Monday, February 28, 2011

[Sunlight] Like This -- Ghazal 1826

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1826, from the Diwan-e
Shams, in a version by Jonathan Star, in a version by Coleman
Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"Like This"

If someone asks,
"What does perfect beauty look like?"
Show him your own face and say,
Like this.

If someone asks,
"What does an angel's wing look like?" - smile.
If he asks about divine fragrance
Pull him close, his face in your hair,
Like this.

If someone asks,
"How did Jesus bring the dead back to life?" -
Don't say a word -
just kiss him softly on the cheek,
Like this.

If someone asks,
"How does it feel to be slain by love?"
Close your eyes and tear open your shirt,
Like this.

If someone asks about my stature,
Stare into space with your eyes wide open,
Like this.

The soul enters one body, then another.
If someone argues about this
Enter my house and wave him good-bye,
Like this.

I am the storehouse of all pleasure,
I am the pain of self-denial.
To see me, lower your eyes to the ground
Then raise them up to heaven,
Like this.

Only the gentle breeze
Knows the secret of union.
Listen as it whispers a song to every heart,
Like this.

If someone asks,
How does a servant attain the glory of God?
Become the shining candle
That every eye can see,
Like this.

I asked about Joseph's perfume
Which rode the wind from city to city -
It was your scent
Blowing in from God's perfect world,
Like this.

I asked how Joseph's perfume
Gave sight to the blind -
It was your breeze
Clearing the darkness from my eyes,
Like this.

Perhaps Shams will be generous
And fill our hearts with love.
Perhaps he will raise one eyebrow
And cast us a glance,
Like this.

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

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

If anyone asks you
how the perfect satisfaction
of all our sexual wanting
will look, lift your face
and say,
Like this.

When someone mentions the gracefulness
of the night sky, climb up on the roof
and dance and say,
Like this?

If anyone wants to know what "spirit" is,
or what "God's fragrance" means,
lean your head toward him or her.
Keep your face there close,
Like this.

When someone quotes the old poetic image
about clouds gradually uncovering the moon,
slowly loosen knot by knot the strings
of your robe,
Like this?

If anyone wonders how Jesus raised the dead,
don't try to explain the miracle.
Kiss me on the lips,
Like this. Like this.

When someone asks what it means
to "die for love," point
here.

If someone asks how tall I am, frown
and measure with your fingers the space
between the creases on your forehead.
This tall.

The soul sometimes leaves the body, then returns.
when someone doesn't believe that,
walk back into my house.
Like this.

I am a sky where spirits live.
Stare into this deepening blue,
While the breeze says a secret.
Like this.

When someone asks what there is to do,
light the candle in his hand.
Like this.

How did Joseph's scent come to Jacob?
Huuuu.

How did Jacob's sight return?
Huuuuu.

A little wind cleans the eyes.
Like this.

When Shams comes back from Tabriz,
he'll put just his head around the edge
of the door to surprise us.
Like this.

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

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

If any man asks you about the houris, show your face, saying,
"Like this"; if any man speaks to you of the moon, get up onto
the roof--"Like this."
If any seeks a peri, show him your countenance; if any men-
tions musk, open your tresses--"Like this."*
If any says to you, "How does cloud disclose the moon?,"
loosen knot by knot the strings of your gown--"Like this."
If one asks you how the Messiah revived the dead, before him
kiss me on the lips--"Like this."
If any says to you, "Say, how is he who is slain of love?" ex-
hibit to him my soul--"Like this."
If any asks you compassionately about my stature, exhibit
your own brow folded double--"Like this."
The soul is separated from the body, and thereafter returns
again; ho, show to those who disbelieve, enter the house--"Like
this."
Whenever you hear a lover's lament, by God's right, all that is
our story-"Like this."
I am the home of every angel, I am the black and blue beaten
chest; raise your eyes and look well at heaven-"Like this."*
To none but the zephyr have I told the secret of union with the
Beloved, so that the zephyr said in the joy of its secret heart--
"Like this."
Despite him who says, "How shall the servant attain God?"
put in the hand of every eye a bright candle--"Like this."
I said, "How does the scent of Joseph travel from city to city?"
The scent of God breathed from the world of Hu--"Like this."*
I said, "How does the scent of a Joseph give back sight?" Your
breeze irradiated my eyes--"Like this."
From Tabriz haply Shams-e Din will be benevolent, and out
of his grace in fidelity lift up his head--"Like this."

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

* Perhaps a reference to the Qur'an where it says: "He {God} sends down His
angels with inspiration of his command, to such of His servants as He pleases,"
16:2.
* "The black and blue chest" is a sign of the ascetism and the chastised carnal
soul ("nafs") without whose abasement the Sufi will not attain any spiritual ele-
vation.
* "Hu" or "Ya Hu" are the ecstatic cries of the Sufis and mean, "He {God} or
"O God!" The scent of the Beloved from His divine city is likened to the perfume
of Joseph's vest which, coming from afar to blind Jacob, gave him his sight.
Cf. Qur'an 12: 94.

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

~

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

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Friday, February 25, 2011

[Sunlight] Friends who guide you

~

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

The reflection cast from good friends is needed
until you become, without the aid of any reflector,
a drawer of water from the Sea.
Know that the reflection is at first just imitation,
but when it continues to recur,
it turns into direct realization of truth.
Until it has become direct realization,
don't part from the friends who guide you—
don't break away from the shell
if the raindrop hasn't yet become a pearl.

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

`Aks chandân bâyad az yârân-e khvosh
keh shavi az bahr bi `aks âb kash
`Aks k-avval zad to ân taqlid dân
chon payâpi shod shavad tahqiq ân
Tâ na-shod tahqiq az yârân ma-bor
az sadaf ma-gosal na-gasht ân qatreh dorr

-- Mathnawi II: 566-568
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

[Sunlight] Is this the face of God? -- Ghazal 2219

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal 2219, from Rumi's Diwan-e Shames,
in translations by Kolin & Mafi, Nader Khalili* and Professor
Franklin Lewis*:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am the slave of that perfect Moon!
Don't talk to me of suffering, I don't want to hear.
Talk about light, joy and sweetness
and if you can't, keep silent!

Last night Love found me shouting, mad
and beyond myself, and said:
"I am here, why are you so worried and afraid?"
O Love, I am overwhelmed with fear.
"Be silent, let me whisper a secret in your ear,
just nod your head and don't say a word."

Oh how delicate, how subtle is the path of love!
This most precious Moon-like beauty appeared to me!

My heart, is this the Moon or my imagination?
"Be silent, it is not for you to understand
don't you see, you have been blessed."
But what is this, the face of an angel or a man?
"Be silent, what you see is beyond angels or men."
But what is it, tell me, or I will go out of my mind.
"Do not torment yourself, leave this house of illusions
and say no more."
"O please", I begged, "tell me, is this the face of God"
My heart nodded silently.

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

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

i'm loyal
to the image and beauty
of my beloved
please speak of that image only
and say no more

whenever you're with me
speak only about
the generosity of candles
the generosity of the sugarcane
and say no more

don't speak of any suffering
show me the treasure that waits
at the end of the road
if you're ignorant of the path
then say no more

last night i was in flame
my beloved saw me and said
"i'm here at last
don't tear your clothes
lament no more"

i begged my beloved
to understand my condition
to sense my fear
my love said "when i'm present
you must seek no more

i'll whisper the words
of secrets into your ear
and you must promise not to answer
just nod your head
and say no more

the face of a sweetheart
has penetrated your heart
the tenderness is all there is
your journey is the journey of love
sense it to the depth and say no more"

i asked if the face
belongs to a human
or that of an angel
"neither this nor that
sense it but say no more"

i said if you don't
identify this for me at once
my life will be shattered
"be shattered at once
but say no more

you're dwelling in
a house filled with
images and dreams
pack all your belongings
move out but say no more"

you're simply expressing
the experience of God
i said to the beloved
"yes this is the answer
but for God's sake say no more"

-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi -- Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

I serve that orb in heaven
say no word but Orb!
speak to me of nothing
but sweetness and light
Not of bother, but of treasure
and if you cannot find the words
don't bother.

Yesterday a craze came over me
Love saw, came up to me:
Here I am,
don't shout,
don't rip off your shirt,
hush, shh!

I spoke:
Love, I'm scared of that other thing
There is no other thing, say nothing!
I will whisper secrets in your ear
you just nod in asseveration
speak in semaphore

A nova, a celestial love
burst bright above the heartpath
so exquisite the quest of heart,
it cannot be expressed
I asked:
Heart, what orb is this?
heart intimated
beyond fathom
be quiet, forget!
Is this the face of man or angel?
Beyond men and angels
hush!

What is it? Tell me, I'm in a whirl
Whirl on, keep quiet!
You sit within this room
whose walls reflect
mere forms and suppositions
Get up, go out, move on,
keep quiet!
I said:
Heart, befather me,
for doesn't this match God's description?
Yes, my son, it does,
but do not tell.

-- Translation by Franklin D. Lewis
"Rumi -- Past and Present, East and West"
Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 2000

Franklin Lewis' notes:

I have used "orb" throughout these translations to render what is
literally "moon" (mah, qamar). this is the shining face of the
beloved, beside which all other thoughts and images pale.
Unfortunately, in English, "moon face" does not have a very happy
connotation.

*Franklin Lewis is Assistant Professor in the Department of
Middle Eastern Studies at Emory University in Atlanta. A specialist
in Persian literature, his thesis on Sana' i won the 1995 Best
Dissertation of the Year Award from the Foundation for Iranian
Studies.

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

~

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

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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

[Sunlight] "Do you have a heart of stone?" -- Quatrain 894

~


Today, Sunlight offers three interpretations of Quatrain 894:

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

With every word, you break my heart.
You see my story
written in blood on my face,
why do you ignore it,
do you have a heart of stone?

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

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

Every day, this pain. Either you're numb
or you don't understand love.
I write out my love story.
You see the writing, but you don't read it.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Unseen Rain"
Threshold Books, 1986

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

Every day my heart cries out.
Every night it turns to stone.

The story of my love
is written in blood all over my face.
I asked by Beloved to read it.
He asks me to ignore it.

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

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

~

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

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

[Sunlight] From this deliberation

~

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

God brought the earth and the heavenly spheres into existence
through the deliberation of six days—
even though He was able through "Be, and it is"*
to bring forth a hundred earths and heavens.
Little by little until forty years of age
that Sovereign raises the human being to completion,
although in a single moment He was able
to send fifty flying up from nonexistence.
Jesus by means of one prayer could make the dead spring to life:
is the Creator of Jesus unable
to suddenly bring full-grown human beings
fold by fold into existence?
This deliberation is for the purpose of teaching you
that you must seek God slowly, without any break.
A little stream which moves continually
doesn't become tainted or foul.
From this deliberation are born felicity and joy:
this deliberation is the egg;
good fortune is the bird that comes forth.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bâ ta'anni gasht mawjud az Khodâ
tâ be-shesh ruz in zamin o charkh-hâ
Var nah qâder bovad ku "kun fa-yakûn"*
sad zamin o charkh âvordi berun
dami-râ andak andak ân Homâm
tâ chehel sâlesh konad mard-e tamâm
Garcheh qâder bovad k-andar yek nafs
az `adam parân konad panjâh kas
`Isâ qâder bud ku az yek do`â
bi tavaqqof bar-jahânad mordeh-râ
Khâleq-e `Isâ be-na-tavânad keh U
bi tavaqqof mardom ârad tu be-tu
In ta'anni az pay-e ta`lim-e tost
keh talab âhesteh bâyad bi sokost
Ju yeki kuchek keh dâyem mi ravad
nah najs gardad nah gandeh mi shavad
Zin ta'anni zâyad eqbâl o sorur
in ta'anni bayzeh dawlat chon toyur

*Yâ Sin, 82

-- Mathnawi III: 3500-3508
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, February 21, 2011

[Sunlight] More of Your Names – Ghazal 2986

~

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

More of Your Names

To say more of your names: you
are the one who was with us

at the beginning, telling secrets
in the first house. We were

afraid of fire, but then we found
your flame. You are also a wind

that puts out the mind's candle,
that city leveled. With friends,

friendship. With enemies, the
standing apart, or right in

the middle, resembling both.
Knowledgeable ones sigh their

disdain: "Oh the stories lovers
tell!" But you are those stories,

you that bring dawn to the end of
night. Beauty that originates,

the look and the presence inside
the look, majesty of Shamsuddin,

praise and the light-connecting
ligaments that hold this earth.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2986
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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Friday, February 18, 2011

[Sunlight] As you sow, so shall you reap

~

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

Beware Don't say, "Mind you, so and so sowed seed,
and then the locusts devoured it;
why should I bother sowing with such a risk?
Why should I let go of this corn-seed in my hand?"
Meanwhile, to your bewilderment,
one who did sow and labor
fills his barn with grain.
Since the lover patiently continued knocking at the door,
at last one day he gained an intimate meeting.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hin ma-gu "Kinke folâni kesht kard
dar folân sâli malakh kestesh be-khvord
Pas cherâ kâram keh injâ khawf hast
man cherâ afshânam in gandom ze dast"
Vânke u na-gozâsht kesht o kâr-râ
por konad kuri-ye to anbâr-râ
Chon dari mi kuft u az salvati
`âqebat dar yâft ruzi khalvati

-- Mathnawi III: 4800-4803
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, February 17, 2011

[Sunlight] In this garden – Ghazal 2389

~


Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2389, in a version by Coleman
Barks, in a version by Jonathan Star, and in the translation by A.J.
Arberry, on which Barks based his interpretive version:


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

"Privacy"

Who is this standing in my house? He signals with his hand,
"What do you want from me?" Nourishment,
and the privacy of one truth.

There are so many deceptive people pretending
to be faithful. Don't sit among them, eyes shut
like a bud, mouth open like a rose.

The world is a mirror, an imaging of Love's perfection.
No man has ever seen a part greater than the whole.
Go on foot through this garden like the grass does.
Only the rose is riding, all the rest on foot.
Rose, both sword and swordsman,
Reason in the abstract, and reasoning in each of us.

Generous Saladin, let your hand be
a constant necklace on my neck.

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

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

"Soft Petals"

O soul,
Who dwells in the house of my heart?
Who takes the King's royal seat?

The King motions me forward and says,
What do you want from me?

I want the sweetness of love,
A cup of light,
An eternal banquet
on the table of one Truth.

Look how many charlatans are rattling their cups
at this wine-drinker's feast.
O simple and gullible man,
Watch out or you'll be conned!
Beware! Don't sit at their table
lest your eyes close like buds
and your mouth open like a Spring flower.

The world is but a mirror
reflecting Love's perfect image.
How can a part
be greater than the whole?
In this garden
only the Beloved's rose is blooming.
Stay low like the grass
and let His soft petals fall upon your head.

He is both the sword and the swordsman,
the slayer and the slain.
He is the reason
and all that brings reason to naught.

That perfect King makes this world out of gold.
May he live forever.
May his hand be the ageless garland
that graces my neck.

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

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

O soul, who is that standing in the house of the heart? Who
may be on the royal throne but the king and the prince?*
He signaled with his hand, "Tell me, what do you want of
me?" What does a drunken man desire but sweetmeats and a
cup of wine?
Sweetmeats hanging from the heart, a cup of pure light, an
eternal banquet laid in the privacy of "He is the Truth."*
How many deceivers there are at the wine-drinkers' feast!
Beware, lest you fall, soft and simple man!
In the circle of reprobates beware lest you be eye-shut like the bud, mouth-open like the rose.
The world is like a mirror, the image of the perfection of Love;
men, who has ever seen a part greater than the whole?
Go on foot like the grass, for in this rose garden the Beloved
like a rose is riding; all the rest are on foot.
He is both sword and swordsman, both slain and slayer, all
Reason, and giving reason to the mind.*
That king is Salah-al-din* may he endure forever, may his
bountiful hand be perpetually a necklace on my neck!

-- Translation by A. J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 2"
The University of Chicago Press, 1968

* According to Nicholson (Divan-i Sham, 238, 300) this is a reference
to the hadis' of the Prophet, where God says: "My earth and heaven
contain me not, but the heart of my believing servant contains me."
* "He is the Truth" Qur'an 22:6.
* Reason is annihilated in mystical love.
* "Salah-al-din Zarkub", who died c. 659/1261, was Rumi's pir' (teacher) after Shams al-Din vanished he is here hailed as an embodiment of the Spirit of Muhammad, the Perfect Man.

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

XL.

O my soul, who is this, stationed in the house of the
heart?*
Who may occupy the royal seat save the King and the
Prince?
He beckoned with his hand: 'Say, what do you desire
of me?
What does a drunken man desire except sweetmeats and
a cup of wine?
Sweetmeats derived from the soul, a cup of the Absolute
Light,
An eternal banquet laid in the privacy of "He is the
Truth".*
How many deceivers* are there at the wine-drinkers'* feast!
Take heed lest thou fall, O easy simple man!
Beware! Do not keep, in a circle of reprobates,*
Thine eye shut like a bud, thy mouth open like the rose.
The world resembles a mirror:* thy Love is the perfect
image;
O people, who has ever seen a part greater than the
whole?
Go on foot, like the grass,* because in this garden
The Beloved, like the rose, is riding, all the rest are
on foot.
He is both the sword and the swordsman, both the slain
and the slayer,
He is at once all Reason and brings Reason to naught."
That King is Salahu'ddin*-- may he endure forever,
May his bounteous hand perpetually be a necklace on
my neck!*

-- T.301.6 ("Tabriz Edition of the Divani Shamsi Tabriz)
"Selected Poems from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz"
Edited and translated by Reynold A. Nicholson
Cambridge, At the University Press, 1898, 1952

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

Notes by Nicholson:

-- "in the house of the heart" -- alluding to the hadis:
'My earth and heaven contain me not, but the heart of
my believing servant contains me.'
* "He is the Truth"-- Kor'an XXII 6.
* "deceivers" -- imposters in the guise of spiritualists (wine
drinkers) Cf. 'Masnavi, 12.7:

Look on every one's face, and keep watch:
It may be that by devotion you will grow familiar with
the scent (of Truth).
Since there are many devils with human features,
'Tis wrong to give your hand to every hand.

* "reprobates" --drunken revelry.
* "The world resembles a mirror" -- each atom of Not-being
reflects a divine attribute: the sum of these reflected rays of
Being is 'the perfect image' of God. Cf. 'Gulshani Raz,' 635:

Regard Absolute Being as the part which is greater than
the whole.
For the whole is actual being - and this is absurd (contrary
to rule).

Lahije says, 'Absolute Being, 'wojood', by the individualisation,
'tashakhos', and phenomenalisation, 'taAyon', which occur to it,
gets the name of 'mojood'; for 'mojood' is 'wojood' plus 'taAyon'.
Absolute Being, again, is greater than its whole because it contains
all 'mojood', 'existence'(ibid., Whinfield's note).
* "Go on foot, like the grass" -- be lowly and obedient.
* "swordsman"-- same as slayer.
* "brings Reason to nought"-- Reason is annihilated in the mystical
union of the woul with God.
* "necklace on my neck"-- a permanent badge of favour.

Ghazaleh's note based on William Chittick's description in the
"Sufi Path of Love," p. 5:

* "Salahu'ddin" --fifty six of Divan's odes are dedicated to
Salahu'ddin Zarkub who was "originally a disciple of Burhan
al-Din Tirmidhi, but later joined the circle of Rumi's devotees."
In the Divan, Salahu'ddin plays "a role similar to that of Shams:
They are mirrors in which Rumi contemplates the Divine Beloved."

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

~

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

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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

[Sunlight] God and the World

~


From William Chittick's "The Sufi Path of Love," chapter 5, entitled "God and the World," come these Mathnawi verses:

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

"The Sufi said to the judge, "He whose aid is
sought has the ability to to make our trading without loss.
He who turns fire into trees and rosegardens
can also make this world a place without harm.
He who produces roses from the midst of thorns
can make our December into spring.
He from whom every cypress grows straight and
free can turn our grief into joy.
He from whom every nonexistent thing has
come into existence--how would He be any less if He made
that thing everlasting?
He who gives the body a spirit so that it may
live--how would He lose if He did not cause it to die?
After all, what would happen if that Generous
One gave each servant his soul's desire without toil,
And kept far from His weak creatures the wiles
of the ego and the temptations of the devil waiting in
ambush?"
The judge replied, "If there were no bitter
commands, beauty and ugliness, stones and pearls,
If there were no satan and ego, and self-will,
and if there were no blows, battle and war,
Then by what means would the King call His
servants, oh abandoned man?
How could He say, 'Oh patient man! Oh
forbearing man!'? How could He say, 'Oh brave man! Oh wise
man!'?
How could there be the patient, the sincere and
the spending without a highwayman and accursed
devil?
Rustam, Hamzah and a catamite would all be
one.* Knowledge and wisdom would be useless and abolished.
Knowledge and wisdom exist to distinguish the
right from the wrong: if everything were the right way, then
wisdom would be useless.
Do you consider it permissible to destroy both
worlds for the sake of keeping open the shop of your
worthless natural disposition?
Of course, I know that you are pure, not unripe,
and that your question is for the sake of the vulgar."

-- Mathnawi VI: 1739-55
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

* Rustam is the archetypal heroic champion of ancient Persia,
immortalized by Firdawsi in the Book of Kings. Hamzah is an uncle
of the Prophet and one of the great warriors of early Islam.

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

`

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

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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

[Sunlight] Truth brings joyous tranquility

~

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

Iblis asked, "Can you tell a lie from the truth,
you who are filled with illusion?"
Mu`awiyah answered, "The Prophet has given a clue,
a touchstone to know
the base coin from the true.
He has said, "That which is false troubles the heart,
but Truth brings joyous tranquility."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Goft chon dâni dorugh o râst-râ
ay khayâl andish por andish-hâ
Goft Payghambar neshâni dâdeh ast
qalb o niku-râ mehakk be-nehâdi ast
Gofteh ast "al-kezb rayb fi al-qolub"
goft "al-sedq tama'nin tarub"

-- Mathnawi II: 2732-2734
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, February 14, 2011

[Sunlight] Confused and distraught -- Ghazal 2166

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2166, in a version Coleman
Barks derived from Arberry's translation, along with A.J. Arberry's
poetic translation:

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

You bind me, and I tear away in a rage to open out
into air, a round brightness, a candle point,
all reason, all love.

This confusing joy, your doing,
this hangover, your tender thorn.

You turn to look, I turn.
I'm not saying this right.

I am a jailed crazy who ties up spirit-women.
I am Solomon.

What goes comes back. Come back.
We never left each other.

A disbeliever hides disbelief,
but I will say his secret.

More and more awake, getting up at night,
spinning and falling with love for Shams.

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


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


Again I am raging, I am in such a state by your soul that every
bond you bind, I break, by your soul.
I am like heaven, like the moon, like a candle by your glow; I am all
reason, all love, all soul, by your soul.
My joy is of your doing, my hangover of your thorn; whatever
side you turn your face, I turn mine, by your soul.
I spoke in error; it is not surprising to speak in error in this
state, for this moment I cannot tell cup from wine, by your soul.
I am that madman in bonds who binds the "divs"; I, the madman,
am a Solomon with the "divs", by your soul.*
Whatever form other than love raises up its head from my
heart, forthwith I drive it out of the court of my heart, by your
soul.
Come, you who have departed, for the thing that departs
comes back; neither you are that, by my soul, nor I am that, by your
soul.
Disbeliever, do not conceal disbelief in your soul, for I will recite
the secret of your destiny, by your soul.
Out of love of Sham-e Tabrizi, through wakefulness or
nightrising, like a spinning mote I am distraught, by your soul.

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

* A word-play between madman (dîvâna) and the jinn (dîv-ân). The Arabic
word "jinn" was translated into Persian as "dîv," meaning "demon" (and
contrasts in meaning with its Sanscrit cognate, "deva," from which the
European word "divinity" originates). The Arabic words "crazy" (junûn,
majnûn) literally mean "jinn-possessed," were translated into Persian as
"dîvâna," literally means "demonic." According to Qur'ân, Solomon was given
power over the supernatural beings called jinn (from which comes the word
"genie"), who did great projects of labor for him (Qur'ân 34:12, 21:82,
38:36-37). -- footnote provided by Ibrahim Gamard

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

~

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

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Friday, February 11, 2011

[Sunlight] Seek out the source

~

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

Sunlight fell upon the wall;
the wall received a borrowed splendor.
Why set your heart on a piece of earth,
O simple one? Seek out the source
which shines forever.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Partaw-e khurshid bar divâr tâft
tâbesh `âriyati divâr yâft
Bar kolukhi del cheh bandi ay salim
watlob asli keh tâbad u moqim

-- Mathnawi II: 708-709
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, February 10, 2011

[Sunlight] That lilies may grow -- Ghazal 1486

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal 1486, in a version by Barks, a
translation by Kolin and Mafi, and a translation by Arberry,
accompanied by a link to a Persian image:

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

"The Shape of My Tongue"

This mirror inside me shows . . .
I can't say what, but I can't not know!

I run from body. I run from spirit.
I do not belong anywhere.

I'm not alive!
You smell the decay?

You talk about my craziness.
Listen rather to the honed-blade sanity I say.

This gourd head on top of a dervish robe,
do I look like someone you know?

This dipper gourd full of liquid,
upsidedown and not spilling a drop!

Or if it spills, it drops into God
and rounds into pearls.

I form a cloud over that ocean
and gather spillings.

When Shams is here,
I rain.

After a day or two, lilies sprout,
the shape of my tongue.

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

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

My soul is a mirror that reveals secrets,
I may not speak about them but
cannot deny knowing.
I run away from body and soul
where I belong, I swear, I do not know.
Seeker, if you want to know the secret,
first you must die to your self.
You may see me but do not think I am here
I have vanished into my Beloved
graced by the essence of love.
My arched back is the bow and my words,
the unbending arrows aimed at Truth.
My tears are testimony of my devotion to Shams
and from those tears white lilies will grow
that will speak the Truth.

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

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

Like a mirror my soul displays secrets; I am not able to speak;
but I am unable not to know.
I have become a fugitive from the body, fearful as to the
spirit; I swear I know not -- I belong neither to this nor to that.
Seeker, to catch a scent is the condition of dying; look not
upon me as living, for I am not so.
Look not on my crookedness, but behold this straight word;
my talk is an arrow, and I am as a bow.
This gourdlike head on top of me, and this dervish habit of my
body -- whom am I like, whom am I like in this market of the
world?
Then this gourd on my head, full of liquor -- I keep it upside
down, yet I do not let a drop trickle from it.
And even if I do not let trickle, do you behold the power of God,
that in exchange for that drop I gather pearls from the ea.
My eyes like a cloud gather pearls from that sea; this cloud of
my spirit rises to the heaven of fidelity.
I rain in the presence of Shams al-Haqq-i Tabriz, that lilies
may grow in the form of my tongue.

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, February 09, 2011

[Sunlight] If you are a man of this life -- Ghazal 3277

~

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

if you are a man of this life
then march on this path like a man
or retire and take refuge in your house
since you're not ready for this battle

real men drank a thousand seas and
still died of thirst
you only had a cup
yet boasted of overflowing

you claimed to reach your quest
you'll raise all the dust
yet you've travelled no distance
you've left no mark

now humbly turn to dust
under the gallop of real men
then you'll rise and
become a part of their journey

if you crawl for years
on the path of your quest
do not yield to grief
do not submit to distress

-- Ode (Ghazal) 3277
Translated by Nader Khalili
Rumi: Fountain of Fire
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

~


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

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Tuesday, February 08, 2011

[Sunlight] Your deeds alone are faithful

~

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

In this world you have three companions:
one is faithful, the others are treacherous.
The latter are friends and possessions;
the faithful one is excellence in deeds.
Your wealth won't come with you out of your palace;
your friend will come, but only as far as the grave.
When the day of doom comes to meet you,
your friend will say, "I've come this far, but no farther.
I will stand a while at your grave."
Your deeds alone are faithful: make them your refuge,
for they alone will accompany you into the depths of the tomb.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dar zamâneh mar torâ seh hamrahand
ân yeki vâfi va in do ghadrmand
Ân yeki yârân va digar rakht o mâl
vân sevom vâfiyast vân hosn-e af`âl
Mâl na-âyad bâ to birun az qosur
yâr âyad lik âyad tâ be-gur
Chon torâ ruz-e ajal âyad be-pish
yâr guyad az zabân-e hâl-e khvish
"Tâ bedinjâ pish hamrah nistam
bar sar-e guret zamâni bistam"
Fe`l-e to vâfiyast zu kon moltahad
keh dar âyad bâ to dar qa`r-e lahd


-- Mathnawi V: 1045-1050
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, February 07, 2011

[Sunlight] The Knots Untie -- Ghazal 863

~


Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 863, in a version by Coleman Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry.

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

The Knots Untie

Fire is whispering a secret in smoke's
ear, "This aloe wood loves me because

I help it live out its purpose. With
me it becomes fragrance, and then

disappears altogether!" The knots
untie and open into absence, as you do

with me, my friend. Eaten by flame,
and smoked out into the sky! This is

most fortunate. What's unlucky is not
to change and disappear. The black soil

must crumble to give itself to plants.
Think how sperm and egg become a smiling

face and head. Bread must dissolve to
turn into thought. Gold and silver in

their raw forms aren't worth much. This
way leads through humiliation and contempt.

We've tried the fullness of presence. Now
it's time for desolation. Love is pulling

us out by the ears to school. Love wants
us clean of resentment and those impulses

that misguide our souls. We're asleep,
but Khidr keeps sprinkling water on our

faces. Love will tell us the rest of
what we need to know soon. Then we'll

be deeply asleep and profoundly awake
simultaneously like cave companions.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The fire the day before yesterday whispered secretly to
the smoke, "The aloes-wood cannot rest without me, and with
me it is happy.
It knows well my worth, and expresses thanks to me, for
the aloes-wood has perceived that in its passing away there is
profit.
The aloes-wood was knotted and tied from head to foot;
in the release of nonexistence these knots were resolved.
Hail and welcome to you, my flame-eating friend, my
passer-away and martyr and pride of all witnesses."
See how heaven and earth are pawns of existence; flee
into nonexistence from the blindness of the one and the blueness
of the other.
Every soul which flees away from poverty and nonexistence
is misfortune fleeing away from prosperity and good fortune.
Without expunging, no one profits from the tablet of non-
existence; make peace between me and expunging, O loving One!
Until yonder dark earth passed away from itself, I did not
begin to augment or escape from inertia.
So long as sperm was sperm and did not become obliterated from seminal fluid, it attained not the cypress' stature nor the cheeks' beauty.
When bread and broth ferment in the intestines, they then become reason and soul, the despair of the envious.
So long as black rock did not pass away from itself, it did not become gold and silver, neither found its way into coins.
First comes lowliness and bondage, then afterwards there is kingship; in the ritual prayer men first stand, and then sit.
For a lifetime you have made trial of your own being; once it
is also necessary to experience not-being.
The pomp and pride of poverty and passing-away is no empty boast; whenever smoke appears it is not without a fire.
If our minds and desires belong not to love, how did love wantonly rob us of heart and turban?
Love entered, and draws us along by the ear every morning to the school of those who fulfil their covenants.
Love sets flowing the water of penitence from the eye of the
believer, to wash his breast clean of anger and stubborn denial.
You are fallen asleep and the water of Khidar splashes beside
you; leap up from slumber and seize the goblet of immortality.
Let love tell you the rest of it secretly from me; be one with the Companions of the Cave, alike sleeping and waking.

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

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

~

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

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Friday, February 04, 2011

[Sunlight] Lose your wisdom

~

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

If you wish your misery to end,
seek also to lose your wisdom—
the wisdom born of human illusion,
that which lacks the light
of God's overflowing grace.
The wisdom of this world increases doubt;
the wisdom of Faith releases you into the sky.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar to khvâhi ki sheqâvat kam shavad
jahd kon tâ az to hekmat kam shavad
Hekmati kaz tab` zâyad az khayâl
hekmati bi fayz-e nur-e Zu al-Jalâl
Hekmat-e donyâ fazâyad zann o shakk
hekmat-e dini parad fawq-e falak

-- Mathnawi, II: 3200-3203
Rumi: Daylight
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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

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Thursday, February 03, 2011

[Sunlight] None has contemplated the beauty of God but God

~

Here, Sunlight presents Ghazal (Ode) 861, in a poetic version by Jonathan Star and a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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"One Lasting Truth"

That awesome Beauty gives us everything.
Whose fault is it
if we go away empty-handed?

Don't be disheartened
if that Charmer is ruthless -
Who ever saw Him acting otherwise?

His love is sugar enough
even when it gives no sugar.
His beauty is promise enough
even when it causes you
to break your promise.

Show me a house where His light
does not shine.
Show me a garden where His grace
does not bloom.

God was jealous of His own Face
and so He created the splendor of morning.
When the spirit awoke in that light, it said,
"To grasp God's beauty, you must become God."

The eye and the lamp are different lights
but when they come together
no one can tell them apart.

What is true?
What is false?

The only truth I know in this world
is my master, Shams-e Tabriz:
The light of his Sun
has never shone upon anything passing
without making it eternal.

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

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

There was no grace left which that fair idol did not perform;
what fault is it of ours, if he acted not generously towards you?
You are upbraiding because that beauty was cruel; whoever
saw a lovely one in both worlds who acted not cruelly?
His love is sugar enough, even if he gave not sugar; his beauty
is all fidelity, even if he was not faithful.
Show me a house that is not filled with lamps of him; show
me a portico which his cheek has not filled with brightness.
This eye and that lamp are two lights, each one on its own;
when the two met, none made parting between them.
When the spirit became lost in contemplation, it said this:
"None has contemplated the beauty of God but God."
Each one of these similitudes is at once an exposition and an
error; only out of jealousy God named His Face, "By the Forenoon."*
The sun of the face of Shams al-Din, Pride of Tabriz, never
shone on aught transient but it made it eternal.

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

* Qur'an 93:1.

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

~

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Wednesday, February 02, 2011

[Sunlight] Who do you think it is? -- Quatrain 216

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 216:

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

If this me is not I, then
who am I?
If I am not the one who speaks, then
who does?
If this me is only a robe then
who is
the one I am covering?

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

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

the one you know me
as me it isn't me
who do you think it is
I utter no words with my tongue
who do you think it is
I'm only a shirt
from my head to my toes
the one whose shirt is me
who do you think it is

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

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

~

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Tuesday, February 01, 2011

[Sunlight] May God have mercy

~

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

May God have mercy on those who lead the way
and those who come behind,
and those who fulfill their vows,
and those who seek to fulfill them,
with His Grace and bounty,
His great benefits and favors!
For He is the best object of petition
and the noblest object of hope;
and God is the best protector and the most merciful
of those who show mercy,
and the best of friends and the best of heirs
and the best replacer of what has been consumed
and provider for those devoted
who sow and till the soil of good works.
And God bless Muhammad and all
the Prophets and Messengers!
Amen, 0 Lord of created beings!

-- Mathnawi IV, Prologue
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996

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

~

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