Thursday, September 30, 2010

[Sunlight] The Song of the Reed - In celebration of Rumi's birthday

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Mawlana Jalal-ad-Din Muhammad Rumi was born on September 30, 1207

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In memory of the birth of Maulaana Jalalludin Balkhi, known as
Rumi, Sunlight offers the first verses from his Mathnawi, the story
of The Song of the Reed, in an interpretive version by Jonathan Star,
in translation by Dr. Franklin Lewis, and in translation by Dr.
Ibrahim Gamard, accompanied by a Persian transliteration.

Sunlight note: Dr. Gamard's unpublished translations of verses
from the Mathnawi received this review from Professor Lewis,
in "Rumi, Past and Present, East and West" (Oneworld, 2000): "Gamard
learned Persian out of devotion to Rumi and, judging from the samples
that have appeared on the Sunlight email list, the Gamard-Farhadi
translation ... preserves more of the poetic quality of the work than
Nicholson's parenthetic prose. (Further translations) will be warmly
welcomed."

Sunlight thanks Dr. Gamard for his generous contributions.


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

The Song of the Reed

Listen to the song of the reed,
How it wails with the pain of separation:

"Ever since I was taken from my reed bed
My woeful song has caused men and women to weep.
I seek out those whose hearts are torn by separation
For only they understand the pain of this longing.
Whoever is taken away from his homeland
Yearns for the day he will return.
In every gathering, among those who are happy or sad,
I cry with the same lament.
Everyone hears according to his own understanding,
None has searched for the secrets within me.
My secret is found in my lament
But an eye or ear without light cannot know it . . ."

The sound of the reed comes from fire, not wind
What use is one's life without this fire?
It is the fire of love that brings music to the reed.
It is the ferment of love that gives taste to the wine.
The song of the reed soothes the pain of lost love.
Its melody sweeps the veils from the heart.
Can there be a poison so bitter or a sugar so sweet
As the song of the reed?
To hear the song of the reed
everything you have ever known must be left behind.

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

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

Listen
as this reed
pipes its plaint
unfolds its tale
of separations:
Cut from my reedy bed
my crying
ever since
makes men and women
weep
I like to keep my breast
carved with loss
to convey
the pain of longing ---
Once severed
from the root
thirst for union
with the source
endures

I raise my plaint
in any kind of crowd
in front of both
the blessed and the bad
For what they think they hear me say, they love me --
None gaze in me my secrets to discern
My secret is not separate from my cry
But ears and eyes lack light to see it.

Not soul from flesh
nor flesh from soul are veiled
yet none is granted leave to see the soul.
Fire, not breath, makes music through that pipe --
Let all who lack that fire be blown away.
It is love's fire that inspires the reed
It's love's ferment that bubbles in the wine
The reed, soother to all sundered lovers --
its piercing modes reveal our hidden pain:
(What's like the reed, both poison and physic,
Soothing as it pines and yearns away?)
The reed tells the tale of a blood-stained quest
singing legends of love's mad obsessions

Only the swooning know such awareness
only the ear can comprehend the tongue

In our sadness time slides listlessly by
the days searing inside us as they pass.

But so what if the days may slip away?
so long as you, Uniquely Pure, abide.

Within this sea drown all who drink but fish
If lived by bread alone, the day seems long
No raw soul ever kens the cooked one's state
So let talk of it be brief; go in piece.

Break off your chains
My son, be free!
How long enslaved
by silver, gold?
Pour the ocean
in a pitcher,
can it hold more
than one day's store?
The jug, like a greedy eye,
never gets its fill
only the contented oyster holds the pearl

The one run ragged by love and haggard
gets purged of all his faults and greeds
Welcome, Love!
sweet salutary suffering
and healer of our maladies!

cure of our pride
of our conceits,
our Plato,
Our Galen!
By Love
our earthly flesh
borne to heaven
our mountains
made supple
moved to dance

Love moved Mount Sinai, my love,
and it made Moses swoon. [K7:143]

Let me touch those harmonious lips
and I, reed-like, will tell what may be told

A man may know a myriad of songs
but cut from those who know his tongue, he's dumb.
Once the rose wilts and the garden fades
the nightingale will no more sing his tune.

The Beloved is everything -- the lover, a veil
The Beloved's alive -- the lover carrion.
Unsuccored by love, the poor lover is
a plucked bird
Without the Beloved's
surrounding illumination
how perceive what's ahead
and what's gone by?

Love commands these words appear
if no mirror reflects them
in whom lies the fault?
The dross obscures your face
and makes your mirror
unable to reflect

-- Mathnawi I: 1 - 34
Translation by Professor Franklin D. Lewis
"Rumi -- Past and Present, East and West"
Oneworld, Oxford, 2000

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

The Song of the Reed
Mathnawi I: 1-18

Listen* to the reed (flute),* how it is complaining!* It is
telling about separations,*
(Saying), "Ever since I was severed from the reed field,* men and
women have lamented in (the presence of) my shrill cries.*
"(But) I want a heart (which is) torn, torn from separation, so
that I may explain* the pain of yearning."*
"Anyone one who has remained far from his roots,* seeks a return
(to the) time of his union.*
"I lamented in every gathering; I associated with those in bad or
happy circumstances.
"(But) everyone became my friend from his (own) opinion; he did
not seek my secrets* from within me.
"My secret is not far from my lament, but eyes and ears do not
have the light* (to sense it).
"The body is not hidden from the soul, nor the soul from the body;
but seeing the soul is not permitted."*
The reed's cry is fire* -- it's not wind! Whoever doesn't have
this fire, may he be nothing!*
It is the fire of Love that fell into the reeds. (And) it is the
ferment of Love that fell into the wine.*
The reed (is) the companion of anyone who was severed from a
friend; its melodies tore our veils.*
Who has seen a poison and a remedy like the reed? Who has seen
a harmonious companion and a yearning friend like the reed?
The reed is telling the story of the path full of blood;* it is
telling stories of Majnoon's (crazed) love.*
There is no confidant (of) this understanding* except the senseless!
* There is no purchaser of that tongue* except the ear [of the
mystic.]
In our longing,* the days became (like) evenings;* the days
became fellow-travellers with burning fevers.
If the days have passed, tell (them to) go, (and) don't worry.
(But) You remain!* -- O You, whom no one resembles in Purity!
Everyone becomes satiated by water,* except the fish. (And)
everyone who is without daily food [finds that] his days become
long.*
None (who is) "raw" can understand the state of the "ripe."*
Therefore, (this) speech must be shortened. So farewell!*

-- From "The Mathnawî-yé Ma`nawî" [Rhymed
Couplets of Deep Spiritual Meaning] of
Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard
(with grateful acknowledgement of R.A. Nicholson's
1926 translation)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, and
transliteration)

*Listen: states of spiritual ecstasy were induced in sufi gatherings
by listening to mystical poetry and music. During such a "mystical
concert" [samâ`-- literally, "audition" or "hearing" session] some
dervishes would enter a spiritual state of consciousness and
spontaneously begin to move. Sometimes they would stand up and
dance or whirl. They would listen to the poetry or music as if they
were hearing the voice of God, the Beloved. Such gatherings were
controversial, were criticized by orthodox Muslim leaders, and were
practiced by very few sufi orders-- usually with restrictions and high
standards for participants.

*the reed [nay]: a flute made by cutting a length of a naturally
hollow reed cane and adding finger holes. "The nay or reed-flute as
the poet's favourite musical instrument and has always been associated
with the religious services of the Mawlawí ["Whirling Dervish"]
Order, in which music and dancing are prominent features."
(Nicholson, Commentary). The reed flute symbolizes the soul which
is emptied of ego-centered desires and preoccupations and is filled
with a spiritual passion to return to its original nearness to God.
Rumi said, "The world (is) like a reed pipe [sornây], and He blows
into every hole of it; every wail it has (is) certainly from those two
lips like sugar. See how He blows into every (piece of) clay (and)
into every heart; He gives a need and He gives a love which raises up
a lament about misfortune." (Ghazal 532, lines 5664-5665) Rumi
also said, "We have all been part of Adam (and ) we have heard those
melodies in Paradise. Although (bodily) water and clay have cast
skepticism upon us, something of those (melodies) comes (back) to
our memory.... Therefore, the mystical concert has become the food
of the lovers (of God) for in it is the image of (heavenly) reunion."
(Mathnawî IV: 736-737, 742)

*separations: "The point is that while self-conscious lovers complain
of separation from the beloved one, and reproach her for her cruelty,
the mystic's complaint (shikáyat) is really no more than the tale
(hikákat) of his infinite longing for God-- a tale which God
inspires him to tell." (Nicholson, Commentary). Rumi said: "I'm
complaining [shikâyat mê-kon-am] about the Soul of the soul;
but I am not a complainer [shâkê] -- I'm relating words
[rawâyat mê-kon-am]. (My) heart keeps saying, 'I'm afflicted by
Him!' And I have been laughing at (its) feeble pretense." (Mathnawî I:
1781-82). "Be empty of stomach and cry out, in neediness (neyâz),
like the reed flute! Be empty of stomach and tell secrets like the
reed pen!" (Divan: Ghazal 1739, line 18239). "Lovers (are) lamenting
like the reed flute [nây], and Love is like the Flutist. So, what
things will this Love breathe into the reed pipe [sôr-nây] of
the body?! The reed pipe is visible, but the pipe-player is hidden.
In short, my reed pipe became drunk from the wine of His lips.
Sometimes He caresses the reed pipe, sometimes he bites it. (Such) a
sigh, because of this sweet-songed reed-breaking Flutist!" (Divan:
Ghazal 1936, lines 20374-20376)
Nicholson later changed his translation, based on the earliest
manuscripts of the Mathnawi, to "Listen to this reed how it
complains: it is telling a tale of separations" (from, "Listen to the
reed how it tells a tale, complaining of separations." This is what
the earliest known manuscript has. (This is the "Konya Manuscript,"
completed five years after Rumi died, and written by Muhammad ibn
Abdullâh Qûnyawî, a disciple of Rumi's son, Sultân Walad,
under his supervision together with Husâmuddîn Chelabî --
who was present with Rumi during the dictation of every verse of the
Mathnawi.) All manuscripts and editions after the 13th century
adopted a changed (and "improved") version of this line: "Listen
from the nay, how it tells a story... [be-sh'naw az nay chûn
Hikâyat mê-kon-ad / az jodâ'îy-hâ shikâyat
mê-kon-ad].

*the reed field [nay-estân]: lit., "place of reeds." A symbol for
the original homeland of the soul, when it existed harmoniously in the
presence of God. "... referring to the descent of the soul from the
sphere of Pure Being and Absolute Unity, to which it belongs and
would fain return." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*in (the presence of) my shrill cries: Nicholson later changed his
translation, based on the earliest manuscript, to: "man and woman
have moaned in (unison) with my lament" [dar nafîr-am] (from, "my
lament hath caused [az nafîr-am] man and woman to moan").

*explain: a pun on the two meanings of the same word [sharH],
"explanation" and "torn."

*the pain of yearning: The longing of love is painful, because of
separation-- yet also sweet. This is because the longing brings
remembrance of the beloved's beauty. Longing for nearness to a
human beloved, such as a spiritual master, is a means for the
spiritual disciple to increase his longing for nearness to God, the
only Beloved. Rumi said: "If thought of (longing) sorrow is
highway-robbing (your) joy, (yet) it is working out a means to
provide joy.... It is scattering the yellow leaves from the branch of
the heart so that continual green leaves may grow.... Whatever
(longing) sorrow sheds or takes from the heart, truly it will bring
better in exchange." (Mathnawi V:3678, 3680, 3683)

*roots: also means foundation, source, origin.

*union: also means being joined.

*my secrets: "The Perfect Man (prophet or saint) is a stranger in the
world, unable to communicate his sorrows or share his mystic
knowledge except with one of his own kind; he converses with all
sorts of people, worldly and spiritual alike, but cannot win from
them the heartfelt sympathy and real understanding which he craves.
This is the obvious sense of the passage, and adequate so far as it
goes, but behind it lies a far-reaching doctrine concerning the
spiritual "Descent of Man.' .... The whole series of planes forms the
so-called 'Circle of Existence', which begins in God and ends in
God and is traversed by the soul in its downward journey through
the Intelligences, the Spheres, and the Elements and then upward
again, stage by stage-- mineral, vegetable, animal, and man-- till as
Perfect man it completes its evolution and is re-united with the
Divine Soul..." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*the light: refers to the ancient Greek theory of Galen, that vision
is caused by an "inner light" within the eye. Similarly, the faculty
of hearing was believed to be caused by an "inner air" within the ear.

*not permitted: "As the vital spirit, though united with the body, is
invisible, so the inmost ground of words issuing from an inspired
saint cannot be perceived by the physical senses." (Nicholson,
Commentary) The reed flute's speech ends here, and Rumi's
commentary begins next.

*The reed's cry is fire: Nicholson, in his Commentary, quotes
Rumi's verse (Divan, Ghazal 2994, line 31831): "The flute is all afire
and the world is wrapped in smoke; / For fiery is the call of Love
that issues from the flute."

*may he be nothing [nêst bâd]: a pun on another meaning of these
words -- "it's not wind." It means, "May he experience absence of
self so that he may burn with yearning love for the presence of the
Beloved." Nicholson interpreted that this means, "The Mathnawí is
not mere words; its inspiration comes from God, whose essence is
Love. May those yet untouched by the Divine flame be naughted, i.e.
die to self!" He said that the words here [nêst bâd] "should
not be taken as an imprecation [== a cursing]; the poet, I think,
prays that by Divine grace his hearers may be enraptured and lose
themselves in God." (Commentary)

*into the wine: "i.e. Love kindles rapture in the heart and makes it
like a cup of foaming wine." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*tore our veils [parda-hâ]: a pun on the two meanings of this word,
"veils" and "melodies." The meaning of this line is that the sounds of
pure yearning from the reed flute tore through the veils covering up
the inward spiritual yearning of listening mystics -- the sufis, who
have had the capacity to understand the meaning of the reed flute's
melodious wails. This is a reference to the "mystical concert"
[samâ`] of the Mevlevi ("Whirling") dervishes in which the reed
flute is prominent.

*the path full of blood: "the thorny path of Love, strewn with
(Díwán, SP, XLIV, 6) 'with thousands slain of desire who
manfully yielded up their lives'; for Love 'consumes everything else
but the Beloved' (Math. V 588)." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*Majnoon's crazed love: "Majnún: the mad lover of Laylà: in
Súfí literature, a type of mystical self-abandonment."
(Nicholson, Commentary). Majnoon (lit., "jinn-possessed") was a
legendary Arab lover whose love for the beautiful Laylà [lit., "of
the night"] made him crazy. Majnoon's love for Layla also symbolizes the
perception of spiritual realities seen only by mystics, as in Rumi's
lines: "The Caliph said to Layla, Are you the one by whom Majnoon
became disturbed and led astray? You are not more (beautiful) than
other fair ones. She said, Be silent, since you are not Majnoon!"
(Mathnawi I: 407-08; see also V:1999-2019, 3286-99) This
"craziness" of being an ecstatic mystic lover of God is quite
different from the craziness of being psychotic or mentally ill.
*this understanding: "the spiritual or universal reason (`aql-i
ma`ád) and transcendental consciousness of those who have escaped
from the bondage of the carnal or discursive reason (`aql-i
ma`ásh)." (Nicholson, Commentary)

*the senseless [bê-hôsh]: a play on "understanding" (hôsh),
and also means devoid of understanding lacking reason, swooned and
insensible. The meaning is that no one can understand mystical
understanding except one who is able to transcend the intellect.
*that tongue: an idiom for language. The meaning is that only a
mystic who is capable of passing beyond the senses and ordinary
mind has an "ear" which can understand the "tongue" or language of
the heart. Nicholson explained: "i.e. every one desires to hear what
is suitable to his understanding; hence the mysteries of Divine Love
cannot be communicated to the vulgar" [== ordinary people].
(Commentary)

*longing [gham]: lit., "grief." An idiom here, meaning the suffering
of longing love.

*evenings [bê-gâh]: An idiom meaning "evening." Means that the
days became quickly used-up. Nicholson (1926) erred in translating
this idiom too literally as "untimely." (I am indebted to Dr. Ravan
Farhadi, an Afghan scholar, for this understanding of the idiom.)

*but You remain: 26. God is addressed directly as "Thou," or
perhaps indirectly as "Love." "The meaning is: 'What matter though
our lives pass away in the tribulation of love, so long as the Beloved
remains?'" (Nicholson, Commentary)

*water (âbash): Nicholson later corrected his translation to,
"except the fish, every one becomes sated with water" (from, "Whoever
is not a fish becomes sated with His water"). As Nicholson pointed
out, the word for "water" here [âbash] is a noun (as in III: 1960--
Commentary). It therefore does not mean "his water" or "water for
him" [âb-ash]. Nicholson also explained: "The infinite Divine grace
is to the gnostic [== mystic knower] what water is to the fish, but his
thirst can never be quenched." (Commentary)

*become long: Nicholson mentions this as "alluding to the proverb,
harkih bí-sír-ast rúz-ash dír-ast" [The day are long for
whoever is without satisfaction] (Commentary)

*the state of the ripe [pokhta]: refers to the spiritual state of the
spiritually mature, experienced, refined. This contrasts to the state
of the raw [khâm]-- the unripe, immature, inexperienced, uncooked,
the one who bears no fruit. Rumi has been quoted as saying, "The
result of my life is no more than three words: I was raw [khâm], I
became cooked [pokhta], I was burnt [sokht]." However, this is not
supported by the earliest manuscripts (collected by Faruzanfar), only
one of which contains the following: "The result for me is no more
than these three words: I am burnt, I am burnt, I am burnt (or: I am
inflamed, burned, and consumed-- Divan, Ghazal 1768, line 18521).
In Rumi's famous story of the man who knocked on the door of a
friend, the visitor was asked who he was and he answered, "Me."
He was told to go, for he was too "raw" [khâm]. The man was then
"cooked" by the fire of separation and returned a year later. Asked
who he was, he answered, "Only you are at the door, O beloved."
His spiritual friend then said, "Now, since you are me, O me, come
in. There isn't any room for two me's in the house!" (Mathnawi I:
3056-63)

*farewell: Here, Rumi's famous first eighteen verses end. Rumi's
close disciple, Husamuddin Chelebi had asked him one night: "'The
collections of odes [ghazalîyât] have become plentiful....
(But) if there could be a book with the quality of (the sufi poet
Sana'i's) 'Book of the Divine,' yet in the (mathnawi) meter of (the
sufi poet Attar's) 'Speech of the Birds,' so that it might be
memorized among the knowers and be the intimate companion of the
souls of the lovers ... so that they would occupy themselves with
nothing else...' At that moment, from the top of his blessed turban,
he [Rumi] put into Chelebi Husamuddin's hand a portion (of verses),
which was the Explainer of the secrets of Universals and particulars.
And in there were the eighteen verses of the beginning of the
Mathnawi: 'Listen to this reed, how it tells a tale...." (Aflaki, pp.
739-741) After that, Husamuddin was present with Rumi for every verse
he composed of the Mathnawi during the next twelve years until Rumi's
death. The number eighteen has been considered sacred in the Mevlevi
tradition ever since.

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

be-sh'naw în nay chûn shikâyat mê-kon-ad
az jodâ'îy-hâ hikâyat mê-kon-ad

k-az nayestân tâ ma-râ bo-b'rîda-and
dar nafîr-am mard-o zan nâlîda-and

sîna khwâh-am sharHa sharHa az firâq
tâ be-gôy-am sharH-é dard-é ishtiyâq

har kasê k-ô dûr mând az aSl-ê khwêsh
bâz jôy-ad rôzgâr-é waSl-é khwêsh

man ba-har jam`îyatê nâlân shod-am
joft-é bad-Hâl-ân-o khwash-Hâl-ân shod-am

har kasê az Zann-é khwad shod yâr-é man
az darûn-é man na-joft asrâr-é man

sirr-é man az nâla-yé man dûr nêst
lêk chashm-o gôsh-râ ân nûr nêst

tan ze-jân-o jân ze-tan mastûr nêst
lêk kas-râ dîd-é jân dastûr nêst

âtesh-ast în bâng-é nây-o nêst bâd
har-ke în âtesh na-dâr-ad nêst bâd

âtesh-é `ishq-ast k-andar nây fotâd
jôshesh-é `ishq-ast k-andar may fotâd

nay Harîf-é har-ke az yârê bor-îd
parda-hâ-ash parda-hâ-yé mâ darîd

ham-chô nay zahrê wo tiryâqê ke dîd?
ham-cho nay dam-sâz-o mushtâqê ke dîd?

nay HadîS-é râh-é por khûn mê-kon-ad
qiSSa-hâ-yé `ishq-é majnûn mê-kon-ad

maHram-é în hôsh joz bê-hôsh nêst
mar zabân-râ mushtarê joz gôsh nêst

dar gham-é mâ rôz-hâ bê-gâh shod
rôz-hâ bâ sôz-hâ ham-râh shod

rôz-hâ gar raft gô raw bâk nêst
tô be-mân ay ân-ke chûn tô pâk nêst

har-ke joz mâhê ze-âbash sêr shod
har-ke bê-rôzî-st rôz-ash dêr shod

dar na-yâb-ad Hâl-é pokhta hêch khâm
pas sokhon kôtâh bây-ad wa s-salâm

(meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)

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

~

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

[Sunlight] Created in God's light, immersed in His glow -- Ghazal 2587

~

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

where have you gone
the settler of my soul
did you fly away
or hide in your home

as soon as you saw
the loyalty of my heart
you turned around and
flew like a bird

your vision captured
the wandering of our spirits
then away from the crowd
you journeyed in solitude

you went away so quick
as though you were
a morning breath
carrying a flower's aroma

but you really didn't fly away
as a bird or a breeze
you were created from God's light
you went immersed in His glow

-- Ode (Ghazal) 2587
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~

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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

[Sunlight] "The door of repentance is never closed"

~

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

By the mercy of God Paradise has eight doors—
one of those is the door of repentance, child.
All the others are sometimes open, sometimes shut,
but the door of repentance is never closed.
Come seize the opportunity: the door is open;
carry your baggage there at once.

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

Hast Jannat-râ ze rahmat hasht dar
yek dar tawbeh-st zân hasht ay pesar
n hameh gah bâz bâshad gah farâz
vân dar-e tawbeh na-bâshad joz keh bâz
Hin ghanimat dâr dar bâzast zud
rakht ânjâ kesh be-kuri hasud

-- Mathnawi IV: 2506-2508
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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


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

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Monday, September 27, 2010

[Sunlight] In the sea there is no partnership

~


Sunlight presents Mathnawi VI, verses 2028-2041, in a
poetic version by Coleman Barks, and in literal translation by
R.A. Nicholson:

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

Dive into the Ocean. You're caught in your own
pretentious beard like something you didn't eat.
You're not garbage! Pearls want to be like you.
You should be with them where waves and fish
and pearls and seaweed and wind are all one.
No linking, no hierarchy, no distinctions,
no perplexed wondering, no speech.
Beyond describing.

Either stay here and talk
or go there and be silent.
Or do both by turns.
With those who see double, talk double talk.
Make noise, beat a drum, think of metaphors!
With Friends, say only mystery.
Near roses, sing.

With deceptive people, cover the jar and shield it.
But be calm with those in duality.
Speak sweetly and reasonably
Patience polishes and purifies.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
from "Sheikh Kharranqani and His Wretched Wife"
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

Go to the Sea of whose fish thou art born: how has thou
fallen, like rubbish, into the beard?
Thou art not rubbish – far be it from thee! Thou art an
object of envy to the pearl: thou hast the best right (to dwell)
amidst the waves and the sea.
`Tis the Sea of Unity: there is no fellow or consort: its pearls
and fishes are not other than its waves.
Oh, absurd, absurd to make (aught) its partner. Far be it from
that Sea and its pure waves!
In the Sea there is no partnership or perplexity; but what can
I say to him that sees double? Nothing, nothing.
Since we are the mates of those who see double, O idolater,
`tis necessary to speak in the fashion of him who attributes a
partner (to God).
That Unity is beyond description and condition: nothing
comes into the arena (domain) of speech except duality.
Either, like the double-seeing man, drink in (absorb and be
satisfied with) this duality, or close your mouth and be very
silent;
Or (do both) in turns, now silence, now speech; (in the com-
pany of the uninitiated) beat the drum like him that sees double,
and peace (be with you)!
When you see a confidant, declare the mystery of the Spirit:
(if) you see the rose, sing loud like nightingales.
(But) when you see (one who resembles) a water-skin full of
deceit and falsehood, shut your lips and make yourself like a
(dry-lipped) jar;
(For) he is an enemy to the water (of spiritual life): in his
presence do not move (your lips), else the stone of his ignorance
breaks the jar.
Patiently endure the punishments inflicted by the ignorant
man; give him fair words and dissemble (towards him) with the
reason that is divinely inspired.
Patience (shown) to the unworthy is the means of polishing
(purifying) the worthy: wherever a heart exists, patience purifies it.

-- Translation 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, September 24, 2010

[Sunlight] One Whisper of the Beloved

~

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

One Whisper of the Beloved

Lovers share a sacred decree –
to seek the Beloved.
They roll head over heels,
rushing toward the Beautiful One
like a torrent of water.

In truth, everyone is a shadow of the Beloved –
Our seeking is His seeking,
Our words are His words.

At times we flow toward the Beloved
like a dancing stream.
At times we are still water
held in His pitcher.
At times we boil in a pot
turning to vapor –
that is the job of the Beloved.

He breathes into my ear
until my soul
takes on His fragrance.
He is the soul of my soul –
How can I escape?
But why would any soul in this world
want to escape from the Beloved?

He will melt your pride
making you thin as a strand of hair,
Yet do not trade, even for both worlds,
One strand of His hair.

We search for Him here and there
while looking right at Him.
Sitting by His side we ask,
"O Beloved, where is the Beloved?"

Enough with such questions! –
Let silence take you to the core of life.

All your talk is worthless
When compared to one whisper
of the Beloved.

-- Ode 442
Version by Jonathan Star
A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~

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

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Thursday, September 23, 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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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

[Sunlight] "Because of your love" -- Ghazal 2614

~

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

i'm not going to leave
this house and set out
on a journey any more
i've everything right here

in every corner
a garden of memories
devoid of darkness
devoid of fear

the news of my journey
spreading in this town
is but a rumor of envy
sent around by the enemy

how can i think
of going very far
how can i walk headless
how can i go with no soul

how can i ever find
anywhere in this world
a more beautiful face
a more desired beloved

even the moon
is seeking for this love
to see its reflection
to find its adornment

if i ever talk about
going to travel
or leaving this town
break my teeth with no qualms

i've lost my feet
going to the sea of love
but like a boat
i need no feet to crawl

and even if you
throw me out of your door
i'll come back
through the roof hole

because of your love
i'll be dancing and floating
in this air as a speck of dust
to finally settle into your house

-- Ode (Ghazal) 2614
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~

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

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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

[Sunlight] Because of your love

~

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

God said, "Truly there has never been a people
lacking a friend of God,"
someone with the power of the spirit;
and it is he who makes soul-birds sing
unanimously, sincerely,
free of all ill-will.
They become as kind as a mother:
Muhammad said of the Muslims,
"They are like one soul."
Through the Messenger of God they become one;
otherwise they were all enemies absolutely.

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

Goft khvod khâli na-budast ommati
az khalifeh-ye Haqq o sâheb-e hemmati
Morgh-e jân-hâ-râ chonân yekdel konad
kaz safâshân bi ghashsh va bi ghell konad
Moshfeqân gardand hamchon vâledeh
Moslemun-râ goft "Nafsun wâhidah"
Nafs-e vâhed az Rasul-e Haqq shodand
var nah haryek doshmani-ye motlaq bodand

-- Mathnawi II: 3709-3712
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, September 20, 2010

[Sunlight] The Night of Union – Ghazal 1092

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ode 1092, in a poetic version by Coleman
Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry. Sunlight gratefully thanks Dr. Ibrahim Gamard for the comprehensive footnoting which follows the Arberry translation.

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

This is the Night of Union,
when the stars scatter their rice
over us. The sky is excited!

Venus cannot stop singing the little songs
she's making up, like a bird
in the first warm Spring weather.

The North star can't quit looking over
at Leo. Pisces is stirring milky dust
from the Ocean floor. Jupiter
rides his horse over to Saturn, "Old Man,
jump up behind me! The juice is coming back!
Think of something happy to shout as we go."

Mars washes his bloody sword, and puts it up,
and begins building things. The Aquarian water jar
fills, and the Virgin pours it generously

The Pleiades and Libra and Aries
have no trembling in them anymore.

Scorpio walks out looking for a lover,
and so does Sagittarius!

This is not crooked walking, like the Crab.
This is the Holiday we've been waiting for.

It's finally time
to sacrifice Taurus
and learn how the sky
is a lens to look through.

Listen to What's Inside
anything I say.

Shams will appear at dawn,
and then even this night will change
from its Beloved Darkness
to a Day beyond any ordinary,
sweet daylight.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
from a translation by A.J. Arberry
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990

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

Tonight is a night of union for the stars and of scattering*,
scattering, since a bride is coming from the skies, consisting of a
full moon.
Venus* cannot contain herself for charming melodies, like the
nightingale which becomes intoxicated with the rose in spring-
time.
See how the polestar* is ogling Leo; behold what dust Pisces* is
stirring up from the deep!
Jupiter has galloped his steed against ancient Saturn*, saying
"Take back your youth and go, bring good tidings!"
Mars'* hand, which was full of blood from the handle of his
sword, has become as life-giving as the sun, the exalted in works.
Since Aquarius* has come full of that water of life, the dry
cluster of Virgo* is raining pearls from him.
The Pleiades (nut)* full of goodness fears not Libra* and being
broken; how should Aries* flee away in fright from its mother?*
When from the moon the arrow of a glance struck the heart
of Sagittarius*, he took to night-faring in passion for her, like
Scorpio*.
On such a festival, go, sacrifice Taurus*, else you are crooked of
gait in the mud like Cancer*.
This sky is the astrolabe*, and the reality is Love; whatever we
say of this, attend to the meaning.
Shamsi-Tabriz, on that dawn when you shine, the dark night
is transformed to bright day by your moonlike face.

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

Footnotes provided by Ibrahim Gamard:

*scattering: refers to the custom of generously throwing coins to the people during a wedding.
*Venus: long associated astrologically with music and amorous love.
*Polestar [juday]: also means Capricorn (if read as jadî).
*Pices: literally, "the Fish."
*ancient Saturn: the father of Jupiter in ancient astrological
mythology.
*Mars: long associated with warfare.
*Aquarius: lit., "urn," and refers to the association with water being poured from a pitcher.
*Virgo: lit., "ear of corn.," contrasted with the "water sign" of
Aquarius.
*Pleiades: lit., "nut full with a kernel" [jawz por-é maghz], which
refers to the middle, or kernel, of the Pleiades" [jawz-é Surayâ].
Arberry supplies a single note for this ode here, saying: "Here, as
elsewhere, Rumi plays on words' double meanings."
*Libra: lit., "the scales," which means that the "kernel of the
Pleiades" is not afraid of being weighed and divided.
*Aries: lit., "lamb," and refers to the symbol of the ram.
*Sagittarius: lit., "arc," or "bow," and a reference to the image of
the "Archer."
*Scorpio: lit., "scorpion," and a reference here to the mating
behavior of scorpions.
*sacrifice Taurus: lit., "sacrifice the bull," which refers both to the
astrological association as the Bull, and also one of the two annual
Islamic `Eid festivals (celebrating the end of the fasting month of
Ramadan, and celebrating the sacrifice of the Prophet Abraham
during the month of the Hajj rituals), when sheep, goats, cattle,
and camels are sacrificed (and most of the meat is given to the
poor.)
*Cancer: lit., "the crab."
*astrolabe: an astronomical instrument used for measuring and
studying the movements of the planets and stars. This is a favorite
image of Rumi's, as in his famous line, "The sickness of the lover
is distinct from all sicknesses. Love is the astrolabe of the secrets
of God." (Mathnawi I:110)

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

~

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

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Friday, September 17, 2010

[Sunlight] "Dumbfounded"

~

Sunlight offers the verses from Rumi's Mathnawi, Volume IV,
lines 3748-3754, in an interpretive version by Coleman Barks,
and in the literal translation by Nicholson, on which Barks
based his version:

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

A Zero-Circle

Be helpless and dumbfounded,
unable to say yes or no.

Then a stretcher will come
from grace to gather us up.

We are too dulleyed to see the beauty.
If we say "Yes we can," we'll be lying.

If we say "No, we don't see it,"
that "No" will behead us
and shut tight our window into spirit.

So let us not be sure of anything,
beside ourselves, and only that, so
miraculous beings come running to help.

Crazed, lying in a zero-circle, mute,
we will be saying finally,
with tremendous eloquence, "Lead us."

When we've totally surrendered to that beauty,
we'll become a mighty kindness.

-- Mathnawi IV, 3748-3754
Coleman Barks
Say I am You
Maypop, 1994

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

Therefore be dumbfounded without nay or yea, in order
that a litter may come from (the Divine) Mercy to carry you.
Forasmuch as you are too dull to apprehend these
wonders (of God), if you say "yea" you will be prevaricating;
And if you say "nay," the "nay" will behead (undo) you:
on account of that "nay" (the Divine) Wrath will shut your
spiritual window.
Be, then, only dumbfounded and distraught, nothing else,
that God's aid may come in from before and behind.
When you have become dumbfounded and crazed and
naughted, you have said with mute eloquence, "Lead us."
It (the wrath of God) is mighty, mighty; but when you begin
to tremble, that mighty shape is for (terrifying) the unbeliever;
when you have become helpless, it is mercy and kindness.

-- Mathnawi IV, 3748-3754
The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi
Translation and Commentary by Reynold A. Nicholson
Published and Distributed by
The Trustees of The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial

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

~

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

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Thursday, September 16, 2010

[Sunlight] Hopes and fears – Ghazal 876

~

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

how long should i bear
this distressed life
because of hopes and fears

give me some wine
rescue me for a while
from these hopes and fears

hand me that cup
that flaming cup
the one that burns away

all those piled up thoughts
filling my brain
with hopes and fears

pour into my throat
whatever has been
my share of life

don't make me wait forever
like a knocker on a door
with hopes and fears

give me a sip
of that water of life
to attain my inner spectrum

these moments i feel
i've lost all my colors
because of hopes and fears

give me that fiery water
the one that even
the elixir wishes for

i crave forever more
the promised paradise
with hopes and fears

you are forever
my shining sun and
i am like this poem
restless with hopes and fears

-- Ghazal 876
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1995

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

~

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

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

[Sunlight] Be a firm friend

~

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

Firmness of heart is needed for achievement,
but a firm friend does not lack friends.
Be a firm friend, that you may find friends innumerable;
for without friends you will be left helpless.
Generally the wolf seizes his prey at the moment
when a year-old sheep has strayed alone from the flock.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Goft sedq-e del be-bâyad kâr-râ
var nah yârân kam niyâyad yâr-râ
Yâr shaw tâ yâr bini bi `adad
zânkeh bi yârân be-mâni bi madad
Gorg aghlab ângahi girâ bovad
kaz shishak be-khvod tanhâ ravad

-- Mathnawi VI: 497-498; 500
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

[Sunlight] With trust in God

~

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

Listen, put trust in God, don't let your hands and feet tremble with fear:
your daily bread is more in love with you than you with it.
It is in love with you and holding back
only because it knows of your lack of self-denial.
If you had any self-denial, the daily bread
would throw itself upon you as lovers do.
What is this feverish trembling for fear of hunger?
In possession of trust in God one can live full-fed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hin tavakkol kon ma-larzân pâ o dast
rezq-e to bar to ze to `âsheq-tarast
`sheqast o mi zanad u mul mul
keh ze bi sabriyet dânad ay fozul
Gar torâ sabri bodi rezq âmadi
khvishtan chon `âsheqân bar to zadi
In tab-e larzeh ze khawf-e ju` chist
dar tavakkol sir mi tânand zist

-- Mathnawi V: 2852-2854
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, September 13, 2010

[Sunlight] Work in the Invisible

~

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

Work in the Invisible

The Prophets have wondered to themselves,
"How long should we keep pounding this cold iron?
How long do we have to whisper into an empty cage?"

Every motion of created beings comes from the creator.
The first soul pushes, and your second soul responds.

So don't be timid.
Load the ship and set out.
No one knows for certain
whether the vessel will sink
or reach the harbor

Just don't be one of those merchants
who won't risk the ocean!
This is much more important
than losing or making money!

This is your connection to God.

Think of the fear and the hope
that you have about your livelihood.
They make you go to work diligently every day.

Now consider what the prophets have done.
Abraham wore fire for an anklet.
Moses spoke to the sea.
David moulded iron.
Solomon rode the wind.

Work in the invisible world
at least as hard as you do in the visible.

Be companions with the prophets
even though no one here
will know that you are,
not even the helpers of the Qutb, the abdals.

You can't imagine what profit will come!
When one of those generous ones
invites you into the fire, go quickly!
Don't say, "But will it burn me? Will it hurt?"

-- Mathnawi III, 3077-3109
Version by Coleman Barks
"Rumi: One-Handed Basket Weaving"
Maypop, 1991

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

~

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

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Friday, September 10, 2010

[Sunlight] The Beloved has blocked every escape

~

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

Friends, the Beloved has blocked every escape:
we are lame deer and He a prowling lion.
Cornered by a fierce and bloodthirsty lion
what is there to do but surrender?
This Beloved, like the sun, neither sleeps nor eats:
He makes souls sleepless and hungry,
saying, "Come, be Me, or one with Me in nature,
so when I unveil Myself, you may behold My Face.
And if you had not beheld it,
how would you have become so distraught?
You were earth, and now
you long to be quickened with spiritual life."
Already the Beloved has bestowed gifts
from that world of spacelessness,
otherwise why would your spiritual eye keep gazing there?

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

Ay rafiqân râh-hâ-râ bast Yâr
âhu-ye langim va U shir-e shekâr
Joz keh taslim o rezâ ku châreh-'i
dar kaff-e shir-e nari khun khvâreh-'i
U na-dârad khvâb o khvor chon âftâb
ruh-hâ-râ mi konad bi khvord o khvâb
Keh "Biyâ Man bâsh yâ ham ham khu-ye Man
tâ be-bini dar tajalli Ru-ye Man
Var na-didi chon chonin shaydâ shodi
khâk budi tâleb-e ehyâ shodi"
Gar ze bi suyet na-dâdast U `alaf
cheshm-e jânet chon be-mândast ân taraf

-- Mathnawi VI: 576-581
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Mona

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

~

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

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Thursday, September 09, 2010

[Sunlight] "Your love has prepared a feast for me"

~

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

Your love has prepared a feast for me;
Reason came and sat in a corner;
The wine was laughing in the cup,
The jug was crying tears of blood.
The wine, archer of joy,
Has pierced the bird of sorrow with its arrows.

-- Ode (Ghazal) 508
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Selected and Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Sanyar Press - London, 1997


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

~

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

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Wednesday, September 08, 2010

[Sunlight] And still you are tearing!

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of
Quatrain 533:

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

O Beloved, today you want ever more:
We're already mad
and yet you pull
at the last threat of our sanity.

You've torn away our veil,
You've torn away our clothes.
We're completely naked!

And still you are tearing!

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

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

~


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

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Tuesday, September 07, 2010

[Sunlight] "Only now do you apprehend"

~

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

I've paid no attention to Your warnings:
while claiming to be an idol-breaker, I've really been an idol-maker.
Should I pay more attention to Your works or to death?
Let it be death, for death is like autumn,
and You are the root from which all leaves spring.
For years death has been beating the drum,
but only when time has fled does your ear hear.
In agony the heedless man cries from the depths of his soul,
"Alas, I am dying!" Has death only just now awakened you?
Death is hoarse from shouting:
from so many astounding blows, his drum skin has split,
but you enmeshed yourself in trivialities;
and only now do you apprehend this mystery of death.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Az nasihat-hâ-ye To kar budeh-'am
bot shekan da`vâ botgar budeh-'am
Yâd-e son`et farz-tar yâ yâd-e marg
marg mânand khazân To asl-e barg
Sâl-hâ marg tablak mi zanad
gush-e to bigâh jonbesh mi konad
Guyad andar naz` az jân "Âh marg"
in zamân kardet ze khvod âgâh marg?
In golu-ye marg az na`reh gereft
tabl-e u be-shekâft az zarb-e shekeft
dar daqâyeq khvish-râ dar bâfti
ramz-e mordan in zamân dar yâfti

-- Mathnawi VI:771-776
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, September 06, 2010

[Sunlight] "There is no additional Seeker"

~


Today, Sunlight presents Ghazal (Ode) 425, in a version by
Professor Coleman Barks (developed from Professor Nicholson's classic
translation), and in a literal translation and transcription by Dr.
Ibrahim Gamard, with detailed commentary. As Sunlight subscribers
may know, the authenticity and accuracy of the various versions of
Molana's work have been discussed and debated at length, on
Sunlight's companion discussion mailing list, "Ruminations", and
elsewhere. Regardless of a reader's position on that subject, this
comparison of literal translation to poetic version illustrates the
effect a translator or interpreter can have on the message.


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

For the lovers,* there is no seeking (done) by themselves,
(for) there is no additional seeker in the world other than Him.*
This world and the next are a single substance; in reality,
there is no unbelief, religion or faith.*
O you whose breath (is like that of) Jesus!* Don't breath from
(such) a distance! I am the admirer* of the one who is not far
thinking.*
If you say, "I'll go behind," Don't go! (There's) no behind.
(And) if you say, "[I'll go] ahead," No! There's no way ahead.*
Open (your) hand [and be generous], (and) grab (the hem of) your
own robe* [and be merciful]. (For) there is no bandage for this
wound except this garment.*
All good and bad (qualities) are parts of the dervishes;* whoever
is not like this, is not a dervish.
Whoever has gone beyond "place," his (only) place is the heart --
such a heart* for which there is no place in the world!

-- Ghazal 425
Translated from the Persian, with commentary
(C) Ibrahim Gamard
Oct. 7, 1999

*the lovers: means the lovers of God.
*other than Him: Chittick translated this (single) line as, "Lovers
themselves do not seek-- in the whole world, there is no seeker but
He." ("The Sufi Path of Love," 1983, p. 210). Sufis have often
extended the Islamic creed, "There is no divinity except God," to
obtain further mystical realizations, such as: there is no (ultimate)
being, existence, reality, actions, qualities, etc. except God's
Being, Existence, etc.-- and here, that there is no seeker except
God. This is another way of saying, "Seek God within, not outside of
yourself, and you will find that you don't exist, because there
exists only God who is the Seeker of Himself"-- seeking the
reflection of His own Divine Attributes in the completed human being.
*or faith: means that all of creation (including this world and the
next world, good and bad) is a unity (reflecting the Divine Unity of
God). And in contrast to the mystic's direct experience of the
overwhelming reality of the Presence of God, mental beliefs about the
Divine are irrelevant.
*breath of Jesus: refers to the healing miracles brought by God
through the Prophet Jesus (Qur'an 5:113).
*I am the admirer: literally, "I am the slave of." An idiom expressing
admiration.
*far thinking: Rumi usually uses this term in a positive sense,
relating to the wisdom of foresight. Here, however, he uses it as a
word play to his beloved spiritual master (Shams-i Tabriz): "Don't
keep distant from me, in any way!"
*no way ahead: means, "You and I are not separate; in our mystical
unity there is no distance behind or ahead that you can go!"
*your own robe: an idiom meaning to beg for help and mercy by grabbing
the hem of someone who has the power to be merciful or just. Here it
means: "Grab the hem of your own robe, for my sake, and be merciful to
me-- who is yourself!"
*this garment: a pun on the two meanings of the word "rêsh":
"wound"
(Persian) and "embroidered garment" (Arabic). Means that the spiritual
master's "robe of mercy" is the only bandage (or poultice, with
medicinal ointment on it) which can be wrapped around and heal the
wound of the lover's longing sorrow.
*parts of the dervishes: means all the Divine Attributes, beautiful or
severe, can be reflected in someone who is a true dervish-- and who
is truly surrendered to the Divine Will.
*such a heart: means that the heart of the dervish is mystically
transcendant and beyond physical location in the universe.
*no place in the world for it: This circumstances of the composition
of this ode were described by Aflaki (1353, eighty years after Rumi
died): "Sirâjuddîn said that one day Hazrat-i Mawlana [Rumi]
said, 'All of the world are parts of a single person, and in
reference to [the saying of the Prophet Muhammad], 'O God, guide my
people for truly they do not know,' is an expression of this--
(meaning) 'My people! O parts of me!' For if the unbelievers are not
parts of him, (then) he is not the whole."
After quoting this poem, Aflaki added two verses in the same
rhythm and rhyme: "Whoever has been soothed by the grace of Shams-i
Tabriz, there is no stinging wound on his heart caused by
oppression./ He pounds the drum of (spiritual) kingship in the
kingdom of (spiritual) poverty, since because of the treasure of
(mystical) knowledge, he is not poor!" [har ke luTf-é shams-é
dîn be-
n'wâz-ad-ash/ bar del-ash az qahr-é zakhm-é nêsh nêst.
kûs-é sulTânî
zan-ad dar mulk-é faqr/ k-ô ze-ganj-é ma`rifat darwêsh
nêst]
(Farûzânfar, footnote; see Aflaki, p. 163, 661)

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

"There's Nothing Ahead"

Lovers think they're looking for each other,
but there's only one search: wandering
this world is wandering that, both inside one
transparent sky. In here
there is no dogma and no heresy.

The miracle of Jesus is himself; not what he said or did
about the future. Forget the future,
I'd worship someone who could do that.

On the way you may want to look back, or not,
but if you can say "There's nothing ahead,"
there will be nothing there.

Stretch your arms and take hold the cloth of your clothes
with both hands. The cure for pain is in the pain.
Good and bad are mixed. If you don't have both,
you don't belong with us.

When one of us gets lost, is not here, he must be inside us.
There's no place like that anywhere in the world.

-- Ode 425
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
Harper San Francisco, 1995

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

Meter: XoXX XoXX X X

`âshiq-ân-râ jost-o jô az khwêsh nêst
dar jahân jôyanda joz ô bêsh nêst

în jahân-o ân jahân yak gawhar-ast
dar Haqîqat kufr-o dîn-o kêsh nêst

ay dam-at `îsà, dam az dûrî ma-zan
man ghulâm-é ân-ke dûr-andêsh nêst

gar be-gôy-î pas raw-am nay pas ma-raw
w-ar be-gô-î pêsh, nay rah pêsh nêst

dast be-goshâ dâman-é khwad-râ be-gîr
marham-é în rîsh joz în rêsh nêst

juzw-é darvêsh-and jomla nêk-o bad
har kî na-b'w-ad ô chon-în, darwêsh nêst

har ke az jâ raft jây-é ô del-ast
ham-chô del andar jahân jâyê-sh nêst

-- Persian transliteration courtesy of Ibrahim Gamard

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

~

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

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Friday, September 03, 2010

[Sunlight] "The one who keeps her heart awake"

~

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

There is many a one whose eye is awake
but whose heart is asleep.
What, in truth, should be seen
by the eyes of creatures of water and clay?
The one who keeps her heart awake,
though the eyes of her head may sleep,
her heart will open a hundred eyes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ay basâ bidâr cheshm khofteh del
khvod cheh binad did ahl-e âb o gel
Ânke del bidâr dârad cheshm-e sar
gar be-khospad bar goshâyad sad basar

-- Mathnawi lII:1222-1223
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)


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

~

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

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Thursday, September 02, 2010

[Sunlight] All that I uttered last night -- Ghazal 2537

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal 2537, in versions by Helminski and
Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

WHAT A MAN CAN SAY

In the name of friendship,
don't repeat to my Beloved
all that I said last night,
out of my mind;
but if, by God, she hears it,
she'll understand what a man can say
in the dark, loud or quiet, rough or soft,
when reason is not at home.
If God let's this anxiety out,
no one in the world will stay sane.
Mind, are these your dark suggestions?
Cloud, is this your sad rain?
Believers, watch your hearts.
Curious or kind, stay away.

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

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

SOMETIMES I FORGET COMPLETELY

Sometimes I forget completely
what companionship is.
Unconscious and insane, I spill sad
energy everywhere. My story
gets told in various ways: A romance,
a dirty joke, a war, a vacancy.

Divide up my forgetfulness to any number,
it will go around.
These dark suggestions that I follow,
are they part of some plan?
Friends, be careful. Don't come near me
out of curiosity, or sympathy.

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

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

By the right of old companionship and friendship, do not
repeat to the Beloved all that I uttered last night, unconscious
and sick;
But if, as God decrees, that moon hears of those things, he
himself knows what a melancholy lover will say in the darkness
of night.
When reason is not at home, the tale will be distorted - now
low, now high, now war, now submissiveness.
If God should scatter my frenzy over the world, you will not
see one man with reason; all will be stripped of their reason.
Reason, can it be that you pour these dark suggestions into
me? Cloud, can it be you who rains upon me this troubled
potion?
Muslims, Muslims, guard well your hearts; let none go about
me, either to sightsee or to sympathize.

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, September 01, 2010

[Sunlight] "Again we have returned from the tavern drunk"

~

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

Again we have returned from the tavern drunk,
again we have escaped from above and below.
All of the drunkards are joyful and dancing -
clap your hands, oh idols, clap! Clap!
The fish and the sea are all intoxicated, for the
hooks are the tips of Thy tresses!
Our ruins have been turned upside down, the
vat has been upset and the jar broken.
When the shaykh of the Ruins saw this tumult,
he came to the roof and jumped.
A wine began to ferment, making existence
nonexistent and nonexistence existent.
The glasses broke and the pieces fell in every
direction -- how many drinkers wounded their feet!
Where is he who cannot discern his head from
his feet? He has fallen drunk in the lane of Alast.
The wine-worshipers are all busy with revelry -
listen to the strumming of the lute, oh body-worshiper!

-- Ode 516 (listed in book incorrectly as Ode 515)
Translated by William C. Chittick
The Sufi Path of Love - The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi
State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983
(Footnotes follow, courtesy of Ibrahim Gamard)

* tavern (may-khâna): symbolizes the gathering place of the sufis,
where they engage in mystical prayers and become "drunk" on
spiritual "wine."
* ruins (kharâbât): also an idiom meaning "tavern," and sometimes
translated as "tavern of ruin." Likewise, in the next line, "shaykh
of the Ruins" can also be translated "shaykh of the Tavern."
* Alast: the primordial covenant made between God and the
souls of all mankind, mentioned in the Qur'an: "And when your Lord
drew forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their seed,
and made them testify concerning themselves, 'Am I not your Lord
(a-lastu bi-Rabbi-kum)?' they said, 'But of course! We do testify!'"
(7:172). In Islamic mysticism this is called the "Day of Alast." A
major goal of sufi mystics has been to "remember" within the soul
a full awareness (that is sometimes ecstatic and blissful) of the
Presence of God that has been forgotten by most of humanity.

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

~

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

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