Sunlight: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

[Sunlight] Cleverly seeking the moon-faced one's favor -- Ghazal 1538

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1538, in a version by
Coleman Barks, and in a translation by Kolin and Mafi,
and in a translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

I was seeking knowledge
when that beautiful one appeared.
I tried to charm him and asked:
Would you kindly interpret the dream
I had last night, you are my only confidant.

He shook his head and smiled
as if he could see through me and said:
`Don't try to charm me,
I see every nuance, every color and scent.
I am your mirror.'

In his hands I become the design he weaves
with golden thread,
I become his living masterpiece.

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

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

I tried to think of some way
to let my face become his.

"Could I whisper in your ear
a dream I've had? You're the only one
I've told this to."

He tilts his head, laughing,
as if, "I know the trick you're hatching,
but go ahead."

I am an image he stitches with gold thread
on a tapestry, the least figure,
a playful addition.

But nothing he works on is dull.
I am part of the beauty.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"These Branching Moments"
Copper Beech Press, 1988

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

I was intent on seeking a stratagem, that that moon-faced one
might set his face on mine.
I said, "I have one word in my mind; come forward, that I may
speak it in your ear.
Last night, dear soul, I saw a dream, and I desire to seek from
you its interpretation.
I have none intimate with this dream but you; do you listen,
my king whose habit is to conceal."
He moved his head and laughed - that head which knows me
hair by hair -
As if to say, " You are hatching a trick to play on me, for I am
the mirror of every hue and scent."
I am as a plaything in his hands, for I am the picture drawn by
his gold-stitching needle.
Not lifeless shall be the image which he has made; I am his
least image, I am therefore in ecstasy.

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

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

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Friday, January 28, 2011

[Sunlight] Always search for the inward nature

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

Always search for the inward nature
and choose as your companion someone of good character:
Observe how rose oil has drunk the essence of the rose.
The earth of the grave is ennobled by the pure body.
Then say, "First choose the neighbor, then the house."
If you have a heart, go, seek a sweetheart.
The dust of the body is endowed with the character of the soul:
it becomes a salve for the eyes of those who are dear to God.
Many a one who sleeps like dust in the grave
is more useful and open-handed than a hundred who are still alive.
The shadow of his body has been taken away,
but his dust overshadows hundreds of thousands with his protection.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dar pay-e khu bâsh va bâ khvosh khu neshin
khu paniri rawghan-e gol-râ be-bin
Khâk az hamsâyegi-ye jesm-e pâk
chon mosharraf âmad o eqbâl nâk
Pas to ham "al-Jâr thumma al-dâr" gu
gar deli dâri be-raw deldâr ju
Khâk-e u ham sirat-e jân mi shavad
sormeh-ye cheshm-e `azizân mi shavad
Ay basâ dar gur khofteh khâk-vâr
beh ze sad ahyâ be-naf` o enteshâr
Sâyeh bardeh u va khâkesh sâyeh mand
sad hazârân zendeh dar sâyeh-'i vayand

-- Mathnawi VI: 3007-3013
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, January 27, 2011

[Sunlight] The blows of suffering

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

There is an animal called the porcupine that becomes large
and fat if you beat it with a stick.
The more you beat it, the more it thrives, growing fat on the
blows of the stick.
The believer's spirit is in truth a porcupine, for the blows of
suffering make it large and fat,
That is why the suffering and tribulation inflicted upon the
prophets is greater than that inflicted upon the world's
creatures.

-- Mathnawi IV: 97-100
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

[Sunlight] The next is born from the last

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

look at love
how it tangles
with the one fallen in love

look at spirit
how it fuses with earth
giving it new life

why are you so busy
with this or that or good or bad
pay attention to how things blend

why talk about all
the known and the unknown
see how the unknown merges into the known

why think separately
of this life and the next
when one is born from the last

look at your heart and tongue
one feels but deaf and dumb
the other speaks in words and signs

look at water and fire
earth and wind
enemies and friends all at once

the wolf and the lamb
the lion and the deer
far away yet together

look at the unity of this
spring and winter
manifested in the equinox

you too must mingle my friends
since the earth and the sky
are mingled just for you and me

be like sugarcane
sweet yet silent
don't get mixed up with bitter words

my beloved grows
right out of my own heart
how much more union can there be

-- Ghazal 2381, from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams"
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1995

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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

[Sunlight] The only lecturer, the only lesson

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

For lovers, the only lecturer is the beauty of the Beloved:
their only book and lecture is the Face.
Outwardly they are silent,
but their penetrating remembrance rises
to the high throne of their Friend.
Their only lesson is enthusiasm, whirling, and trembling,
not the precise points of law.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

`Âsheqân-râ shod modarres hosn-e Dust
daftar o dars o sabaqeshân Ru-ye Ust
Khâmoshand va na`reh-ye tekrâreshân
mi ravad tâ `arsh o takht-e Yâreshân
Darseshân âshub o charkh o zalzaleh
nah ziyâdâtast va bâb-e selseleh

-- Mathnawi III: 3847-3849
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, January 24, 2011

[Sunlight] Rushing topsy-turvey toward the sea -- Ghazal 1910

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal 1910, from the Diwan-e Shams,
versioned by Coleman Barks (based on Arberry), translated by Arberry,
and more recently translated by Ibrahim Gamard:

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

Notice how each particle moves.
Notice how everyone has just arrived here
from a journey.
Notice how each wants a different food.
Notice how the stars vanish as the sun comes up,
and how all streams stream toward the ocean.

Look at the chefs preparing special plates
for everyone, according to what they need.
Look at this cup that can hold the Ocean.
Look at those who see the Face.
look through Shams' eyes
into the Water that is
entirely jewels.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990

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

See how every particle of the world is passing by, see how
everyone has arrived from a journey;
See how everyone desirous of his own sustenance has bowed
his head before his king.
See how, like the stars, for the sake of its glow, are all fallen
helpless at the foot of the sun;
See how, like torrents in a quest of water, all are tumbling head-
long toward their sea.
See how for each from the king's kitchen a table is prepared
according to his needs.
See how the sea of the world is contracted before this sea-
drinking cup.
And as for those whose sustenance is the king's countenance,
see how their mouths are filled with sugar of the king's beauty.
Behold with the eyes of Shams-i Tabrizi; see another ocean
filled with pearls.

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 2"
University of Chicago Press, 1979

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

See (how) every part of the world passes on,
(and yet) see (how) everyone has arrived from a journey.
See (how) everyone, in desire for his daily bread,
has bowed his head (in obeisance) to his king.
See (how everyone) has fallen helplessly at the feet of the sun,
like stars, because of (the power of) its glow.
See (how) everyone is rushing topsy-turvey toward their sea,
like flood waters in search of (other) water.
See (how) an honorable table cloth (is spread) for everyone
from the (Divine) Kitchen of the King according to his (fixed)
measure.
See (how, for the dervishes,) the ocean of the world (is) shrunk
before their ocean-drinking cups.
See (how), for those whose daily sustenance is the king's face,
their mouths are full of sugar* from the king's beauty.
(And) see one other ocean full of pearls: look with the eyes of
Shams-e Tabrizi!

-- Translation by Ibrahim Gamard
Copyright 10/24/98

*an idiom meaning a wide smile, or a laugh of happiness

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

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Friday, January 21, 2011

[Sunlight] The protection against God's anger

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

A sober-minded man said to Jesus,
"What in this existence is hardest to bear?"
"O dear soul," he replied, "the hardest is God's anger,
from which Hell is trembling as we are."
"And what is the protection against God's anger?"
Said Jesus, "To abandon your own anger at once."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Goft `Isâ-râ yeki hoshyâr sar
"Chist dar hasti ze jomleh sa`b-tar"
Goftesh "Ay jân sa`b-tar kheshm-e Khodâ
keh az ân Duzakh larzad cho mâ"
Goft "Azin kheshm-e Khodâ cheh bovad amân"
Goft "Tark-e kheshm-e khvish andar zamân"

-- Mathnawi IV: 113-115
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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[Sunlight] The protection against God's anger

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

-- Mathnawi IV: 113-115
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

[Sunlight] He who possesses the heart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He who possesses the Heart becomes a mirror with six
faces; through him God looks toward the six directions.
Whoever dwells in this world of six directions, God
looks at him only through the mediation of the Perfected
Man.

If God dismisses you, He does it for the sake of the
Perfected Man; and if He accepts you, it is also because
of him.

-- Mathnawi V:874-876
Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

[Sunlight] Don't travel alone

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

The one who cheerfully goes alone on a journey—
if he travels with companions
his progress is increased a hundredfold.
Notwithstanding the insensitivity of a donkey,
even the donkey is exhilarated, O dervish,
by comrades of its own kind
and so becomes capable of exerting strength.

To a donkey who goes alone and away from the caravan,
the road is made longer a hundredfold by fatigue.
How much more it suffers the crop and the whip
that it might cross the desert by itself!
That ass is implicitly telling you, "Pay attention!
Don't travel alone like this, unless you are an ass!"
Beyond a doubt the one who cheerfully goes alone into the toll house
proceeds more cheerfully with companions.
Every prophet on this straight path
produced the testimony of miracles and sought fellow travelers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ânkeh tanhâ dar rahi u khvosh ravad
bâ rafiqân sayr-e u sadtu shavad
Bâ ghalizi khar ze yârân ay faqir
dar nashât âyad shavad qut pazir

Har khari kaz kârvân tanhâ ravad
bar vay ân rah az ta`ab sadtu shavad
Chand sikh o chand chub afzun khvord
tâ keh tanhâ ân be-biyâbân-râ bord
Mar torâ mi guyad ân khar khvosh "Shenaw
gar nayi khar hamchonin tanhâ ma-raw"
Ânkeh tanhâ khvosh ravad andar rasad
bâ rafiqân bi gomân khvoshtar ravad
Har nabiyi andarin râh-e dorost
mo`jezeh be-namud o hamrâhân be-jost

-- Mathnawi VI: 512-518
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

[Sunlight] A Bird Without Wings -- Ghazal 721

Here, Sunlight offers a version of Ghazal 721, from Jonathan
Star:

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

"A Lover Without a Tear"

One who does not have the Beloved
is like a person without a head.
One who flees the cage of love
is like a bird without wings.

What news could one have of the world
That the Keeper of Secrets does not have?

One who is pierced by the arrows of this glance
is like a warrior without a shield.

One who cannot look within himself
is like a man without valor.
One who can't open the door of his own heart
is like a lover without a tear.

He has placed a door
In the middle of this path.
Only He who has placed it
can open it.

They say, "Wake up, the dawn has come!"
But in our sky who sleeps?
Who gets up at dawn?
Our sky
is without a sunrise
and without a sunset.

You've only been here a few days
and you've become so friendly with life.
I can't even talk about death anymore.

You're on the journey home
And your donkey has fallen asleep
in the middle of the road!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 721
Version by Jonathan Star
"Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved "
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997

Sunlight note: Once again, a conversation has been taking place, in
which the accuracy and validity of versions is being questioned. A
Sunlight contributor and consultant advises that the line which reads
as:

"One who is pierced by the arrows of this glance
is like a warrior without a shield."

should be more accurately translated as

"Only the one who is not afraid of Love (doesn't have a shield
against Love)
can be hunted by the arrows of His/her glance."

It has been suggested that the complexity, depth, and challenge of
the latter, is not apparent in the former. Although he refers
to his offerings as "translations", Mr. Star does not speak or read
Persian. He variously acknowledges Nicholson, Ergin, and Shiva as
the sources of the translations from which he fabricates his
versions.

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

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Monday, January 17, 2011

[Sunlight] The Shine in the Fields -- Ghazal 1710

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

The Shine in the Fields

The shine in the fields and in the orchard
has become the light of your face. No

home now, no loved occupation, no belongings,
no figuring profits and loss. When this

love comes, it's impossible to worry about
honor or reputation, what the community

gives, the more and the less. There's no
longer any demarcation line between "the

worlds." Hats fly off. A pack of dogs snarl
and bite each other around a carcass. We're

not those dogs. Only God knows our secrets,
and that's enough. We have no more dicussions

about God or arguments over doctrine. What is
planted in each person's soul with sprout.

We surrender to however that happens.
Companions used to be magnets that drew us

together to talk. No more. No more even
the sun! It has turned itself into the face

of Shams-i Tabriz, the sanctity and praise.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1710
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

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Friday, January 14, 2011

[Sunlight] Always be present, attentive, and ready in yourself

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If a blow comes to you from Heaven,
be alert to a gift of honor after it;
for He is not the King to slap you
without giving you a crown
and a throne on which to rest.
The whole world is worth only a gnat's wing,
but a single slap may bring an infinite reward.
Slip your neck nimbly out of this golden collar
that is the world, and take the slaps that come from God.
The prophets suffered those blows on the neck,
and from that affliction they lifted their heads high.
But always be present, attentive, and ready in yourself,
youthful one, in order that He may find you at home.
Otherwise He will take back His gift of honor,
saying "I found no one there."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mar torâ har zakhm k-âyad ze smân
montazar mi bâsh khel`at ba`d az ân
Ku nah ân Shâhast ket sili zanad
pas na-bakhshad tâj o takht-e mostanad
Gardanet zin tawq-e zarin-e jahân
chost dar dozd o ze Haqq sili setân
n qafâ-hâ k-anbiyâ bar dâshtand
zân balâ sar-hâ-ye khvod afrâshtand
Lik hâzer bâsh dar khvod ay fatâ
tâ be-khâneh U biyâbad mar torâ
Varnah khel`at-râ barad U bâz pas
keh "Na-yâbidam beh-khâneh hich kas."

-- Mathnawi VI: 1638-1643
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, January 13, 2011

[Sunlight] The Beloved you've lost

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

i want to leave this town
but you've chained me down
stolen away my heart
leaving yourself behind

now i've lost my way
my soul restless and head twisted
all because of those secrets
you once whispered

i only must keep
fasting my heart
to set me free
from sleepless nights

since your only advice
when you saw me in flame
was to keep burning
with you or with your thoughts

words of wisdom
came to me at last
"the beloved you've lost
the one you've been seeking outside
can only be found inside"

-- Ghazal 2582, from the Diwan-e Shams
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1995

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

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

[Sunlight] We are the shadow of this one -- Quatrain 257

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 257:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond this world and life we know
there is Someone watching over us.
To know Him is not in our power.
But once in a glimpse I saw
that we are His shadow
and our shadow is
the world.

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

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

out of this world and our lives
there is someone
who is nursing us
the one whom we
can never comprehend
i only know this much
we are the shadow
of this one
and the world is
the shadow of us

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

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

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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

[Sunlight] A dying in every moment

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

For lovers, there is a dying in every moment:
truly, the dying of lovers is not of one kind.
The lover has been given two hundred lives
from the Soul of Guidance;
each instant she sacrifices another.
For each life she gives, she receives ten:
as it is said in the Qur'an, "ten like unto them."*
If my blood were shed by that friendly Face,
dancing triumphantly I would lavish my life upon Him.
I have tried it: this life is my death;
and when I escape from this life, it is to endure forever.
"Kill me, kill me, O trusty friends!
For in my being killed is life upon life."**
O You who make the cheek radiant,
O Spirit of everlastingness,
draw my spirit to Yourself
and generously bestow upon me the meeting with You.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

`Âsheqân-râ har zamâni mordanist
mordan-e `âsheq khvod yek naw` nist
U do sad jân dârad az Jân-e Hodâ
vân do sad-râ mi konad har dam fedâ
Har yeki jân-râ satând dah bahâ
az Nabi khvân `asharat amthâlihâ*
Gar borizad khun-e man ân Dust-Ru
pâ-ye kubân jân bar-afshânam baru
Âzmudam marg-e man dar zendegist
chon raham zin zendegi pâyandegist
Uqtuluni uqutuluni yâ thiqât
inna fi qatli hayâtan fi hayât**
Yâ Monir al-khadd yâ Ruh al-baqâ
ijtadhib ruhi wa-jdu li bil-liqâ

*Hud, 11:13
**a quote from the martyr al-Hallâj.

-- Mathnawi III: 3834-3840
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, January 10, 2011

[Sunlight] Wooden Walking Stick – Ghazal 2236

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wooden Walking Stick"

Friend, you are Moses. I the wooden
walking stock. Sometimes that simple use.

Other times, a dragon earth-energy. You
decide. There's no time or place in the air

you inhabit. The days you give me I give
back to you. I have seen your unseeable

beauty and taken report without words to
my heart, which became all eye with the news.

"Long life to eyes," says my heart now over
and over. Hundreds of candles search the

turning sky. No bread in the basket, no
money; home, family, work, in shambles, with

your light shining on the ruin. Crushed
in grief's mortar, let me be medicine for
other eyes. What is the soul? Half a leaf.
What is the heart? A flower opening. I am

not the one speaking here. Even so, I'll
stop. Anything anyone says is your voice.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2236
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

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Friday, January 07, 2011

[Sunlight] So that you might know your true self

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

Your true substance is concealed in falsehood,
like the taste of butter in buttermilk.
Your falsehood is this perishable body;
your truth is that exalted spirit.
For many years, this buttermilk of the body
is visible and manifest, while the butter, which is the spirit,
is perishing and ignored within it—
until God sends a prophet, a chosen servant,
a shaker of the buttermilk in the churn,
who skillfully shakes it, so that you might know
your true self which was hidden.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jawhar-e sedqet khafi dar dorugh
hamcho ta`m-e rawghan andar ta`m-e dugh
n dorughet in tan-e fâni bovad
râstet ân jân-e rabbâni bovad
Sâl-hâ in dugh-e tan paydâ o fâsh
rawghan-e jân andaru fâni o lâsh
Tâ ferestad Haqq rasuli bandeh-'i
dugh-râ dar khomreh jonbânandeh-'i
Tâ be-jonbânad be-hanjâr o be-fann
tâ be-dânam man keh panhân bud-e man

-- Mathnawi IV: 3030-3034
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, January 06, 2011

[Sunlight] If thou fare on the Way

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

Mathnawi V:1105-1118

On the meaning of this verse:

"If thou fare on the Way,
the Way will be revealed to thee;
and if thou become non-existent,
(real) existence will be conferred on thee." *

Though Zalikha shut the doors on every side, still Joseph
gained return (to safety) by bestirring himself.
Lock and door opened, and the way (out) appeared: when
Joseph put trust in God, he escaped.
Though the world hath no visible crevice (means of exit),
(yet) one must run (to and fro) recklessly, like Joseph,
In order that the lock may open and the doorway become clear,
and the region of non-spatiality become your dwelling-place.
Thou camest into the world, 0 afflicted one: dost thou ever
see the way of thy coming?
Thou camest from a certain place and abode: dost thou
know the way of thy coming? Nay.
If thou knowest (it) not, (yet) beware of saying that
there is no way: by this wayless way we (all) shall depart.
In dreams thou wanderest happily to left and right: hast thou
any knowledge where the way is that leads to that arena?
Shut that (sensual) eye and give thyself up: thou wilt
find thyself in the ancient City**.
How shouldst thou shut thy (sensual) eye when in this
direction*** a hundred inebriated (languishing) eyes
are (as) a bandage on thine eye because of (thy)
infatuation (with them)?
From love of (having) a purchaser (admirer) thou art
(looking) with four eyes (intently) in the hope of
(gaining) eminence and chieftainship.
And if thou fall asleep thou seest the purchaser in thy dreams:
how should the ill-omened owl dream of aught but
a wilderness? At every moment thou wantest a purchaser
cringing (before thee): what hast thou to sell?
Nothing, nothing.
If thy heart had any (spiritual) bread or breakfast,
it would have been empty of (desire for worldly)
purchasers.

*this verse: the first half of a Persian quatrain, author unknown.
Another manuscript of the Mathnawi adds the second half: "And if you
become humble, you will not be contained by the world; then you will
be shown yourself with (the real) you and without (the false) you!"
(Translation by Ibrahim Gamard).
** i.e. the world of Reality.
*** i.e. the material world.

-- From 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"

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

gar zulaykhâ bast dar-hâ har Taraf
yâft yûsuf ham ze jonbesh munSaraf

bâz shod qufl-o dar-o shod rah padîd
chôn tawakkul kard yûsuf, bar jahîd

garche rakhna nêst `âlam-râ padîd
khîra, yûsuf-wâr mê-bây-ad dawîd

tâ goshây-ad qufl-o dar paydâ shaw-ad
sôy-é bê-jâyî shomâ-râ jâ shaw-ad

âmad-î andar jahân ay mumtaHan
hêch mê-bîn-î Tarîq-é âmadan?

tô ze jâyê âmad-î w-az mawTinê
âmadan-râ râh dân-î hêch? nay

gar na-dân-î tâ na-gôy-î râh nêst
z-în rah-é bê-râha mâ-râ raftanê-st

mê-raw-î dar khwâb shâdân chapp-o râst
hêch dân-î râh-é ân maydân kojâ-st?

tô bo-band ân chashm-o khwad taslîm kon
khwêsh-râ bîn-î dar ân shahr -é kohon

chashm chôn band-î ke Sad chashm-é khumâr
band-é chashm-é tô-st în sû az ghirâr?

châr chashm-î tô ze `ishq-é mushtarî
bar omêd-é mehtariy-o sarwarî

w-ar be-khosp-î, mushtarî bîn-î ba-khwâb
choghdebad kay khwâb bîn-ad joz kharâb?

moshtarî khwâh-î ba-har dam pêch pêch
tô che dâr-î ke forûsh-î? hêch hêch

gar del-at-râ nân bod-y yâ châshtî
az karîdâr-ân farâghat dâsht-y

-- Rumi's Mathnawi V:1105-18
Persian transliteration (C) Ibrahim Gamard

Sunlight thanks Dr. Gamard for his many contributions, and for his
friendship to Sunlight.

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

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Wednesday, January 05, 2011

[Sunlight] I am the call of Love -- Ghazal 12

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

You whispered in my ears like early spring:
"I am the call of Love,
can you hear me in the full grasses,
in the scented winds,
it is I who makes the garden smile."

My pure source of life, helper of lovers in despair,
where have you been so long?
Your breathtaking beauty creates such excitement,
such a stir everywhere
that you leave me bewildered.
From the spring of love you bring back
life to my ailing heart.
The song of the awakened earth, the seasons,
the changing Moons,
all this fuss you make is glorious.
Creation bows at your feet.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 12
Rumi: Hidden Music
Translated by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

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

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Tuesday, January 04, 2011

[Sunlight] Conventional opinion is the ruin of our souls

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

Conventional opinion is the ruin of our souls,
something borrowed which we mistake as our own.
Ignorance is better than this; clutch at madness instead.
Always run from what seems to benefit your self:
sip the poison and spill the water of life.
Revile those who flatter you;
lend both interest and principle to the poor.
Let security go and be at home amidst dangers.
Leave your good name behind and accept disgrace.
I have lived with cautious thinking;
now I'll make myself mad.

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

`Elm-e taqlidi vabâl-e jân-e mâst
`âriyeh-st va mâ neshasteh k'ân-e mâst
Zin kherad jâhel hami bâyad shodan
dast dar divanegi bâyad zadan
Har cheh bini sud-e khvod ze ân mi goriz
zahr nush va âb-e hayvân-râ be-riz
Har keh bastâyad terâ doshnâm deh
sud o sarmâyeh be-mofles vâm deh
Aymani be-gozâr va jâ-ye khawf bâsh
be-gozar az nâmus va rasvâ bâsh o fâsh
zmudam `aql-e durândish-râ
ba`d azin divâneh sâzam khvish-râ

-- Mathnawi II: 2327-2332
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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Monday, January 03, 2011

[Sunlight] I see my beauty in you -- Ghazal 2234

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

I See My Beauty in You

I see my beauty in you. I become
a mirror that cannot close its eyes

to your longings. My eyes wet with
yours in the early light. My mind

every moment giving birth, always
conceiving, always in the ninth

month, always the come-point. How
do I stand this? We become these

words we say, a wailing sound moving
out into the air. These thousands of

worlds that rise from nowhere, how
does your face contain them? I'm

a fly in your honey, then closer, a
moth caught in flame's allure, then

empty sky stretched out in homage.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2234
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

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