
while another agonizes over the gift of a loaf.
This middle way belongs to the realm of the finite,
for that finite has a beginning and an end.
A beginning and end are necessary
to conceive of the middle point.
As the Infinite doesn't have limits,
how can you apply a mean to it?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To be-dah rak`at-e namâz âyi malul
man be-pânsad dar niyâyam dar nohul
Ân yeki tâ Ka`beh hâfi mi ravad
v-ân yeki tâ masjed khvod mi shavad
Ân yeki dar pâk bâzi jân be-dâd
v-ân yeki jân konad tâ yek nân be-dâd
In vasat dar bâ-nehâyat mi ravad
keh mar ân-râ avval o âkher bovad
Avval o âkher be-bâyad tâ dar ân
dar tasavvor ganjad awsat tâ miyân
Bi-nehâyat chon na-dârad do taraf
kay bovad u-râ miyâneh monsaraf

-- Mathnawi II: 3537-3542
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Monday, March 08, 2010

[Sunlight] "Live in the nowhere that you came from"

~

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

TENDING TWO SHOPS

Don't run around this world
looking for a hole to hide in.

There are wild beasts in every cave!
If you live with mice, the cat claws will find you.

The only real rest comes
when you're alone with God.

Live in the nowhere that you came from,
even though you have an address here.

That's why you see things in two ways.
Sometimes you look at a person
and see a cynical snake.

Someone else sees a joyful lover,
and you're both right!

Everyone is half and half,
like the black and white ox.

Joseph looked ugly to his brothers,
and most handsome to his father.

You have eyes that see from that nowhere,
and eyes that judge distances,
how high and how low.

You own two shops,
and you run back and forth.

Try to close the one that's a fearful trap,
getting always smaller. Checkmate,
this way. Checkmate that.

Keep open the shop
where you're not selling fishhooks anymore.
You are the free-swimming fish.

-- Mathnawi II: 590-93, 602-13
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

~

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

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Friday, March 05, 2010

[Sunlight] When fruit becomes ripe

~

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

The world is like a tree,
and we are the half-ripe fruit upon it.
Unripe fruit clings tight to the branch
because, immature, it's not ready for the palace.
When fruits become ripe, sweet and juicy,
then biting their lips, they loosen their hold.
When the mouth has been sweetened by felicity,
the kingdom of the world loses its appeal.
To be tightly attached to the world signifies immaturity;
as long as you're an embryo,
blood-drinking is your business.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In jahân hamchon derakhtast ay kerâm
mâ beru chon mivehâ-ye nim khâm
Sakht girad khâm-hâ mar shâkh-râ
zânke dar khâmi na-shâyad kâkh-râ
Chon be-pokht va gasht shirin-e lab gazân
sost girad shâkh-hâ-râ ba`d az ân
Chon az ân eqbâl shirin shod dahân
sard shod bar âdami molk-e jahân
Sakht-giri va ta`assob khâmist
tâ janini kâr khun-âshâmist

-- Mathnawi III:1293-1297
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, March 04, 2010

[Sunlight] Two Days of Silence -- Ghazal 858

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"Two Days of Silence"

This wonderful moment, the taste of
nothing, in the company of the poor

and the empty. Sit with Bistami, not
some fortune teller. There are more

than two holidays a year! We celebrate
a birthday and solstice every second.

Newborns, we need fresh bread! Life
grows from the dead, as the living get

led into death. Dry branches to the
fire: green limbs bend to the ground with

fruit; pleasure fills a mother's breast:
put your mouth there and suck. You

must. I've made many elegant speeches
to the assembly. Now it's time to

walk outside and be quiet. Shams draws
me to words, then two days of silence.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 858
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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Wednesday, March 03, 2010

[Sunlight] This is my wish -- Ghazal 0457

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THIS IS MY WISH

O harp,
the strains of a longing heart is my wish.
O flute,
your burning cry is my wish.

Play the great song of Arabia;
I am the Great Bird,
and the song of Solomon is my wish.

Play the song of Iraq,
and let its soothing melody
calm the hearts of its people –
this is my wish.

Play on! Play on! –
High notes, low notes, every note.

I have fallen into a dream
with your peaceful melody.
Now awaken me with a loud gong –
this is my wish.

I hear your song –
the voice of God,
a symphony of love playing to the world.
That music is my witness –
I am a pious man,
pure faith is my wish.

O love, vanquish the intellect;
O love, that bewildering moment
is my wish.

O sweet wind,
passing over love's grass,
blow in my direction,
for the fragrance of love is my wish.

In the Face of my master, all beauty is revealed.

One sight –
One sight –

that is my wish.

-- Ode 0457
Version by Jonathan Star
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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Tuesday, March 02, 2010

[Sunlight] Wherever tears fall, Divine mercy is shown

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Sometimes, in order to help, He makes us miserable;
but heartache for His sake brings happiness.

Laughter will come after tears.

Whoever foresees this is a servant blessed by God.
Wherever water flows, life flourishes:
wherever tears fall, Divine mercy is shown.

-- Mathnawi I, 817-20
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994

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Monday, March 01, 2010

[Sunlight] The Center of Fire -- Ghazal 1304

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THE CENTER OF FIRE

No more wine for me!
I'm past delighting in the thick red
and the clear white.

I'm thirsty for my own blood
as it moves into a field of action.

Draw the keenest blade you have
and strike, until the head circles
about the body.

Make a mountain of skulls like that.
Split me apart.

Don't stop at the mouth!
Don't listen to anything I say.
I must enter the center of the fire.

Fire is my child
but I must be consumed
and become fire.

Why is there crackling and smoke?
Because the firewood and the flames
are still talking:

"You are too dense. Go away!"
"You are too wavering. I have solid form."

In the blackness those two friends keep arguing.
Like a wanderer with no face.
Like the most powerful bird in existence
sitting on its perch, refusing to move.

What can I say to someone so curled up with wanting,
so constricted in his love?

Break your pitcher against a rock.
We don't need any longer
to haul pieces of the ocean around.

We must drown, away from heroism,
and descriptions of heroism.

Like a pure spirit lying down, pulling
its body over it, like a bride her husband
for a cover to keep her warm.

-- Ghazal 1304
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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~

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