Friday, July 29, 2011

[Sunlight] Stir up the dust from the sea -- Ghazal 1095

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1095, from Rumi's Diwan-e
Shams, in a version by Kabir Helminski, and in translation by A.J.
Arberry:

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

"Sweep the Dust off the Sea"

The Beautiful One handed me a broom and said,
"Sweep the dust from the sea!",

then burned the broom in the fireplace and said,
"Give me back my broom."

Bewildered, I put my head to the ground.
"In real submission there's no longer
even someone to bow."

"But how?"
"Without hesitation or anything of yourself."

I bared my neck and said,
"Sever me from myself with Ali's sword."

But as I was struck, and struck again,
countless heads appeared.

As if I were a lamp, and each head a wick,
flames rose on every side,

countless candle-eyed heads,
a procession spanning East and West.
But what is East or West within placelessness?

It's all a furnace and a bath house.
Your heart is cool; how long will you lie in this
warm bath house?

Leave the bath house and its stove.
Undress yourself in the inner world
and appreciate the frescoes, the beautiful figures,
colored with the hues of the tulip bed;
look towards the window that lets in the light.

The six directions are the bath house,
and a window opens toward the placeless.
Above it is the beauty of a Sovereign

from whose reflection the earth and the sky
received their color, from Whom soulfulness
has rained down upon the Turk and Zanzibari.

The day is gone, and my story ends.
Night and day are shamed by my beauty's story.

The sun of Tabriz keeps me
drunk and languishing in this state.

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

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

That beauty handed me a broom saying, "Stir up the dust from
the sea!"
He then burned the broom in the fire saying, "Bring up the
broom out of the fire!"
In bewilderment I made prostration before him; he said,
"Without a prostrator, offer a graceful prostration!"
"Ah, how prostrate with out a prostrator?" He said, "Uncondi-
tionally, without personal impulse."
I lowered my neck and said, "Cut off the head of a prostrator
with Dhu 'l-Faqar."*
The more he struck with the sword, the more my head grew,
till heads a myriad sprouted from my neck.
I was a lamp, and every head of mine was a wick; sparks
flew on every side.
Candles sprang out of my heads, east to west was filled
with the train.
What are east and west in the placeless? A dark bath-stove,
and a bath at work.*
You whose temperament is cold, where is the anxiety of your
heart? How long is this dwelling at rest in these baths?
Go forth from the baths and enter not the stove*; strip yourself,
and look upon those paintings and figures.*
Until you behold the ravishing figures, until you behold the
hues of the tulip-bed.
When you have beheld, look toward the window, for that
beauty became a beauty through the reflection of the window.
The six directions are the bath, and the window is the place-
less; above the window is the beauty of the Prince.
Earth and water acquired colour from his reflection, soul
rained on Turk and Zanzibari.
The day is gone, and my story has not grown short -- O night
and day put to shame by this tale!
King Shams al-Din-i Tabrizi keeps me intoxicated, crop-sick-
ness upon crop sickness.

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
University of Chicago Press, 1979

* Dhu 'l-Faqar -- Ali's sword, symbolizing death.
* "enter not the stove" -- for the comparson of the world with a bath-stove, see Mathnawi IV: 238-56.
* "Paintings and figures" - Persian baths were decorated with
frescoes; the symbol is of material forms of spiritual beauty.

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 28, 2011

[Sunlight] "Bust if you are happy"

~

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

When you whirl, your eye sees the room whirling, too.
If you sail in a ship over the sea,
it seems the seashore is running past.
If your heart is oppressed with struggle,
the whole atmosphere of the world feels tight;
but if you are happy as your friends would wish,
this world seems to be a garden of roses.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar to bar-gardi va bar-gardad saret
khâneh-râ gardandeh binad manzaret
Var to dar kashti ravi bar yamm ravân
sâhel-e yamm-râ hami bini davân
Gar to bâshi tang-del az malhameh
tang bini jawv-e donyâ-râ hameh
Var to bâshi be-kâm-e dustân
in jahân be-namâyadet chon golestân

-- Mathnawi IV: 2369-2373
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

[Sunlight] Oh formless Heart-ravisher! -- Ghazal 2331

~


Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2331, in translations by Professor Arberry and Professor Chittick:

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


Oh formless Heart-ravisher! Oh unformed Form-maker!
Oh Thou who hast given a goblet full of uproar to the lovers!

Thou hast shut my mouth lest I voice the mysteries, and
in the breast Thou hast opened the door I cannot name.

As soon as Thy Beauty threw off its veil in secret, my heart
fell to the saki and my head to the wine.

It was morning, and Thy Image went mounted on its steed.
Holy spirits, innumerable as sand, went on foot.

And those who are famous for their glorification of Thee in
heaven broke their rosaries and pawned their prayer carpets.

The spirit cannot bear to see Thy Face unveiled, and Thy
Beauty is greater than whatever I say.

My spirit is a drunken camel following behind Thee, my
body a collar around the camel's neck.

Shams of God Tabrizi! My heart is pregnant from Thee!
When will I see the child born of Thy auspiciousness!

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


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

O formless Beloved of the pure form-fashioner, O you who
have given the cup full of tumult to the lovers,

You have closed your mouth against uttering secrets, and
opened in the heart the door which I do not mention.

Since your beauty secretly cast off the veil, heart has gone
after saki and hand after wine.

In the monring when your image drove forth riding, holy
spirits, as numberless as the sand, followed on foot;

And those who are famous in heaven for their adoration broke
their rosaries and pawned their prayer rugs.

They cannot endure to gaze on your face unveiled; your beauty
exceeds all that I say.

My soul runs after you like a raging camel; my body is a collar
bound upon the neck of that camel.

Shams-al Haqq Tabriz, my heart is pregnant by you; when
shall I see a child born under your auspices?

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

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

[Sunlight] Every success depends on focusing the heart

~

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

Come, seek, for search is the foundation of fortune:
every success depends on focusing the heart.
Unconcerned with the business of the world,
keep saying with all your soul, "Coo, Coo," like the dove.
Consider this well, O you whom worldliness veils:
God has linked our invocation to the promise, "I will answer."*
When weakness is cleared from your heart,
your prayer will reach the glorious Lord.

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

Hin be-ju keh rokn-e dawlat jostan ast
har goshâdi dar del andar-bastan ast
Az hameh-ye kâr-e jahân pardâkhte
ku o ku mi gu be-jân chon fâkhteh
Nik be-negar andarin ay mohtajeb
keh do`â-râ bast Haqq bar "Astajib"*
Harkeh-râ del pâk shod az e`tedâl
ân do`a-'esh mi ravad tâ Zu al-Jalâl

-- Mathnavi III: 2302-2305
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

*al-Mu'min, 60

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

~

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

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Monday, July 25, 2011

[Sunlight] You are as you are -- Ghazal 2946

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2946, in a version by Coleman Barks,
and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"You Are As You Are"

Yesterday, you made a promise.
Today, you broke it. Yesterday,

Bistami's dance. Today, dregs
thrown out. In pieces, and at

the same time, a perfect glass
filled with sunlight. Give up

on figuring the appearances, the
dressing in green like a Sufi.

You don't resemble anyone. You're
not the bride or the groom. You

don't fit in a house with a family.
You've left the closed-in corner

where you lived. Domestic animals
get ridden to work. Not you. You

are as you are, an indescribable
message coming on the air. Every

word you say, medicine. But
not yet: stay quiet and still.

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

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

Yesterday you made compact and repentance, today you have
broken them; yesterday you were a bitter sea, today you are a
pearl.
Yesterday you were Bayazid and were augmenting; today
you are in ruins, a dregs-seller and drunk.*
Drink the dregs, O soul! Break from reason, O soul! Do not
wear blue, O soul, until you worship idols.*
Today you are very dissolute, you share the cup with the sun;
You are not the master of the moon, nor the husband of the
lady.*
You are greater than dwellings, you are outside mines; you
are not that, but you are just as you are.
One corner you were bound up, of that corner you were sick;
you opened that which was bound and escaped wholly, escaped.
A beast is not a rider, it is only for the sake of labor; you are
no beast, you are a living man and you have leaped from labor,
leaped.
You are a heavenly messenger; how can you be like the moon
until you ride aloft and are in the hand of the thumbstall?
Silence, give no sign, though you have expressed everything; every
wounded one you have wounded has become the salve of a world.

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

Arberry's notes:
* "Bayazid" -- (Ba Yazid; Abu Yazid-i Bistami), the famous mystic
of Khorasan (died 261/874 or 264/877, hero of many spirtual anecdotes.
The point of this anecdote is the pun between "kharbanda" ("ass driver")
and "banda-yi Khuda" ("slave of God").
* "do not wear blue" -- the robe of the Sufis usually was blue.
* "master of the moon, etc." -- "Mahasti" means "you are a moon",
or, "the lady of the moon", or simply, a lady.

Sunlight note:
* "Thumbstall" -- protective covering for the thumb; a device which covers the thumb for a specific purpose, such as a rubber cover which aids in sorting mail.


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

~

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

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Friday, July 22, 2011

[Sunlight] Everyday is Friday -- Ghazal 2322

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2322 in an unusual combination of presentations -- a version by Coleman Barks, based on a second generation translation by Nevit Ergin (who translates from Turkish into English); another version by Barks, working from a translation by John Moyne (a native Persian speaker); and, lastly, a translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"Friday"

For a dervish every day feels like
Friday, the beginning of a holiday,

a fresh setting out that will not have an
end. Dressed in the soul's handsomeness,

you're a whole month of Fridays, sweet
outside, sweet in. Your mind and your deep

being walk together as friends walk along
inside their friendship. Debris does not stay

in one place on a fast-running creek. Let
grudges wash out into the sea. Your soul's

eye watches a spring-green branch moving,
while these other eyes love the old stories.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Every day is Friday,
the beginning of the holidays, holy days.

Isn't last Friday remembered now with a festival?
You have on the right clothes for this festival,
your light, your clear trusting,
your inside and outside the same,
not a sweet walnut filled with garlic.

Go around in this ring
like a lover on the doorstep of a lover.
How can straw be still on a river?
How can a mystic stay angry?

To some eyes these words are a new-green branch.
To sensual eyes, they are old matters
carved on a building.

-- Version by Coleman Barks, from a translation
by John Moyne
"These Branching Moments"
Copper Beech Press, 1988

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Every day is a festival and Friday for the poor; has not yester-
day's Friday become an ancient festival?*
O soul, robed in festive garb like the festival moon, made of
the light of the beauty of yourself, not of woollen frock;
Like reason and faith sweet outside and inside, not garlic
stuffed in the heart of a walnut-sweet.
Put on such a frock and go about in this ring, like the heart
clear and bright in the vestibule of the heart.
On a running river, O soul, how shall a straw stand still? How
can rancor make its dwelling in the soul and spirit?
In the eye of sanctity these words are a branch new and fresh;
in the eye of sensual perception, they are like an ancient legend.

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

* Aflaki gives the following account of the composition of this gazal: "A darvish asked Mowlana: 'Who is a mystic?' He said 'A mystic is a person whose calm disposition is never disturbed by any annoyance. The mystic never becomes angry.' " Manaqeb, 279

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

[Sunlight] Sweetness or vinegar -- Ghazal 1219

~

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

i don't need
a companion who is
nasty sad and sour

the one who is
like a grave
dark depressing and bitter

a sweetheart is a mirror
a friend a delicious cake
it isn't worth spending
an hour with anyone else

a companion who is
in love only with the self
has five distinct characters

stone hearted
unsure of every step
lazy and disinterested
keeping a poisonous face

the more this companion waits around
the more bitter everything will get
just like a vinegar
getting more sour with time

enough is said about
sour and bitter faces
a heart filled with desire for
sweetness and tender souls
must not waste itself with unsavory matters

-- Ode (Ghazal) 1219
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

[Sunlight] Ever drunk with love -- Quatrain 55

~

~

Today, Sunlight offers three interpretations of Quatrain 55: a version by Coleman Barks, derived from a translation by John Moyne, a version by Jonathan Star, derived from a translation by Shahram Shiva, and a translation by Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi.

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

Let the Lover be disgraceful, crazy,
absentminded. Someone sober
will worry about events going badly.
Let the Lover be.

- Poetic version by Coleman Barks and John Moyne
"Unseen Rain - Quatrains of Rumi"
Threshold Books, 1986

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

The Lover is ever drunk with love;
He is free, he is mad,
He dances with ecstasy and delight.

Caught by our own thoughts,
we worry about every little thing,
But once we get drunk on that love,
Whatever will be, will be.

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

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

All year round the lover is mad
Unkempt, lovesick, and in despair
Without love there is nothing but grief
In love... what else matters?

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

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

[Sunlight] Too much honey

~

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

When you have eaten too much honey,
it causes you a fever, not someone else;
your day's wages aren't given to someone else at day's end.
What work have you done
without its returning to you in some form?
What seed have you sown
without the produce coming back to you?
Your own action born of your soul and body
clings to your skirt, like your own child.
In the unseen world that action
takes a form corresponding to its nature.

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

Chon `asal khvordi niyâmad tab be-ghayr
mozd-e ruz-e to niyâmad shab be-ghayr
Dar cheh kardi jahd k-ân vâ to na-gasht
to cheh kâridi keh na-âmad ray`-e kasht
Fe`l-e to keh zâyad az jân o tanet
hamcho farzandet be-girad dâmanet
Fe`l-râ dar ghayb surat mi konand
fe`l-e dozdi-râ nah dâri mi-zanand


-- Mathnawi VI: 417-420
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, July 18, 2011

[Sunlight] Birdsong From Inside The Egg

~

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

Birdsong From Inside The Egg


Sometimes a lover of God may faint
in the presence. Then the beloved bends
and whispers in his ear, "Beggar, spread out
your robe. I'll fill it with gold.

I've come to protect your consciousness.
Where has it gone? Come back into awareness!"

This fainting is because
lovers want so much.

A chicken invites a camel into her henhouse,
and the whole structure is demolished.

A rabbit nestles down
with its eyes closed
in the arms of a lion.

There is an excess
in spiritual searching
that is profound ignorance.

Let the ignorance be our teacher!
The Friend breathes into one
who has no breath.

A deep silence revives the listening
and the speaking of those two
who meet on the riverbank.

Like the ground turning green in a spring wind,
like birdsong beginning inside the egg.

Like this universe coming into existence,
the lover wakes, and whirls
in a dancing joy,

then kneels down
in praise.

-- Mathnawi III, 4664-93
Version by Coleman Barks
The Essential Rumi
Castle Books, 1997

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

~

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

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Friday, July 15, 2011

[Sunlight] A customer who will pay in gold

~

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

If you want a customer who will pay in gold,
could there be a better customer than God, O my heart?
He buys our dirty bag of goods,
and in return gives us an inner light that borrows from His splendor.
He receives the dissolving ice of this mortal body
and gives us a kingdom beyond imagining.
He takes a few tear drops,
and gives a spiritual spring so delicious
sugar is jealous of its sweetness.
If any doubt waylays you,
rely upon the spiritual traders, the prophets.
The Divine Ruler increased their fortune so greatly,
no mountain could bear what they've been given.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Moshtari khvâhi keh az vay zar bari
beh ze Haqq ki bâshad ay del moshtari
Mi kharad az mâlet anbâni najas
mi dehad nur-e zamiri moqtabas
Mi satânad in yakh-e jesm-e fanâ
mi dehad molki berun az vahm-e mâ
Mi satânad qatreh-'i chandi ze ashk
mi dehad Kawsar keh ârad qand rashk
Var torâ ashki o raybi rah zanad
tâjerân-e anbiyâ-râ kon sanad
Bas keh afzun ân Shahanshah bakhteshân
mi na-tânad koh keshidan rakhteshân

-- Mathnawi VI: 879-882; 886-887
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

[Sunlight] Open the door -- Ghazal 1171

~

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

Open the door, a novice has arrived!
Offer me a cup of wine and walk with me
for a while.
You don't mind long distances because
on the way you lay your traps,
and plan how to break my heart.
You fulfilled hundreds of my wishes, yet my heart
still hungers for more.
Your kindness warms and blesses everyone
even the sun bows before you.
Please, let me be your slave and silently walk
by your side.
I will find new meaning in every joy and sorrow.
In that silence
I will hear the voice of spirit, and freed
from this world
I will see another order where the end is
another beginning.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1171
Translated by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Hidden Music
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

[Sunlight] All are He

~

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

Consider the creatures as pure and limpid
water, within which shine the Attributes of the Almighty.
Their knowledge, their justice, their kindness –
all are stars of heaven reflected in flowing water.
Kings are a locus of manifestation of God's
Kingliness, the learned a locus for His Knowledge.
Generations have passed, and this is a new
generation. The moon is the same, the water different.
Justice is the same justice, learning the same
learning, but peoples and nations have changed.
Generation upon generation has passed, oh
friend, but these Meanings are constant and everlasting.
The water in the stream has changed many
times, but the reflection of the moon and the stars remains the
same . . .
All pictured forms are reflections in the water
of the stream; when you rub your eyes, indeed, all are He.

-- Mathnawi VI: 3172-78, 83
William C. Chittick
The Sufi Path of Love - The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi
State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

[Sunlight] Love and reputation

~

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

Love and reputation, brother,
are not in harmony:
don't stand at the door of reputation, if you are a lover.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

`Eshq o nâmus ay berâdar râst nist
bar dar-e nâmus ay `âsheq mah-'ist


-- Mathnawi VI: 612
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, July 11, 2011

[Sunlight] Be with those who help your being -- Ghazal 2865

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2865, from the Diwan-e Shams,
in a version by Coleman Barks, an interpretive translation by Raficq
Abdulla, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Be with those who help your being.
Don't sit with indifferent people, whose breath
comes cold out of their mouths.
Not these visible forms, your work is deeper.

A chunk of dirt thrown in the air breaks to pieces.
If you don't try to fly,
and so break yourself apart,
you will be broken open by death,
when it's too late for all you could become.

Leaves get yellow. The tree puts out fresh roots
and makes them green.
Why are you so content with a love that turns you yellow?

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

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

Your eyes must complete their course of Love
For you to beat a path to courteous truth;
Spend not your time with cold faces in dead places
Or else your breath will freeze your breast and heart.
From the pulp of yearning go beyond its form to seek
More than solace in the natural suffering called Love.
If you're obtuse and heavy as burdened clay enclosed
By gravity, you'll never lift off and circle the sky;
Come as fine as a thousand dancing particles of dust,
So float and find your feet in the silken path of light.
Choose to break or else be broken by the epic
Of your maker; for death will break your fleeting self
Like an empty shell without a pearl. When a leaf
Withers, in season new roots duly restore it green;
Why then flirt with rootless loves
That steal your eyes from the Unseen?

-- Interpretive translation by Raficq Abdulla
"Words of Paradise"
Viking Studio, 2000

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

Gaze on the cheeks of love that you may gain the
attributes of true men; sit not with the cold ones so you
will not be chilled by their breath.
From the cheeks of love seek something other than
the form; your business is to be a fellow sufferer with love.
If you have the attributes of a clod, you will never fly
in the air; you will fly in the air if you break to pieces and
become dust.
If you do not break to pieces, he who composed you
will break you; when death breaks you, how will you become
a unique pearl?
When a leaf becomes yellow, the fresh root makes it
green; why are you content with a love from which you turn
yellow?

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

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

~

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

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Friday, July 08, 2011

[Sunlight] How ?an you be silent?

~

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

These sayings of mine are really a call to God,
words to lure the breath of that sweet One.
How can you be silent? How can you fail to call,
knowing He always answers, "Here I am—"
that silent answer you feel from head to toe.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

in sokhan-hâ khvod be-ma`nâ yâ Rabbist
harf-hâ dâm dar shirin-e labist
Chon konad taqsir pas chon tan zanad
chon labbaykesh be-yâ Rabb mi rasad
Hast labbayki keh na-tavâni shanid
layk sar tâ pây be-tavâni chashid

-- Mathnawi II:1189-1191
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Thursday, July 07, 2011

[Sunlight] A fire which no water can extinguish

~

Here, Sunlight presents Ghazal (Ode) 310, in versions by Star,
Barks, and Cowan, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Here He comes
A moon whose light the sky never saw
even in her dreams,
Crowned with an eternal flame
no flood can hope to quench.

His cup, long out of reach, now spills over,
filling my senses,
desolating my soul.

The saaqi has become my dearest friend.
With each new round she pours,
my blood turns to nectar,
my heart to a holy shrine.
Now I see only Him!
Now I hear His voice alone:

Let my love fill your golden cup
like sunbeams showering the earth.
Let it flow to every corner of your soul.
Let it tear up the gnarled roots of regret
and nourish the tender seeds of hope.

When my heart saw the ocean of His love
it jumped in and yelled,
Find me if you can!

O, where can I look for my missing heart?
Where, but the face of Shams-e Tabriz?

He is the Sun
In whose track
Every heart must follow.

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

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

The moon has come back out,
the other moon, that was never above us,
or seen in dreams, the moon that brings fire
and pours wine, the host that cooks us
to tenderness.

Our eyes look at the prepared sight
and say, Well done. Bravo!

Then we remember the ocean
and leap out of our personalities into that.
Try to find us!

The sun goes down,
with a line of clouds running to catch up.

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

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

That moon, undreamt even by sky, returns
Bringing a fire no water can quench.

The temple of my body and my soul
Are made drunken and desolate by his love.

When the tavern-keeper became my soul-mate
My blood turned to wine, my heart to kebab.

When the eye is consumed by thought of him
A voice arrives: Well done, O Flagon. Brave, wine!

Loves fingers drag up, root and stem,
Every flower where Love's rays fall.

When my heart noticed Love's sea, suddenly
It escaped me and leapt in, crying, "Save me!"

Tabriz's glory, the face of the Wild One is
The Sun whose track all cloudy hearts follow.

-- James Cowan
"Rumi's Divan of Shems of Tabriz, Selected Odes"
Element Books Limited 1997

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

That moon has returned, whose like the sky never saw even in
dreams; he has brought a fire which no water can extinguish.
Behold the body's tenement, and behold my soul -- Love's cup
has intoxicated the one and ruined the other.
When the master of the tavern became my heart's companion,
my blood turned to wine out of love, my heart to roast.
When the eye is filled with his image, a voice proclaims,
"Well done, goblet, and bravo, wine!"
My heart suddenly descried the ocean of Love; it leaped away
from me, saying, "Come, find me now!"
The sun of the countenance of Shams-i Din, Pride of Tabriz
-- in its track like clouds all hearts are running.

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, July 06, 2011

[Sunlight] Once you conquer your selfish self -- Ghazal 3299

~

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

don't be bitter my friend
you'll regret it soon
hold to your togetherness
or surely you'll scatter

don't walk away gloomy
from this garden
you'll end up like an owl
dwelling in old ruins

face the war and
be a warrior like a lion
or you'll end up like a pet
tucked away in a barn

once you conquer
your selfish self
all your darkness
will change to light

-- Ghazal (Ode) 3299
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~

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

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Tuesday, July 05, 2011

[Sunlight] Become like the sky

~

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

Whatever is steeped in grape juice will acquire the flavor of the grape.
Whether it be carrots or apples or quinces and walnuts,
you will taste in them the delicious flavor of the grape.
When your knowledge is steeped in the light of faith,
then wayward people will receive light from it.
Whatever you say will be luminous,
for the sky never rains anything but pure water.
Become like the sky. Become like the cloud and shed rain:
the spout rains, too, but it can't produce the rain.
The water in the spout is borrowed;
the water in the cloud and sea is original.
Your thought and reasoning resemble the spout;
inspiration and revelation are like the cloud and the sky.
The rain water engenders all the colors of the garden,
while the spout causes quarrels with your neighbors.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Har cheh dar dushâb jushideh shavad
dar `aqideh ta`m-e dushâbesh bovad
Az gazar o ze sib o beh o ze gerdgân
lazzat-e dushâb yâbi to az ân
`Elm andar nur chon farghardeh shod
pas ze `elmet nur yâbad qawm-e ladd
Har cheh guyi bâshad ân ham nur-nâk
k-âsmân hargez na-bârad ghayr-e pâk
Âsmân shaw abr shaw bârân be-bâr
nâvdân bâresh konad na-bud be-kâr
Âb andar nâvdân `âriyatist
âb andar abr o daryâ fetratist
Fekr o andisheh-st masal-e nâvdân
vahy o makshufast abr o âsmân
Âb-e bârân bâgh-e sad rang âvord
nâvdân hamsâyeh dar jang âvord

-- Mathnawi V:2486-2493
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, July 04, 2011

[Sunlight] The source of joy -- Ghazal 423

~


Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 423, from Rumi's
Diwan-e Shams, in an interpretive version by Coleman Barks; and
in the translation by A.J. Arberry, upon which Barks based his version:


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

The Source of Joy

No one knows what makes the soul
wake up so happy!

Maybe a dawn breeze has blown the veil
from the face of God.

A thousand new moons appear.
Roses open laughing.

Hearts become perfect rubies
like those from Badakshan.

The body turns entirely spirit.
Leaves become branches in the wind!

Why is it now so easy to surrender,
even for those already surrendered?

There's no answer to any of this.
No one knows the source of joy.

A poet breathes into a reed flute,
and the tip of every hair makes music.

Shams sails down clods of dirt from the roof,
and we take jobs as doorkeepers for him.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Say I am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

Has perchance this instant the tip of that tress become
scattered? For such a Tartar musk has become amber-diffusing.
Has perchance the dawn breeze lifted the veil from His
face? For thousands of unseen moons have begun to shine.
Is there any soul which is not happy through His sweet
perfume? Though the soul has no clue as to the source of its
happiness.
Many a happy rose is laughing through the breath of God,
yet every soul does not know whence it has become laughing.
How fairly the sun of His cheek has shone today, through
which thousands of hearts have become rubies of Badakhshan.*
Yet why should not the lover set his heart upon Him
through whose grace the body has become wholly soul?
Did the heart perchance one morning behold Him as He
is, so that from that vision of Him it has today become after
this wise?
Ever since the heart beheld that peri-born beauty of
mine, it has taken the glass into its hand and become an
exorcist.
If His sweet breeze blows upon the tree of the body, how
a-tremble two hundred leaves and two hundred branches have
become!
If there is not an immortal soul for every one slain by
Him, why has it become so easy for the lover to yield up his
soul?
Even the aware ones are unaware of His life and activities,
for His life and activities have become their veil.
If the minstrel of Love has not breathed upon the reed of
a heart, why has every tip of the hair become lamenting like
the reed pipe?
If Shams-I Tabriz does not fling clods from the roof
against the heart, then why have the souls become as it were
his doorkeepers?*

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

*Badakhshan in Central Asia was famous for its rubies.
*Cf. the story of Dhul-Nun in Math. II:1386-1460.

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

~

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

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Friday, July 01, 2011

[Sunlight] Inward secrets

~

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

When your heart becomes the grave of your secret,
that desire of yours will be gained more quickly.
The Prophet said that anyone
who keeps secret his inmost thought
will soon attain the object of his desire.
When seeds are buried in the earth,
their inward secrets become the flourishing garden.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gurkhâneh-ye râz-e to chon del shavad
ân morâdet zudtar hâsel shavad
Goft Payghambar keh harkeh serr nehoft
zud gardad bâ morâd-e khvish joft
Dâneh-hâ chon dar zamin panhân shavad
serr-e ân sarsabzi bostân shavad

-- Mathnawi I: 175-177
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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