Sunlight: April 2011

Friday, April 29, 2011

[Sunlight] Don't set your heart on bones

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

Little by little God takes away human beauty:
little by little the sapling withers.
Go, recite "To whomever We give a length of days,
We also cause them to decline."
Seek the spirit;
don't set your heart on bones.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Andak-e andak mi setânad ân jamâl
andak-e andak khoshk mi gardad nehâl
Raw "nu`ammiruhu nunakkis'hu" be-khvân
del talab kon del ma-neh bar estekhvân

-- Mathnawi, II:714-715
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Daylight
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

[Sunlight] A glimpse of that beauty

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

My body pulled my soul from the higher planes
and I lost the company of saints and prophets.
Now wrapped in my prison I've met a Moon
that fills my heart with dreams and visions.
Most people want to escape from prison
but why should I run away when my love is inside,
where else could I be alone with love?
I look at myself and see such painful longing
I look at love and see how pleased she is watching me.
Once you are in that house of Beauty
abundant grace awaits you.

I overhead the stars whispering
that if ever one of them
caught a glimpse of that Beauty,
to tell the others at once.
But the lovers guard their secrets jealously
for they know that when the Moon rises
everything will set.

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

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

[Sunlight] Occupy yourself with your own inward self!

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

Oh heart, place no honey in the mouth of the
ill! Speak not of entrancing eyes in the assembly of the blind!
Although God is nearer to His servant than his
jugular vein (Koran L 16), He is far from those who are far
from Him.
Occupy yourself with your own inward self!
Then like moons the concealed maidens will come out in
theophany from behind their veils!
Although in this work you will be lost to
yourself and the world, outside of yourself and the world you
will be famous.
If you are the moon of union, give a sign of
your union! Tell of the arms, the silver breasts, and the faces
of the houris!
And if you are yellow gold from separation's
heartache, where is separation's burning brand? Only the coins
of the wretched are so dull and tarnished.
Since you have no love, at least perform the
duties of servanthood, for God will never neglect the wages of
the wage earners.
Know that love for god is Solomon's seal-how
should Solomon's income be related to the wages of ants?
Throw away the garments of thought and
cogitation, for the sun only shines upon the naked!
Seek refuge in the locks of Shams-i Tabrizi, for
they rain down musk and will protect you from tyrants.

-- Ghazal (Ode 2073)
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

[Sunlight] From whom comes this self-conceit of mine?

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

If I had any judgment and skill of my own,
my consideration and plans would all be under my control.

At night my consciousness would not leave against my will,
and the birds of my senses
would be secured within my own cage.

I would be aware of the stages journeyed by the soul
in unconsciousness, in sleep, and in times of trouble.

But since my hand is made empty
by His sovereign power to loosen and to bind,

O, I wonder,
from whom comes this self-conceit of mine?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar be khvisham hich rây o fann bodi
rây o tadbiram beh-hokm-e man bodi
Shab na-rafti hush bi farmân-e man
zir-e dâm-e man bodi morghân-e man
Budami âgah ze manzel-hâ-ye jân
vaqt-e khvâb o bihoshi o emtehân
Chon kaffam zin hall o `aqd-e U tohist
ay `ajab in mo`jebi-ye man ze kist

-- Mathnawi VI: 2324-2327
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, April 25, 2011

[Sunlight] A Great Rose Tree -- Ghazal 1348

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

A Great Rose Tree

This is the day and the year
of the rose. The whole garden

is opening with laughter. Iris
whispering to cypress. The rose

is the joy of meeting someone.
The rose is a world imagination

cannot imagine. A meessenger from
the orchard where the soul lives.

A small seed that points to a great
rose tree! Hold its hand and walk

like a child. A rose is what grows
from the work the prophets do.

Full moon, new moon. Accept the
invitation spring extends, four

birds flying toward a master. A rose
is all these, and the silence that

closes and sits in the shade, a bud.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1348
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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Friday, April 22, 2011

[Sunlight] Heart and mind -- Ghazal 609

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal 609, from the Diwan-e Shams, in a
poetic translation by Nader Khalili:

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

if you dwell very long
in a heart depressed and dark
be aware you've fallen low
in will and quest

a heart filled with grief
whirling and spinning endlessly
can never feel at peace

what makes you
tremble in fear
that's your true worth now

whatever seems to be
your healing source
is the cause of your pain

whatever you think
is sure secure and forever
is what has hunted you down

whenever your mind flies
it can only land
in the house of madness

whenever love arrives
there is no more space
for your self claim

a heart filled with love
is like a phoenix
that no cage can imprison

such a bird can only fly
above and beyond
any known universe

-- Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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Sunlight note: The "Divan-e Shams" is the "Collection of Shams", the collection of Rumi's lyrical "Ghazals" (Odes), named for his great friend, teacher, and inspiration, Shams of Tabriz. -- Sunlight Ed.

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

[Sunlight] A window for spiritual ideas

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

Let the skeptic know:
all that is absent in the world
is present to one who receives ideas from God.
To Mary, John the Baptist's mother would appear,
though she was far away from her.
You can see a friend even with your eyes shut,
when you've made the skin a window for spiritual ideas.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In be-dân k-ânkeh ahl-e khâterast
ghâyeb-e âfâq u-râ hâzerast
Pish-e Maryam hâzer âyad dar nazar
mâdar-e Yahyâ keh durast az basar
Did-hâ basteh be-binad dust-râ
chon moshabbak kardeh bâshad pust-râ

-- Mathnawi II:3612-3614
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

[Sunlight] A goodly core

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

The core of every fruit is better than its rind:
consider the body to be the rind,
and its friend the spirit to be the core.
After all, the Human Being has a goodly core;
seek it for one moment
if you are of those inspired by the Divine Breath.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Maghz-e har miveh behast az pustesh
pust dân tan-râ va maghz ân dustesh
Maghz naghzi dârad âkher Âdami
yek dami ân-râ talab gar ze ân Dami

-- Mathnawi III:3417-3418
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, April 18, 2011

[Sunlight] Auction -- Ghazal 735

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 735, in a version by Coleman
Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"Auction"

As elephants remember India
perfectly, as mind dissolves,

as song begins, as the glass

fills, wind rising, a roomful

of conversation, a sanctuary
of prostration, a bird lights

on my hand in this day born of
friends, this ocean covering

everything, all roads opening,
a person changing to kindness,

no one reasonable, religious
jargon forgotten, and Saladin

there raising his hand to bid
on the bedraggled boy Joseph.

Version by Coleman Barks
(based on a Nevit Ergin translation)
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Last night our elephant remembered India again, in frenzy
he was rending the veil of night till dawn.
Last night the flagons of the sakis were all overbrimming
- O may our life be like last night till the day of resurrection!
The wines were bubbling and the reasons were senseless on
account of him; may part and whole, thorn and rose by happy
because of his lovely face!
The cup-on-cup clamour of the drunkards mounted to
heaven; in our hands was the wine, and in our heads the wind.
Thousands of uproars fell upon the skies because of
these, there hundreds of thousands of Kai-Qubads were fallen pros-
trate.
The day of triumph and good fortune was contained in our
night; of the brethren of purity night suddenly gave birth to
such a day.
The sea broke into waves; heaven received a token of this
night, and in pride set that token on its head and face.
Whatever ways humanity had closed in darkness, the light
of divinity in compassion was opening up.
How should the sensible forms on account of that passion
remain in place? How should he remain in place who attains
this desire?
Begin life anew, Moslems! For the Beloved has converted
non-entity into being, and dispensed justice to the lovers.
Our Beloved henceforward holds the fallen to be pardon-
able, because wherever He is the saki no one remains on the
right course.
The surging of the sea of grace, Moslems, has wrecked the
pomp of personal effort and the programme of belief.
That grace is King Salah al-Din, for he is a Joseph whom the
Lord of Egypt himself must purchase at a great price.

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

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Friday, April 15, 2011

[Sunlight] Turned by the waves of Love

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

Know that the wheeling heavens are turned by waves of Love:
were it not for Love, the world would be frozen, stiff.
How would an inorganic thing transform into a plant?
How would living creatures sacrifice themselves
to become endowed with spirit?
How would the spirit sacrifice itself for the sake of that Breath
by which Mary was made pregnant?
Each one of them would be unyielding and immovable as ice:
how could they be flying and searching like locusts?
Every one is in love with that Perfection
and hastening upward like a sapling.
Their haste implicitly is saying, "Glory to God!"
They are purifying the body for the sake of the spirit.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dawr-e gardun-hâ ze mawj-e `Eshq dân
gar na-budi `Eshq be-fesordi jahân
Kay jamâdi mahv gashti dar nabât
kay fedâ-ye ruh gashti nâmiyât
Ruh kay gashti fedâ-ye ân Dami
kaz nasimesh hâmeleh shod Maryami
Har yeki bar jâ toranjidi cho yakh
kay bodi parrân o juyân chon malakh
Zarreh zarreh `âsheqân-e ân Kamâl
mi shetâbad dar `olu hamchon nehâl
Sabbaha Allâh hast eshtâbeshân
tanqiyeh-ye tan mi konad az bahr-e jân

-- Mathnawi V: 3854-3859
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, April 14, 2011

[Sunlight] "How Attraction Happens"

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

"How Attraction Happens"

Moses is talking to someone drunk with worshiping the golden
calf. "What happened to your

doubt? You used to be so skeptical of me. The Red Sea parted.
Food came every day in the

wilderness for forty years. A fountain sprang out of a rock.
You saw these things

and still reject the idea of prophethood. Then the magician
Samiri does a trick to make

the metal cow low, and immediately you kneel! What did that
hollow statue say? Have you

heard a dullness like your own?" This is how attraction
happens: people with nothing

they value delight in worthlessness. Someone who thinks
there's no meaning or purpose

feels drawn to images of futility. Each moves to be with
its own. The ox does not turn

toward a lion. Wolves have no interest in Joseph, unless
to devour him. But if a wolf

is cured of wolfishness, it will sleep close by Joseph,
like a dog in the presence of

meditators. Soul companionship gives safety and light
to a cave full of friends.

-- Mathnawi II: 2036-58
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

[Sunlight] Don't be surprised -- Quatrain 64

Today, Sunlight offers four interpretations of Quatrain 64:

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

When I die, lay out the corpse.
You may want to kiss my lips,
just beginning to decay. Don't be frightened
if I open my eyes.

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

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

when i die
hand me over
to my sweetheart
one kiss
on my dead lips
don't be surprised
if I come alive

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

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

When I die,
lay my copse to rest,
but do not be at all surprised
If His kiss on my tattered lips
brings me back to life.

-- Translation by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Whispers of the Beloved
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 1999

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

If I die, lay me next to the Beloved.

If He looks at me, don't be surprised.
If He kisses me on the lips, don't be surprised.
If I open my eyes and smile, don't be surprised.

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

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

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

[Sunlight] If you don’t know the way

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

If you have a touchstone, go ahead, choose;
otherwise, go and devote yourself
to one who knows the differences.
Either you must have a touchstone
within your own soul,
or if you don't know the way,
find someone who does.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar mehakk dâri gozin kon var nah raw
nazd-e dânâ khvishtan-râ kon geraw
Yâ mehakk bâyad miyân-e jân-e khvish
var na-dâni rah ma-raw tanhâ to pish

-- Mathnawi II:746-747
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Daylight
Threshold Books, 1994
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, April 11, 2011

[Sunlight] The servant who loved his prayers

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

THE SERVANT WHO LOVED HIS PRAYERS

At dawn a certain rich man
wanted to go to the steambaths,
He woke his servant, Sunqur,
"Ho! Get moving! Get the basin
and the towels and the clay for washing
and let's go to the baths."

Sunquer immediately collected what was needed,
and they set out side by side along the road.

As they passed the mosque, the call to prayer sounded.
Sunqur loved his five times prayer.
"Please, master,
rest on this bench for a while that I may recite sura 98,
which begins,
'You who treat your slave with kindness.' "

The master sat on the bench outside while Sunqur went in.
When prayers were over, and the priest and all the worshipers
had left, still Sunqur remained inside. The master waited
and waited. Finally he yelled into the mosque,
"Sunqur,
why don't you come out?"
"I can't. This clever one
won't let me. Have a little more patience.
I hear you out there."
Seven times the master waited,
and then shouted. Sunqur's reply was always the same,
"Not yet. He won't let me come out yet."
"But there's no one
in there but you. Everyone else has left.
Who makes you sit so long?"

"The one who keeps me in here is the one
who keeps you out there.
The same who will not let you in will not let me out."

The ocean will not allow its fish out of itself.
Nor does it let land animals in
where the subtle and delicate fish move.

The land creatures lumber along on the ground.
No cleverness can change this. There's only one
opener for the lock of these matters.

Forget your figuring. Forget your self. Listen to your Friend.
When you become totally obedient to that one,
you'll be free.

-- Mathnawi III: 3055-76
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

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Friday, April 08, 2011

[Sunlight] O lovers -- Ghazal 1374

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1374, in a translation by
Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi, a version by Jonathan Star,
and in a translation by William Chittick:

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

O lovers
Love will lay a carpet of treasures under your feet.
Musicians
Love will fill your drums with gold.
Thirsty ones
Love will turn your scorched desert
into a meadow of paradise.
Forsaken ones
Love will open the doors to the King's palace.
Alchemists
Love's alchemy will reshape gallows into altars.
Sinners
Love will change your apathy to faith.
Kings of the world
in love's hands you will melt like a candle.

To the parched lips of those who are
willing to surrender
Love will bring the wine that changes darkness
into vision, cruelty into compassion
and dust into precious incense.

Those who think the heart is only in the chest
take two or three steps and are content.
The rosary, the prayer rug and repentance
are paths that they mistake for the destination.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A BALL OF WAX

O lovers! O lovers! -
I can turn dust into diamonds!
O minstrels! O minstrels!
I can fill your tambourines with gold!

O thirsty souls! O thirsty souls!
I can give you water to drink,
I can turn this dustbin
into the flowing waters of paradise!

O beggar! O beggar!
Your desperate call is over.
I can turn your aching heart
into the King's crown!

O love! O love!
Pour down on this world.
I can turn every ruin into a mosque,
every gallows into a pulpit.

O skeptics! O skeptics!
I can open your heart!
I can pull the strings
that turn people toward doubt or faith.

O braggers! O braggers!
You are a ball of wax in my hand!
Become a sword
and I will turn you into a cup.
Become a cup
and I will turn you into a sword.

You began as a drop of semen,
then you became blood.
Now you have attained this wonderful form.
Come to me, O son of Adam,
I will make you even more beautiful.

I can turn sorrow into joy,
I can turn a wild beast into Joseph,
I can turn poison into nectar,
I can find all those who have gone astray.

O Saaqi! O Saaqi!
My mouth is open wide.
Let every dry mouth
be joined to the lip of your cup.

O garden! O garden!
Let me use your roses for my rosary
and I will let your flowers bloom in my heart.

O Heaven! O Heaven!
You'll be more confused than the narcissus
when I change dust into ambergris,
thorns into jasmine.

O Wisdom! O Wisdom!
You are the King of Truth
who offers a treasure to all those who ask.
Why should I say another word? -
What could I add to your endless giving?

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Oh lovers! Oh lovers! I turn dust into gems! Oh
minstrels! Oh minstrels! I fill your tambourines with gold!
Oh thirsty souls! Oh thirsty souls! Today I am
giving water to drink! I will transform this dustbin into
paradise, a celestial pool.
Oh helpless men! Oh helpless men! Relief has
come! Relief has come! I turn everyone with a wounded and
aching heart into a sultan, a Sanjar.
Oh elixir! Oh elixir! Look at me, for I transmute
a hundred monasteries into mosques, a hundred gallows into
pulpits!
Oh unbelievers! Oh unbelievers! I unfasten your
locks! For I am the absolute ruler: I make some people
believers, others unbelievers!
Oh sir! Oh sir! You are wax in my hands! If
you become a sword, I will make you a cup; if you become a
cup, I will make you into a sword.
You were a sperm-drop and became blood, then
you gained this harmonious form--come to me, oh son of
Adam! I will make you even more beautiful.
I turn grief into joy and guide the lost, I make
the wolf into Joseph and poison into sugar!
Oh sakis! Oh sakis! I have opened my mouth in
order to marry every dry lip to the lip of the cup!
Oh rosegarden! Oh rosegarden! Borrow roses
from my rosery! Then I will place your sweet herbs next to
the lotus.
Oh heaven! Oh heaven! You will become even
more bewildered than the narcissus when I make dust into
ambergris, thorns into jasmine.
Oh Universal Intellect! Oh Universal Intellect!
Whatever you say is true. You are the ruler, you are
munificent--let me stop my speaking.

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

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

~

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Thursday, April 07, 2011

[Sunlight] Spare no effort

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

The worm is in the root of the body's tree;
it must be dug out and burned.
Travelers, it is late.
Life's sun is going to set.
During these brief days that you have strength,
be quick and spare no effort of your wings.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kerm dar bikh-e derakht-e tan fotâd
bâyadesh bar konad va dar âtesh nehâd
Hin o hin ay râh-raw bigâh shod
âftâb-e `omr su-ye châh shod
in do ruzak-râ keh zuret hast zud
par afshâni be-kon az râh-e jud

-- Mathnawi II: 1264-1266
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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Wednesday, April 06, 2011

[Sunlight] Choosing to burn -- Ghazal 2523

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal 2523, from the Diwan-e Shams, in poetic
translation by Nader Khalili, and in literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

my dear heart
you're a fire worshiper
an explosive in flame

call on the cupbearer
to sprinkle the wine on you
to soothe your burn with water

that special cupbearer
the same one who sizzles
lives with wine and lips with kisses

the one who first calmed my mind
gave me a cup of fiery wine
and took me to a secret house
in that special house
dwelled a precious sweetheart
who offered me a choice

a tray full of gold
a tray full of flame
a few words i was told

this gold is soaked with fire
this fire is filled with gold
if you choose fire you'll end up with gold

if you choose the burden of gold
you'll lay heavy and cold
take the fire of the beloved and leap with joy

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

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

Fire-worshipping heart of mine who spins like a ball in the fire*,
say to the Saqi, "Quick now, a glass of lees to begin with!"
Come, lip-biting Saqi, cook with wine and raw ones; bravo,
garden and orchard of vine from which you pressed the grapes!
I will give a hint no one gives; the hint is this, O fair of
stature, that on that night you transported me unselfed, you com-
mitted me to that moonface of mine.
You, reason, do you remember how, when the king of reason
out of love bestowed that fiery wine on me, at the first breath
you died?
That darling brought two dishes, one of fire, one full of gold;
if you take gold, it becomes fire, and if you set on fire, you win
the game.
See the proud Saqi! Extinguish that pretty fire! What do you
know of the power of fire, for there you are a little child?
Get out of the fire, you will rise happy out of Shams-al-din
Tabrizi; and if you flee into the gold, like gold you will have
congealed.

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

* Perhaps a better translation is,
"... who burns like sulphur in a fire". (Arberry's footnote)

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

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Tuesday, April 05, 2011

[Sunlight] Since you wish it so, God wishes it so

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

Since you wish it so, God wishes it so;
God grants the desires of the devoted.
In the past it was as if he belonged to God,
but now "God belongs to him"* has come in recompense.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon chonin khâvhi Khodâ khvâhad chonin
mi dehad Haqq ârzu-ye mottaqin
"Kâna lillâh" budeh-'i dar mâ-mazâ
tâ keh "Kâna Allâh"* pish âmad jazâ

*From a hadith of the Prophet: Whoever is for God,
God is for him (man kâna lillâh, kâna Allah lahu)

-- Mathnawi IV:6-7
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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[Sunlight] Since you wish it so, God wishes it so

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

Since you wish it so, God wishes it so;
God grants the desires of the devoted.
In the past it was as if he belonged to God,
but now "God belongs to him"* has come in recompense.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon chonin khâvhi Khodâ khvâhad chonin
mi dehad Haqq ârzu-ye mottaqin
"Kâna lillâh" budeh-'i dar mâ-mazâ
tâ keh "Kâna Allâh"* pish âmad jazâ

*From a hadith of the Prophet: Whoever is for God,
God is for him (man kâna lillâh, kâna Allah lahu)

-- Mathnawi IV:6-7
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, April 04, 2011

[Sunlight] Drowned in roses from the beloved -- Ghazal 1051

Here, Sunlight offers a version of Ghazal 1051, developed by
Professor Barks, from a translation by John Moyne, accompanied by a
literal translation by Dr. Ibrahim Gamard:

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

The Tent

Outside, the freezing desert night.
This other night inside grows warm, kindling.
Let the landscape be covered with a thorny crust.
We have a soft garden in here.
The continents blasted,
cities and little towns, everything
become a scorched, blackened ball.

The news we hear is full of grief for that future,
but the real news inside here
is that there's no news at all.

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

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

It was night, but (only) to strangers;
my night is (kept) day from the face of the beloved.

Even if the world is completely filled with thorns,
we are (kept) drowned in roses from the beloved.

Even if the world becomes ruined and (then) built up,
the (mystic's) heart is (kept) "drunk" and the ruin* of the
beloved.

Since the news is all sadness and weariness,
the absence of news (is) the source of (real) news!

-- Translation (c)Ibrahim Gamard, 1998

*drunkards went to ruins to get "ruined."

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

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Spare no effort

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

-- Mathnawi II: 1264-1266
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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Friday, April 01, 2011

[Sunlight] Behold the faithfulness of spring

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

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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