Sunlight: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

[Sunlight] The fantasies of your slumber

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Many set out from the very spot
where the object of their quest is to be found.
The far sight and boasting of the sleeper is no use;
it is nothing but a fantasy—don't be caught by it.
You are sleepy, but at least sleep on the Way:
for God's sake, sleep on the Way of God,
that by chance a traveler on the Way may stumble upon you
and tear you from the fantasies of your slumber.
The sleeper dreams of the dire pangs of thirst,
while the water is nearer to him than the neck vein.*

~ ~ ~ ~

Bas kasâ `azmi be-jâyi mi konad
az maqâmi k-ân `arz dar vay bovad
Did o lâf-e khofteh mi na-âyad be-kâr
joz khayâli nist dast az vay be-dâr
Khvâbnâki lik ham bar râh khosp
Allâh Allâh bar rah-e Allâh khosp
Tâ bovad keh sâleki bar to zanad
az khayâlât-e no`âset bar konad
Khofteh mi binad `atash-hâ-ye shadid
âb aqrab minhu min habl al-warid*

*Qâf, 16

-- Mathnawi IV: 3234-3237; 3241
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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Monday, May 30, 2011

[Sunlight] God in the Stew -- Ghazal 958

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God in the Stew

Is there a human mouth that doesn't
give out love-sound? Is there love,

a drawing-together of any kind, that
isn't sacred? Every natural dog

sniffs God in the stew. The lion's
paw trembles like a rose petal.

He senses the ultimate spear coming.
In the shepherd's majesty wolves

and lambs tease each other. Look
inside your mind. Do you hear

the crowd gathering? Help coming,
every second. Still you cover

your eyes with mud. Watch the horned
owl. Wash your face. Anyone who

steps into an orchard walks inside
the orchard keeper. Millions of

love-tents bloom on the plain. A
star in your chest says, None

of this is outside you. Close your
lips and let the maker of mouths

talk, the one who says things.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 958
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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Friday, May 27, 2011

[Sunlight] The Worker is hidden in the workshop

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The Worker is hidden in the workshop:
enter the workshop if you want to see Him.
When the work weaves a veil over the Worker,
outside of that work you cannot see Him.
Since the workshop is where He is,
the one outside is unaware of Him.
So come into the workshop—that is to say,
nonexistence—and see
the work together with the Worker.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kâr-kon dar kâr-gah bâshad nehân
to be-raw dar kâr-gah binash `iyân
Kâr chon bar Kâr-kon pardeh tanid
khârej-e ân kâr na-tavânish did
Kâr-gah chon jâ-ye bâsh `âmelast
ânke birun ast az vay ghâfelast
Pas dar â dar kâr-gah ya`ni `adam
tâ be-bini son` o Sâne`-râ be-ham

-- Mathnawi II: 759-762
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Thursday, May 26, 2011

[Sunlight] If there's no wall -- Quatrain 511

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 511:

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The clear bead at the center changes everything.
There are no edges to my loving now.

I've heard it said there's a window that opens
from one mind to another,

but if there's no wall, there's no need
for fitting the window, or the latch.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His sweet water cleansed my soul
and removed its every sorrow.
Now we are joined in perfect union.

They say love opens a door
from one heart to another;
But if there is no wall
how can there be a door?

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

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

[Sunlight] If you can only reflect like a clean mirror -- 3264

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if you can only reflect
like a clean mirror
you'll be that magical spirit

transmute from a wave
to an ocean
from an abyss
to surpass an angel

your soul and mine
used to be mingled
breathing as one
journeying as one

though you're in the limelight now
you must still kiss a candle
to feel the essence
to feel the light

-- Ghazal (Ode) 3264
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

[Sunlight] Go, seek the water!

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Know that the outward form passes away,
but the world of reality remains forever.
How long will you play at loving the shape of the jug?
Leave the jug; go, seek the water!

~ ~ ~

Surat-e zâher fanâ gardad be-dân
`âlam-e ma`nâ be-mânad jâvedân
Chand bâzi `eshq bâ naqsh-e sabu
be-gozar az naqsh-e sabu raw âb ju

-- Mathnawi II:1020-1021
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Monday, May 23, 2011

[Sunlight] Out of my own control -- Ghazal 1688

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1688, from the Divan-e Shams, in the version which Coleman Barks derived from the Arberry translation, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"I Am Not This"

I am not this. Your beauty closes
my eyes, and I am falling into

that. You cut the umbilical with
this love that's been with me since

birth. My mother saw your mountain
reflected in my face, you that lift

coverings, you that bring death. We
agreed on this before creation. I've

been so hidden. Ask my body who I
am. It says "solid ground." Ask my

soul. "Dizzy as the wind." Neither,
I stand here facing Shams of Tabriz.

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have got out of my own control, I have fallen into uncon-
sciousness; in my utter unconsciousness how joyful I am with
myself!
The darling sewed up my eyes so that I might not see other
than him, so that suddenly I opened my eyes on his face.
My soul fought with me saying, "Do not pain me"; I said,
"Take your divorce." She said, "Grant it"; I granted it.
When my mother saw on my cheek the brand of your love she
cut my umbilical cord on that, the moment I was born.*
If I travel to heaven and read the Tablet of the Unseen, O you
who are my soul's salvation, without you how I am ruined!*
When you cast aside the veil the dead became alive; the light
of your face reminded me of the Covenant of Alast.*
When I became lost, O soul, through love of the king of the
peris, hidden from self and creatures, I am as if peri-born myself.
I said to the Tabriz of Shams-e Din, "O body, what are you?"
Body said, "Earth"; Soul said, "I am distraught like the wind."

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

* "the moment I was born" -- To experience divine love is a spiritual regeneration or birth for a Sufi. This is why the soul
in the world is compared to the embryo in the womb, and when it becomes a babejust born into a new world. Cf. Math. notes, 1: 19, 3180. Rumi says that such a love was inborn in him and from the beginning he embarked on his Sufi mission. "On that" refers to that love. It was a common superstition that if, while cutting the umbilical cord, one made a wish, the child would attain it.

* "Lawh-e gayb" (the Unseen Tablet) seems to be the same as
"lawh-e mahfuz (the Preserved tablet, Quran 85:22) which refers to
the Quran. It is said to have been in heaven before its revelation.
The Sufis interpret it as the First Intelligence (aql-e avval) or Logos
or the Active Intellect (aql-e fa'al). See Sajjadi, "Farshang-erfani",
405, and Nicholson's note on Math. 1:296.

* Covenant of Alast: "Alastu bi rabbikum?", "Am I not your Lord?"
(Quran 7:171). Thus God addressed the future generations of men
(according to the Sufis their souls). They answered "Yes", and
acknowledged God's right to judge their actions and to punish their
sins.

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Friday, May 20, 2011

[Sunlight] From a thought, every craft in the world

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When you see that from a thought
every craft in the world arises and subsists—
that houses and palaces and cities,
mountains and plains and rivers,
earth and ocean as well as sun and sky,
derive their life from it as fish from the sea—
then why in your foolishness, O blind one,
does the body seem to you a Solomon,
and thought only as an ant?

~ ~ ~

Pas cho mi bini keh az andisheh-'i
qâyemast andar jahân har pisheh-'i
Khâneh-hâ o qasr-hâ o shahr-hâ
kuh-hâ o dasht-hâ o nahr-hâ
Ham zamin o bahr va ham mehr o falak
zendeh az vay hamcho az daryâ samak
Pas che-râ az ablahi pish-e to kur
tan Solaymânast va andisheh cho mur

-- Mathnawi, II:1034-1037
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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Thursday, May 19, 2011

[Sunlight] Thorn witness -- Ghazal 445

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Thorn Witness

Apparent shapes and meanings change.
Creature hunts down creature. Bales

get unloaded and weighed to determine
price. None of any of this pertains

to the unseen fire we call the Beloved.
That presence has no form, and cannot

be understood or measured. Take
your hands away from your face. If

a wall of dust moves across the plain,
there's usually an army advancing

under it. When you look for the Friend,
the Friend is looking for you. Carried

by a strong current, you and the others
with you seem to be making decisions,

but you're not. I weave coarse wool.
I decide to talk less. By my actions

cause nothing. A thorn grows next to
the rose as its witness. I am that

thorn for whom simply to be is an act
of praise. Near the rose, no shame.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 445
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

[Sunlight] Love embraces all -- Quatrain 758

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of
Quatrain 758:

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

any one in love
will have no religion
in the religion of love
there is no heresy or faith
love know no
body heart or soul
there is only
oneness and no more

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

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

Be certain
in the religion of Love
there are no
believers or unbelievers.
Love embraces all.

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

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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

[Sunlight] Love hath naught to do with the five senses

Today, Sunlight offers a selection from the Mathnawi, from the
classic translation by Professor Nicholson, with a Persian
transliteration by Dr. Gamard:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mathnawi VI, 5-21

Love hath naught to do with the five (senses) and the six
(directions): its goal is only (to experience) the attraction
exerted by the Beloved.
Afterwards, maybe, permission will come (from God): the secrets
that ought to be told will be told,
With an eloquence that is nearer (to the understanding) than these
subtle recondite allusions.
The secret is partner with none but the knower of the secret;
in the sceptic's ear the secret is no secret (at all).
But (the command) to call (the people to God) comes down from the
Maker: what has he (the prophet or saint) to do with (their)
acceptance or non-acceptance?
Noah continued to call (the people to God) for nine hundred years:
the unbelief of his folk was increasing from moment to moment.
Did he ever pull back the rein of speech? Did he ever creep into
the cave of silence?
He said (to himself), "Does a caravan ever turn back from a
journey on account of the noise and clamour of dogs?
Or on a night of moonlight is the running of the full-moon in its
course retarded by the dog's outcry?
The moon sheds light and the dog barks: every one proceeds
according to his nature.
(The Divine) Destiny hath allotted to every one a certain service,
suitable to his essential nature, (to be performed) in (the way of)
probation.
Since the dog will not leave off his pestilent howling, I (who)
am the moon, how should I abandon my course?"
Inasmuch as the vinegar increases acidity, therefore it is
necessary to increase the sugar.
Wrath is (like) vinegar, mercy like honey; and these twain are
the basis of every oxymel.
If the honey fail to withstand (be overpowered by) the vinegar,
the oxymel will be spoilt.
The people were pouring vinegar on him (Noah), and the Ocean
(of Divine Bounty) was pouring more sugar for Noah.
His sugar was replenished from the Sea of Bounty, therefore
it was exceeding the vinegar of (all) the inhabitants of the world.

-- "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"

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

`ishq-râ bâ panj-o bâ shash kâr nêst
maqSad-é ô joz ke jaZb-é yâr nêst

bowk fî-mâ ba`d dastûrê ras-ad
râz-hâ-yé goftanî gofta shaw-ad

bâ bayânê ke bow-ad nazdêktar
zîn kinâyât-é daqîq-é mustatar

râz joz bâ râz-dân anbâz nêst
râz andar gôsh-é munkir râz nêst

lêk da`wat wârid-ast az kerdegâr
bâ qabûl-o nâ-qabûl ô-râ che kâr?

nûH nohSad sâl da`wat mê-namûd
dam ba-dam inkâr-é qawm-ash mê-fozûd

hêch az goftan `inân wâ pas kashîd
hêch andar ghâr-é khâmôshî khazîd?

goft az bâng-o `alâlâ-yé sag-ân
hêch wâ gard-ad ze râhê kârwân?

yâ shab-é mahtâb az ghawghâ-yé sag
sost gard-ad badr-râ dar sayr-tag?

mah fashân-ad nûr-o sag `aw`aw kon-ad
har kasê bar khilqat-é khwad mê-tan-ad

har kasê-râ khidmatê dâda qaZâ
dar khwar-é ân, gawhar-ash dar ibtilâ

chônke nag'Zâr-ad sag ân na`ra-yé saqam
man mah-am sayrân-é khwad-râ chôn hel-am?

chônke serka serkagî afzûn kon-ad
pas shakar-râ wâjib afzûnî bow-ad

qahr serka, luTf hamchûn angabîn
k-în dô bâsh-ad rukn-é har iskanjabîn

angabîn gar pâ-yé kam âr-ad ze khal
ây-ad ân iskanjabîn andar khalal

qawm bar way sarke-hâ mê-rêkht-and
nûH-râ daryâ fazûn mê-rêkht qand

qand-é ô-râ bod madad az baHr-é jûd
pas ze serka-yé ahl-é `âlam mê-fazûd

-- Mathnawi VI, 5-21
Transliteration (c) by Ibrahim Gamard

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Monday, May 16, 2011

[Sunlight] Unending thirst -- Ghazal 1823

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1823, in a version by Coleman Barks,
and in the translation by A.J. Arberry, upon which Barks based his
version:

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

I don't get tired of You. Don't grow weary
of being compassionate toward me!

All this thirst-equipment
must surely be tired of me,
the waterjar, the water-carrier.

I have a thirsty fish in me
that can never find enough
of what it's thirsty for!

Show me the way to the Ocean!
Break these half measures,
these small containers.

All this fantasy
and grief.

Let my house be drowned in the wave
that rose last night out of the courtyard
hidden in the center of my chest.

Joseph fell like the moon into my well.
The harvest I expected was washed away
But no matter.

A fire has risen above my tombstone hat.
I don't want learning, or dignity,
or respectability.

I want this music and this dawn
and the warmth of your cheek against mine.

The grief-armies assemble,
but I'm not going with them.

This is how it always is
when I finish a poem.

A Great Silence overcomes me,
and I wonder why I ever thought
to use language.

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

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

I become not satiated with you-- this is my only sin; be not
satiated with compassion for me, O my refuge in both worlds!
Satiated and weary of me have become his jar, and water-
carrier and waterskin; every moment my water-seeking fish
becomes thirstier.
Break the pitcher, tear up the waterskin, I am going towards
the sea; make clear my road.
How long will the earth become mire from my teardrops?
How long will the sky be darkened by the grief and smoke of
my sighs?
How long will my heart lament, "Alas, my heart, my ruined
heart?" How long will my lips wail before the phantom of my
king?
Go towards the sea from which the wave of delight is coming;
behold how my house and hospice are drowned in its wave.
Last night the water of life surged from the courtyard of my
house; my Joseph yesterday fell like the moon into my well.*
Suddenly the torrent came and swept all my harvest away;
smoke mounted from my heart, my grain and chaff were con-
sumed.
Though my harvest is gone, I will not grieve; why should I
grieve? The halo of the light of my moon is more than enough
for a hundred like me.
He entered my heart; his image was a fire. the fire rose over
my head; my cap was consumed.
He said, "Concerts impair and respect." You can have
dignity, for this love is my luck and dignity.**
I desire not intellect and wisdom; his learning is enough for
me. The light of his cheek at midnight is the blaze of my dawn.
The army of sorrow is mustering; I will not grieve at his army
because my horses, squadron on squadron, have seized even
heaven.
After every ode my heart repents of discoursing; the sum-
mons of my God waylays my heart.

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

* The water of life (Ab-e hayvan or hayat) is the Fountain of Life in the Land of
Darkness. Nizami in his Sikandar-nama describes how Alexander was guided by
the prophet Khidr to the Fountain but could not reach it.
The reflection of the moon in the well is likened to Joseph cast by his brothers
into a dark well. Cf. Qur'an 12.
**Sama', which here has been translated as "concert," is the mystic dance of the
Mevlevi darvishes accompanied by the flute and the recital of ghazals. The musi-
cal quality of most of the poems in the Divan-e Shams makes them ideal for such
performances, and apparently Rumi had this particular point in mind when he
wrote them) cf.p. 3 in the introduction to the First Selection). Here Rumi op-
posed those Sufis and orthodox Muslims who were against the sama' as a ritual.
There have been numerous pro and con discussions on the subject in Islamic
literature, and for instance one can refer to al-Gazali) Kimiya-ye Sa'adat,
Tehran, 1954, chap.15) who considers the charms of music of great help in
drawing the sensitive heart toward God.

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

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Friday, May 13, 2011

[Sunlight] Escape from it before it flies from you

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

The penetrating intellect, when separated from its friends,
becomes like an archer whose bow is broken.
When something makes you rejoice in this world,
consider at that moment the parting from it.
Many have been gladdened by what made you glad,
yet in the end like the wind it escaped.
It will escape from you, too: don't set your heart upon it.
Escape from it before it flies from you.
Before the slipping away of your possessions,
say to the form of created things, like Mary,
"I take refuge from you with the Merciful God."*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

`Aql-e darrâk az ferâq-e dustân
hamcho tir-andâz eshkasteh kamân
Harche az vay shâd gardi dar jahân
az ferâq-e u biyandish ân zamân
Zânche gashti shâd bas kas shâd shod
âkher az vay jast va hamchon bâd shod
Az to ham be-jahad to del bar vay ma-neh
pish az ân ku be-jahad az vay to be-jah
Hamcho Maryam gui pish az fawt-e molk
naqsh-râ ka-al-`awdh "bi-al-Rahmâni mink"*

*Maryam, 18

-- Mathnawi III: 3693; 3698-3700
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

[Sunlight] The thief among us -- Ghazal 2172

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2172, from Rumi's
"Diwan-eShams", in versions by Coleman Barks and
Kabir Helminski, and in a translation by Peter Lamborn
Wilson and Nasrullah Pourjavadi:

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

Totally conscious, and apropos of nothing, he comes to see me.
Is someone here? I ask.
The moon. The full moon is inside your house.

My friends and I go running out into the street.
I'm in here, comes a voice from the house, but we aren't
listening.
We're looking up at the sky.
My pet nightingale sobs like a drunk in the garden.
Ringdoves scatter with small cries. Where, Where.
It's midnight. The whole neighborhood is up and out in
the street
thinking, The cat-burglar has come back.
The actual thief is there too, saying out loud,
Yes, the cat-burglar is somewhere in this crowd.
No one pays attention.

Lo, I am with you always, means when you look for God,
God is in the look of your eyes,
in the thought of looking, nearer to you than your self,
or things that have happened to you.
There's no need to go outside.
Be melting snow.
Wash yourself of yourself.

A white flower grows in the quietness.
Let your tongue become that flower.

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

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

"And He is With Us"

Totally unexpected my guest arrived.
"Who is it?" asked my heart.
"The face of the moon," said my soul.

As he entered the house,
we all ran into the street madly looking for the moon.
"I'm in here," he was calling from inside,
but we were calling him outside unaware of his call.
Our drunken nightingale is singing in the garden,
and we are cooing like doves, "Where, where, where?"

A crowd formed: "Where's the thief?"
And the thief among us is saying,
"Yeah, where's the thief?"
All our voices became mixed together
and not one voice stood out from the others.

"And He is with you" means He is searching with you.
He is nearer to you than yourself. Why look outside?
Become like melting snow; wash yourself of yourself.
With love your inner voice will find a tongue
growing like a silent white lily in the heart.

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

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

A Thief in The Night

Suddenly
(yet somehow expected)
he arrived, the guest....
the heart trembling "Who's there?"

and soul responding
"The Moon..."
came into the house, and we lunatics
ran into the street, stared up
looking
for the moon.

Then--inside the house--
he cried out "Here I am !"
and we, beyond earshot
lunning around, calling him...

crying for him
for the drunken nightingale
locked lamenting
in our garden
while we mourning ringdoves
murmured "Where Where?"

As if at midnight
the sleepers bolt upright
in their beds
hearing a thief
break into the house
they stumble about
crying "Help!
A thief! A thief!"

but the burglar himself
mingles in the confusion
echoing their cries:
"..... a thief!"
till one cry
melts with the others.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2172
"The Drunken Universe"
Translation by Peter Lamborn Wilson with Nasrullah
Pourjavadi
Omega Publications, New Lebanon, 1987

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

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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

[Sunlight] His Mercy veils the sinner many times

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

When you have done wrong, be wary, don't be complacent,
for that evil is a seed God may cause to grow.
He covers it up for a while
and offers you a chance to feel sorrow and shame.
In the time of `Umar, that Prince of the Faithful
turned a thief over for punishment.
The thief cried out, "O Prince of the land,
this is my first offense, have mercy!"
"God forbid," said `Umar, "that the Merciful
should inflict punishment the first time.
His Mercy veils the sinner many times;
until His Justice can no longer be withheld.
At last both these attributes are displayed:
the former to bring hope and the latter to deter."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chonke bad kardi be-tars âmen ma-bâsh
zânke tokhm ast va be-ruyânad Khodâsh
Chand gâhi U be-pushânad keh tâ
âyadet ze ân bad pashimân o hayâ
`Ahd-e `Omar ân Amir-e Mo'menân
dâd dozd-râ be-jallâd o `evân
Bâng zad ân dozd k-"Ay Mir-e diyâr
avvalin bârast jormam zinhâr"
Goft `Omar "Hâsha lillâh keh Khodâ
bâr-e avval qahr bârad dar jazâ
Bâr-hâ pushad pay-e ez'hâr Fazl
bâz girad az pay-e ez'hâr `adl
Tâ keh in har do sefat zâher shavad
ân mobashsher gardad in monzer shavad"

-- Mathnawi IV:165-171
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, May 09, 2011

[Sunlight] The gift of water

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

"The Gift of Water"

Someone who doesn't know the Tigris River exists
brings the caliph who lives near the river
a jar of fresh water. The caliph accepts, thanks him,
and gives in return a jar filled with gold coins.

"Since this man has come through desert,
he should return by water." Taken out by another door,
the man steps into a waiting boat
and sees the wide freshwater of the Tigris.
He bows his head, "What wonderful kindness
that he took my gift."

Every object and being in the universe is
a jar overfilled with wisdom and beauty,
a drop of the Tigris that cannot be contained
by any skin. Every jarful spills and makes the earth
more shining, as though covered in satin.
If the man had seen even a tributary
of the great river, he wouldn't have brought
the innocence of his gift.

Those that stay and live by the Tigris
grow so ecstatic that they throw rocks at jugs,
and the jugs become perfect!

They shatter.
The pieces dance, and water...

Do you see?
Neither jar, nor water, nor stone,
nothing.

You knock at the door of reality,
shake your thought-wings, loosen
your shoulders,
and open.

-- Mathnavi 1: 2850-70
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

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Friday, May 06, 2011

[Sunlight] The sea is seeking you

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

Silence is the sea, and speech is like the river.
The sea is seeking you: don't seek the river.
Don't turn your head away from the signs offered by the sea.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khâmoshi bahrast va goftan hamcho ju
bahr mi juyad torâ ju-râ ma-ju
Az eshârât-hâ-ye daryâ sar ma-tâb
khatm kon wa-Allâhu a`lam bi-al-sawâb

-- Mathnawi IV:2062-2063
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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Thursday, May 05, 2011

[Sunlight] O, how the Beloved fits inside my heart

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 569:

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

This moment this love comes to rest in me,
many beings in one being.
In one wheat-grain a thousand sheaf stacks.
Inside the needle's eye, a turning night of stars.

- Version by Coleman Barks,
from a translation by John Moyne
"Unseen Rain"
Quatrains of Rumi
Threshold Books, 1986

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O how the Beloved fits inside my heart;
Like a thousand souls in one body,
A thousand harvests in one sheaf of wheat,
A thousand whirling heavens
in the eye of a needle.

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

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

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Wednesday, May 04, 2011

[Sunlight] In every breath

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

in every breath
if you're the center
of your own desires
you'll lose the grace
of your beloved

but if in every breath
you blow away
your self claim
the ecstasy of love
will soon arrive

in every breath
if you're the center
of your own thoughts
the sadness of autumn
will fall on you

but if in every breath
you strip naked
just like a winter
the joy of spring
will grow from within

all your impatience
comes from the push
for gain of patience
let go of the effort
and peace will arrive

all your unfulfilled desires
are from your greed
for gain of fulfillments
let go of them all
and they will be sent as gifts

fall in love with
the agony of love
not the ecstasy
then the beloved
will fall in love with you

-- Ghazal (Ode) 323
Translation by Nader Khalili
Rumi, Fountain of Fire
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

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Tuesday, May 03, 2011

[Sunlight] Hundreds of thousands of trials

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

There are hundreds of thousands of trials for anyone who claims,
"I am the commander of the gate."
If the vulgar don't put him to the test,
the adepts of the way will demand the token of his sincerity.
When a roughneck pretends to be a tailor,
the king will throw down a piece of satin in front of him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sad hazârân emtehânast ay pedar
har keg guyad "Man shodam sarhang-e dar"
Gar na-dânad `âmmeh u-râ ze emtehân
pokhtegân-e râh juyandesh neshân
Chon konad da`vâ khayyâti khasi
afgand dar pish-e u shah atlasi

-- Mathnawi III: 682-684
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, May 02, 2011

[Sunlight] Stranded Somewhere -- Ghazal 926

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

Stranded Somewhere

If you are the body, that one is the soul
of the universe. If you're the soul, that

one is the soul within all souls. Wherever
you go, whatever you are, listen for the

voice that asks, "Who will be sacrificed
tonight? "Jump up and volunteer! Accept

this cup that is offered every second.
Love has written the thousand subtleties

of this call on my face. Read. If you're
bored and contemptuous, love is a walk in

a meadow. If you're stranded somewhere
and exhausted, love is an Arabian horse.

The ocean feeds itself to its fish. If
you're ocean fish, why bother with bread

the ground grows? These jars of grief and
trouble we call bodies, throw stones and

break them! My cage is this longing for
Shams. Be my worst enemy: shatter it!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 926
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

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