Wednesday, August 31, 2011

[Sunlight] Listening -- Ghazal 1734

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Listening

What is the deep listening? Sama is
a greeting from the secret ones inside

the heart, a letter. The branches of
your intelligence grow new leaves in

the wind of this listening. The body
reaches a peace. Rooster sound comes,

reminding you of your love for dawn.
The reed flute and the singer's lips:

the knack of how spirit breathes into
us becomes as simple and ordinary as

eating and drinking. The dead rise with
the pleasure of listening. If someone

can't hear a trumpet melody, sprinkle
dirt on his head and declare him dead.

Listen, and feel the beauty of your
separation, the unsayable absence.

There's a moon inside every human being.
Learn to be companions with it. Give

more of your life to this listening. As
brightness is to time, so you are to

the one who talks to the deep ear in
your chest. I should sell my tongue

and buy a thousand ears when that
one steps near and begins to speak.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1734
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

[Sunlight] Do not despair, my soul -- Ghazal 631

~

To mark the end of Ramadan, Sunlight offers Professor Arberry's
translation of Ghazal 631, from the Diwan-e Shams:

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

Do not despair, my soul, for hope has manifested itself;
the hope of every soul has arrived from the unseen.

Do not despair, though Mary has gone from your hands,
for that light which drew Jesus to heaven has come.

Do not despair, my soul, in the darkness of this prison,
for that king who redeemed Joseph from prison has come.

Jacob has come forth from the veil of occlusion,
Joseph who rent Zulaikha's veil has come.

You who all through night to dawn have been crying "O Lord,"
mercy has heard that "O Lord" and has come.

O pain which has grown old, rejoice, for the cure has come;
O fastened lock, open, for the key has come.

You who have abstained fasting from the Table on high,
break your fast with joy, for the first day of the feast has come.

Keep silence, keep silence, for by virtue of the command "Be!"
that silence of bewilderment has augmented beyond all speech.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 631*, from Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi
Translation and footnote by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi," 1968

*This poem was evidently composed to mark the end of Ramadan.

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

~


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

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Monday, August 29, 2011

[Sunlight] The desire in your heart is for the sea

~

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

You are a bird of the sea,
even though a chicken has sheltered you beneath her wing.
The desire in your heart is for the sea;
your soul has that nature from your mother.
Leave your land-bound nursemaid and move on.
Come into the sea of reality.
You are a waterfowl:
you can live on land and sea.
You are of royal birth, for . . .
"We have ennobled the children of Adam:"*
you walk on both dry land and sea.

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

Mâdar-e to batt-e ân daryâ bodast
dâyeh-'et khâki bod o khoshki parast
Mayl-e daryâ keh del-e to andarast
ân tabi`at jânet-râ az mâdarast
Mayl-e khoshki mar torâ zin dâyeh ast
dâyeh-râ bo-g'zâr keh u bad-râyeh ast
Dâyeh-râ bo-g'zâr bar khoshk va be-rân
andar â dar bahr-e ma`nâ chon battân
Gar torâ mâdar be-tarsânad ze âb
to ma-tars va su-ye daryâ rân shetâb
To batti bar khoshk va bar tar zendeh-'i
ni cho morgh khâneh khâneh kandeh-'i
To ze "Karramnâ Bani dam"* shahi
ham be-khoshki ham be-daryâ pâ nehi

-- Mathnawi II:3767-3773
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

*al-Isrâ', 70


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

~


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Friday, August 26, 2011

[Sunlight] Honesty is better than a false reputation

~

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

When you say, "I'm ignorant: teach me,"
such honesty is better than a false reputation.
Learn from your father Adam, O clear-browed man:
he said, "O our Lord" and "We have done wrong."*
He made no excuses, nor did he invent lies,
nor did he lift up the banner of evasion.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon be-guyi "Jâhelam ta`lim deh"
in chonin ensâf az nâmus beh
Az pedar âmuz ay rawshan-jabin
"Rabbanâ" goft va "Zalamnâ"* pish azin
Nah bahâneh kard va nah tazvir sâkht
nah levâ-ye makr o hilat bar farâkht

*al-Anbiyâ', 97

-- Mathnawi IV: 1388-1390
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

[Sunlight] Go not without me -- Ghazal 2195

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2195, in four presentations:
versions by Star and Barks, and translations by Schimmel and
Arberry:

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

O Sky, don't revolve without me!
O moon, do not shine without me!
O earth, do not go without me!
O Time, do not go without me!
This world is enchanted by you,
that world is enchanted by you
Don't stay without me in this world!
Don't go to that world without me!
Your face, yonder radiant moon
makes lucid and lights our night
I'm only the night, you're the moon . . .
Don't go to the spheres without me!
The rose, she is kind to the thorn
and she protects him from fire
Look, you are the rose, I'm the thorn!
Don't go to your home without me!

-- Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
"Look! This is Love - Poems of Rumi"
Shambhala, 1991

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

Don't Go Without Me


Dancing in ecstasy you go,
my soul of souls
Don't go without me.
Laughing with your friends
you enter the garden
Don't go without me.

Don't let the sky turn without me.
Don't let the Moon shine without me.
Don't let the Earth spin without me.
Don't let the days pass without me.

The two worlds are joyous
because of you.
Don't stay in this world without me.
Don't go to the next world without me.

Don't let your eyes look without me.
Don't let your tongue speak without me.
Don't let your hands hold without me.
Don't let your soul stir without me.

Moonlight reveals the sky's bright face.
I am the light, you are the Moon
Don't rise without me.

The thorn is protected by the rose!
You are the rose, I am the thorn
Don't show your beauty without me.

I am the curve of your mallet,
the bits of stone beneath your chisel.
Don't strike the stone without me.
Don't move the chisel without me.

O joyous companion of the King,
Don't drink without me.
O watchman on the rooftop,
Don't stay up without me.

Woe to those who travel alone . . .
You know every sign,
You've walked upon every path
Don't go without me.

Some call you love,
I call you the King of Love.
You are beyond all imaginings,
taking me places
I can't even dream of.
O Ruler of my Heart,
wherever you go . . .

Don't go without me.

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

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

In the Arc of Your Mallet

Don't go anywhere without me.
Let nothing happen in the sky apart from me,
or on the ground, in this world or that world,
without my being in its happening.
Vision, see nothing I don't see.
Language, say nothing.
The way the night knows itself with the moon,
be that with me. Be the rose
nearest to the thorn that I am.
I want to feel myself in you when you taste food, in the
arc of your mallet when you work.
When you visit friends, when you go
up on the roof by yourself at night.

There's nothing worse than to walk out along the street
without you. I don't know where I'm going.
You're the road and the knower of roads,
more than maps, more than love.

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

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

Sweetly parading you go my soul of soul, go not without me;
life of your friends, enter not the garden without me.
Sky, revolve not without me; moon, shine not without me;
earth travel not without me, and time, go not without me.
With you this world is joyous, and with you that world is joyous;
in this world dwell not without me, and to that world depart not
without me.
Vision, know not without me, and tongue, recite not without
me; glance behold not without me, and soul, go not without me.
The night through the moon's light sees its face white; I am
light, you are my moon, go not to heaven without me.
The thorn is secure from the fire in the shelter of the roses
face: you are the rose, I your thorn; go not into the rose garden
without me.
I run in the curve of your mallet when your eye is with me;
even so gaze upon me, drive not without me, go not without me.
When, joy, you are companion of the king, drink not without
me; when, watchman, you go to the kings roof, go not without
me.
Alas for him who goes on this road without your sign; since
you, O signless one, are my sign, go not without me.
Alas for him who goes on the road without my knowledge;
you are the knowledge of the road for me; O road-knower, go
not without me.
Others call you love, I call you the king of love; O you who are
higher than the imagination of this and that, go not without me.

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

[Sunlight] If I could have known to value what I owned -- Ghazal 1509

~

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

i've travelled around
raced through every city
while i knew all along
no place could be found
like the city of love

if i could have known
to value what i owned
i would not have suffered
like a fool
the life of a vagabond

i've heard many tunes
all over the globe
all empty
as a kettledrum
except the music of love

it was the sound of
that hollow drum
that made me fall
from the heavens
to this mortal life

i used to soar
among souls
like a heart's flight
winglessly roaming and
celestially happy

i used to drink
like a flower that drinks
without lips or throat
of the wine that overflows
with laughter and joy

suddenly
i was summoned by love
to prepare for a journey
to the temple of
suffering

i cried desperately
i begged and pleaded
and shredded my clothes
not to be sent
to this world

just the way i fear now
going away
to the other world
i was frightened then
to make my descent

love asked me to go
with no fear to be alone
promising to be close
everywhere i go
closer than my veins

love threw its spell
its magic and allure
using coyness and charm
i was totally sold and
bought everything with joy

who am i to resist
love's many tricks
and not to fall
while the whole world
takes love's bait

love showed me
a path but then
lost me on the way
if i could have resisted
i would have found my way

i can show you my friend
surely how you can get there
but here and now
my pen has broken down
before telling you how

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1509
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994.

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

~

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

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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

[Sunlight] Don't be deceived by every intoxication

~

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

Listen, my heart, don't be deceived by every intoxication:
Jesus is intoxicated with God, the ass is intoxicated with barley.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hin be-har masti delâ gherreh ma-shaw
hast `Isâ mast-e Haqq khar mast-e jaw

-- Mathnawi IV:2691
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, August 22, 2011

[Sunlight] "I'd give my life for a sign of that Joseph" -- Ghazal 2779

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2779, in a version by Coleman Barks,
and in the translation by A.J. Arberry, upon which Barks based his
version:

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

Has anyone seen the boy who used to come here?
Round-faced troublemaker, quick to find a joke, slow
to be serious. Red shirt,
perfect coordination, sly,
strong muscles, with things always in this pocket: reed flute,
ivory pick, polished and ready for his talent.
You know that one.

Have you heard stories about him?
Pharaoh and the whole Egyptian world
collapsed for such a Joseph.
I'd gladly spend years getting word
of him, even third or fourth-hand.

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

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


Proclaim, O crier, at the head of every market, "Have you
seen, Muslims, a runaway slave?"
"A slave moonfaced, musk-scented, a troublemaker--swift of
pace in time of coquetry, in time of peace slow.
"A boy, ruby-robed, charming of countenance, sugar-sweet,
cypress-stature, saucy-eyed,acute, perfectly poised;
"In his bosom a rebec, in his hand a plucker; he plays a sweet
air, charming, well-seated.
"Does anyone have a fruit of the garden of his beauty? Or a
bunch of roses to smell from the rose bed of his loveliness?
"A Joseph by whose price the king of Egypt was bankrupted,
on every side heart-wounded ones like Jacob by his glance.
"I will give freely my sweet life as lawful to whomever brings
me a sign of him, or even a veiled hint."

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

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

~

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

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Friday, August 19, 2011

[Sunlight] Your friends are really your enemies

~

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


Your friends are really your enemies
as much as they keep you occupied with them
and take you away from the Presence.
There is an animal called a porcupine
which is made strong and big by the blows of the stick.
The more you beat it, the more it thrives.
Surely the true believer's soul is a porcupine,
for the blows of tribulation strengthen it.
For this reason, the trials and humiliation
laid upon the prophets is greater
than that laid upon all other creatures,
so that their souls become steadier than other souls;
for no other people have suffered such affliction.
The hide is burned by the treatment,
but it becomes supple like the leather of Ta'if;
and if the tanner didn't rub acid solution into it,
it would only become fetid and repulsive.

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

Dar haqiqat dustânet doshmanand
keh ze Hazrat dur o mashghulet konand
Hast hayavâni keh nâmesh oshghorast
u be-zakhm-e chub zaft o lamtorast
Tâ keh chubesh mi zani beh mi shavad
u ze zakhm-e chub farbeh mi shavad
Nafs-e mo'men oshghori âmad yaqin
ku be-zakhm-e ranj zaftast o samin
Zin sabab bar anbiyâ ranj o shekast
az hameh khalq-e jahân afzuntarast
Tâ ze jân-hâ jâneshân shod zafttar
keh na-didand ân balâ qawm-e degar
Pust az dâru balâ-kash mi shavad
chon adim-e Tâyefi khvosh mi shavad
Var nah talkh o tiz mâlidi daru
gandeh gashti nâ-khvosh o nâ-pâk bu

-- Mathnawi IV: 96-103
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, August 18, 2011

[Sunlight] Whoever enters this house -- Ghazal 332

~

Today, Sunlight offers Rumi's Ghazal (Ode) 332, from the Diwan-e
Shams (the Book of Shams), in a poetic version by Kabir Helminski, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"The House of Love"

Why is there always music in this house?
Ask the owner.

Idols inside the Kaaba?
God's light in a pagan temple?

Here is a treasure this world could not contain.
The house and its landlord
are all pretext and play.

Hands off this house, this talisman.
Don't argue with the landlord;
he's drunk every night.

The dirt and garbage are musk and rose.
The roof and door are music and verse.
In short, whoever finds this house,
is ruler of the world, Solomon of his time.

Look down, Lord, from the roof;
bless us with your glance.

I swear, since seeing Your face,
the whole world is a fraud and fantasy.
The garden is bewildered as to what is leaf
or blossom. The distracted birds
can't distinguish the birdseed from the snare.

A house of love with no limits,
a presence more beautiful than venus or the moon,
a beauty whose image fills the mirror of the heart.

Zulaikha's female friends,
beside themselves in Joseph's presence, sliced their wrists.
Maybe a curl of his hair brushed their hearts.

Come in. The Beloved is here. We are all drunk.
No one notices who enters or leaves.
Don't sit outside the door in the dark, wondering.

Those drunk with God,
even if they are a thousand, live as One.
But drunk with lust, even one is double.

Enter the thicket of lions unafraid of any wounds.
The shadows you fear are just a child's fantasy.

There is no wound and nothing to be wounded;
all is mercy and love.

But you build up thought
like a massive wooden door.
Set fire to the wood.
Silence the noise of the heart.
Hold your harmful tongue.

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

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

This house wherein continually rings the sound of the bell--
staff --- ask of the master what house this house is.
What is this idol-form, if it is the house of the Kaaba? And
what is this light of God, if it is the Magian temple?
In this house is a treasure which the whole of being cannot
contain; this house and this master are all a fiction and a pre-
tence.
Lay not hand upon this house, for this house is a talisman;
speak not to the master, for he is drunk since last night.
The dust and rubbish of this house is all ambergris and musk;
the noise of the door of this house is all verse and melody.
In short, whoever enters this house has found a way to the
King of the world, the Solomon of the time.
Master, bend down your head once from this roof,
for in your fair face is the token of fortune.
I swear by your life that, but for beholding your countenance,
though it be the kingdom of the earth, all is mere fantasy and
fable.
The garden is baffled as to which is the leaf, which the
blossom; the birds are distraught as to which is the snare, which
the bait.
This is the Master of heaven, who is like unto Venus and the
moon, and this is the house of Love, which is without bound and
end.
The soul, like a mirror, has received your image in its heart;
the heart has sunk like a comb into the tip of your tress.
Since in Joseph's presence the women cut their hands*, come to
me, my soul, for the Soul is there in the midst.
The whole household is drunk, and nobody is aware who
enters the threshold, whether it be X or Y.
It is inauspicious*; do not sit on the threshold, enter the house
at once; he whose place is the threshold keeps all in darkness.
Though God's drunkards are thousands, yet they are one; the
drunkards of lust are all double and treble.
Enter the lions' thicket and do not be anxious for the wound-
ing, for the anxiety of fear is the figments of women;
For there no wounding is, there all is mercy and love, but your
imagination is like a bolt behind the door.
Set not fire to the thicket, and keep silence, my heart; draw in
your tongue, for your tongue is a flame.*

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

* Joseph, the "fair one of Canaan," often a symbol of divine beauty;
see Qur'an 12:31
* "It is inauspicious": perhaps rather, "Become intoxicated."
* A play on "zaban" (tongue), and "zabana" (flame).

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

~

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

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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

[Sunlight] No one who dies feels grief

~

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

The wise Prophet has said that no one who dies
and dismounts from the steed of the body
feels grief on account of departure and death,
but only for missed opportunities and having failed in good works.
Truly everyone who dies wishes
that their arrival at their destination might have come sooner:
the wicked, in order that their wickedness might have been less;
and the devoted,
in order that they might have reached home more quickly.

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

Zin be-farmudast ân âgah Rasul
keh har ânke mord o kard az tan nozul
Na-bovad u-râ hasrat-e naqlân o mawt
lik bâshad hasrat-e taqsir o fawt
Har keh mirad khvod tamanni bâshadesh
keh bodi zin pish naql-e maqsadesh
Gar bovad bad tâ badi kamtar bodi
var taqi tâ khâneh zutar âmadi

-- Mathnawi, V:604-607
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

[Sunlight] Maybe They're Shy -- Ghazal 944

~

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

Maybe They're Shy

Now the nightbirds will be singing
of the way we love each other.
Why should they sing about flowers
when they've seen us in the garden?

Maybe they're shy. They can't look at the face,
so they describe feet.
If they keep dividing love into pieces,
they'll disappear altogether. We must be gentle
and explain it to them.

Think of a mountain so huge the Caucasus Range
is a tiny speck. Normal mountains
run toward her when she calls.
They listen in their cave-ears and echo back.
They turn upsidedown when they get close,
they're so excited.

No more words. In the name of this place we
drink in with our breathing, stay quiet like a flower.
So the nightbirds will start singing.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 944
Version by Coleman Barks
"Open Secret,"
Threshold Books, 1984

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

~

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

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Monday, August 15, 2011

[Sunlight] Hunger is the sultan of remedies

~

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

Indeed hunger is the sultan of remedies.
Place hunger in the soul--
Regard it not with such contempt!
Hunger makes all unpleasant things pleasant--
But without it, all pleasant things are rejected.

A man was eating bread made from bran.
Someone asked him, "How is it you have an appetite for this?"
He replied, "When hunger has been doubled through patience,
Barley bread becomes halva in my eyes." . . .

God has given hunger to His elect so that
They may become mighty lions.

-- Mathnavi V: 2832-35, 38
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~

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

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Friday, August 12, 2011

[Sunlight] Patience

~

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

Patience shown to the unworthy
is the means of polishing the worthy:
wherever a heart exists, patience purifies it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sabr bâ nâ ahl ahlân-râ jalâst
sabr sâfi mi konad har kojâ delist

-- Mathnawi VI: 2041
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, August 11, 2011

[Sunlight] A Children's Game

~

Here, Sunlight offers a selection from the Mathnawi, in a
version by Coleman Barks, accompanied by the Nicholson translation
from which Barks derived his interpretive version:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Children's Game

Listen to the poet Sanai,
who lived secluded: "Don't wander out on the road
in your ecstasy. Sleep in the tavern."

When a drunk strays out to the street,
children make fun of him.
He falls down in the mud.
He takes any and every road.
The children follow,
not knowing the taste of wine, or how
his drunkenness feels. All people on the planet
are children, except for a very few.
No one is grown up except those free of desire.

God said,
"The world is a play, a children's game,
and you are the children."
God speaks the truth.
If you haven't left the child's play,
how can you be an adult?
Without purity of spirit,
if you're still in the middle of lust and greed
and other wantings, you're like children
playing at sexual intercourse.
They wrestle
and rub together, but it's not sex!

The same with the fightings of mankind.
It's a squabble with play-swords.
No purpose, totally futile.

Like kids on hobby horses, soldiers claim to be riding
Boraq, Muhammad's night-horse, or Duldul, his mule.

Your actions mean nothing, the sex and war that you do.
You're holding part of your pants and prancing around,
Dun-da-dun, dun-da-dun.

Don't wait till you die to see this.
Recognize that your imagination and your thinking
and your sense-perception are reed canes
that children cut and pretend are horsies.

The Knowing of mystic Lovers is different.
The empirical, sensory, sciences
are like a donkey loaded with books,
or like the makeup woman's makeup.
It washes off.
But if you lift the baggage rightly, it will give you joy.
Don't carry your knowledge-load for some selfish reason.
Deny your desires and willfulness,
and a real mount may appear under you.

Don't be satisfied with the name of HU,
with just words about it.

Experience that breathing.
From books and words come fantasy,
and sometimes, from fantasy, comes union.

-- Mathnawi I: 3426-3454
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

Explaining that one must keep one's own (spiritual) state and
(mystical) intoxication hidden from the ignorant.

Hearken to the words of the Sage (Hakim) who lived in
seclusion(1), "Lay thy head in the same place where thou hast
drunk the wine."(2)
When the drunken man(3) has gone astray from a tavern, he
becomes the children's laughing-stock and playing.
Whatever way he goes(4), he is falling in the mud, (now) on
this side and (now) on that side, and every fool is laughing at
him.
He (goes on) like this, while the children at his heels are
without knowledge of his intoxication and the taste of this wine.
All mankind are children except him that is intoxicated with
God; none is grown-up except him that is feed from sensual
desire.
He (God) said, "This world is a play and pastime, and ye are
children"(5) ; and God speaks truth.
If you have not gone forth from (taken leave of) play, you are
a child: without purity of spirit how will you be fully intelligent
(like an adult)?
Know, O youth, that the lust in which men are indulging
here (in this world) is like the sexual intercourse of children.
What is the child's sexual intercourse? An idle play, compared
with the sexual intercourse of a Rustam and a brave champion
of Islam.
The wars of mankind are like children's fights--all
meaningless, pitchless, and contemptible.
All their fights are (fought) with wooden swords, all their
purposes are (centered) in furtility;
They all are riding on a reed-cane (hobby-horses), saying,
"This is our Buraq (6) or mule that goes like Duldul(7)."
They are (really) carrying (their hobby-horses), but in their
folly they have raised themselves on high: they have fancied
themselves to be riders carried along the road.
Wait till the day when those who are borne aloft by God shall
pass, galloping, beyond the nine tiers (of Heaven)!
"The spirit and the angles shall ascend to Him"(8) : at the
ascension of the spirit Heaven shall tremble.
Like children, ye all are riding on your skirts: ya have taken
hold of the corner of your skirts (to serve) as a horse.
From God came (the text), "Verily, opinion doth not enable
(you) to dispense (with the Truth)"(9) : when did the steed of
opinion run (mount) to the Heavens?
While preferring (in case of doubt) the stronger of the two
(alternative) opinions, do not doubt whether you see the sun
when it is shining!
At that time (when the spirit returns to God) behold your
steeds! Ye have made a steed of your own foot.
Come, recognize that your imagination and reflection and
sense-perception and apprehension are like the reed-cane on which
children ride.
The sciences of the mystics(10) bear them (aloft): the
sciences of sensual men(11) are burdens to them.
When knowledge strikes on the heart (is acquired through
mystical experience), it becomes a helper (Yari) ; when knowledge
strikes on the body (is acquired through the senses), it becomes a
burden (bari).
God hath said, "(Like an ass) laden with his books"(12) :
burdensome is the knowledge that is not from Himself.
The knowledge that is not immediately from Himself does not
endure, (it is) like the tirewoman's paint.
But when you carry this burden well, the burden will be
removed and you will be given (spiritual) joy.
Beware! Do not carry this burden of knowledge for the sake of
selfish desire (but mortify yourself), so that you may ride on the
smooth-paced steed of knowledge,
So that you may mount the smooth-paced steed of knowledge,
(and that) afterwards the burden may fall from your shoulder.
How wit thou be freed from selfish desires without the cup of
Hu (Him), O thou who hast become content with no more of Hu than
the name of Hu?(13)
From attribute and name what comes to birth? Phantasy; and
that phantasy shows the way to union with Him.

-- Mathnawi I: 3426 - 54
Translation and Commentary by Reynold A. Nicholson
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Published and Distributed by
The Trustees of The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial"

(1) Literally, "the sage of a purdeh." The Persian poet Sana'i is
meant. Hakim Sana'i was born in 437/1045-6. He is a celebrated writer
of religious poetry for which there appeared to exist a lively
interest. The Hadiqat al-haqiqat is the first specimen of a mystical
Mathnawi inPersian literature and has had a considerable impact on
later writers in the same genre, notably on Jalaluddin Rumi, whose
Mathnawi yi-Ma'nawi was composed after the example given by Sana'i.
(Sunlight footnotes)
(2) Here, in this line Rumi quotes from Sana'i's Hadiqat
al-haqiqat. (Professor Este'lami's commentary--Persian scholar)
(3) Drunken men are the ones who are drunken from Divine
wine, and often misunderstood by the ordinary people.(Este'lami's
commentary)
(4) Literally, "on every road."
(5) The animal ridden by the Prophet when he ascended to
Heaven.
(6) A mule belonging to the Prophet.
(7) Qur'an,XXIX,64
(8) Qur'an, LXX,4
(9) Qur'an, X,36
(10) Literally, "the men of heart."
(11) Literally, "the men of body."
(12) Qur'an, LXII,5
(13) Hu is an Arabic name for God, also it is a famous Zikr
(meditation mantra) among the Mevelvieh Sufi Order. (Gulpinarly's
commentary -- Turkish scholar).

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

~


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

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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

[Sunlight] We are friends of the One -- Ghazal 424

~

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

Shall I tell you our secret?
We are charming thieves who steal hearts
and never fail because we are
the friends of the One.
The time for old preaching is over
we aim straight at the heart.
If the mind tries to sneak in and take over
we will string it up without delay.
We turn poison into medicine
and our sorrows into blessings.
All that was familiar,
our loved ones and ourselves
we had to leave behind.

Blessed is the poem that comes through me
but not of me because the sound of my own music
will drown the song of Love.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 424
Translated by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Hidden Music
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

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

~

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

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Tuesday, August 09, 2011

[Sunlight] Friendship is as precious as gold

~

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

Friendship is as precious as gold.
Why entrust it to one who will betray it?
Spend time near the One with whom your trusts
are safe from loss or violation.
Be close with the One who created human nature,
the One who nurtured the character of the prophets--
who if given a lamb, will give you back a whole flock of sheep.
Truly, the Sustainer cares for and increases every good quality.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sohbatet chon hast zar-e dah dahi
pish-e khâyen chon amânat mi nehi
Khuy bâ U kon k-amânat-hâ-ye to
ayman âyad az oful o az `atu
Khuy bâ U kon keh khu-râ âfarid
khuy-hâ-ye anbiyâ-râ parvarid
Bareh-'i be-dehi rameh bâzet dehad
parvarandeh-ye har sefat khvod Rabb bovad

-- Mathnawi VI:1418-1421
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, August 08, 2011

[Sunlight] Hamza's Nothing -- Ghazal 2041

~

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

"Hamza's Nothing"

A moth flying into the flames says
with its wingfire, "Try this." The wick

with its knotted neck broken tells you
the same. A candle as it diminishes

explains, "Gathering more and more is
not the way. Burn, become light

and heat and help melt." The ocean
sits in the sand letting its lap

fill with pearls and shells, then empty.
The bitter salt taste hums, "This."

The phoenix gives up on good-and-bad,
flies to nest on Mount Qaf, no more

burning and rising from ash. It sends
out one message. The rose purifies

its face, drops the soft petals, shows
its thorn, and points. Wine abandons

thousands of famous names, the vintage
years and delightful bouquets, to run

wild and anonymous through your brain.
Empty, the flute closes its eyes

to Hamza's nothing. Everything begs
with the silent rocks for you to be

flung out like light over this plain,
the presence of Shams-i Tabriz.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2041
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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Friday, August 05, 2011

[Sunlight] Thirsty and craving

~

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

When the listener has become thirsty and craving,
the preacher, even if he is as good as dead,
becomes eloquent.
When the hearer is fresh and without fatigue,
the drunk and mute will find
a hundred tongues to speak.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mostame` chon tashneh va juyandeh shod
vâ`ez ar mordeh bovad guyandeh shod
mostame` chon tâzeh âmad bi malâl
sad zabân gardad be-goftan gong va lâl

-- Mathnawi I: 2379-2380
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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


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

When the listener has become thirsty and craving,
the preacher, even if he is as good as dead,
becomes eloquent.
When the hearer is fresh and without fatigue,
the drunk and mute will find
a hundred tongues to speak.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mostame` chon tashneh va juyandeh shod
vâ`ez ar mordeh bovad guyandeh shod
mostame` chon tâzeh âmad bi malâl
sad zabân gardad be-goftan gong va lâl

-- Mathnawi I: 2379-2380
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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

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Thursday, August 04, 2011

[Sunlight] "But I had to come this long way to know it!"

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

"In Baghdad, Dreaming of Cairo:
In Cairo, Dreaming of Baghdad"


No more muffled drums!
Uncover the drumheads!

Plant your flag in an open field!
No more timid peeking around.

Either you see the Beloved,
or you lose your head!

If your throat's not ready for that Wine, cut it!
If your eyes don't want the fullness of Union,
let them turn white with disease.

Either this deep desire of mine
will be found on this journey,
or when I get back home!

It may be that the satisfaction I need
depends on my going away, so that when I've gone
and come back, I'll find it at home.

I will search for the Friend with all my passion
and all my energy, until I learn
that I don't need to search.

The real truth of existence is sealed,
until after many twists and turns of the road.

As in the algebraical method of "the two errors,"
the correct answer comes only after two substitutions,
after two mistakes. Then the seeker says,

"If I had known the real way it was,
I would have stopped all the looking around."

But that knowing depends
on the time spent looking!

Just as the Sheikh's debt could not be paid
until the boy's weeping, that story we told in Book II.

You fear losing a certain eminent position.
You hope to gain something from that, but it comes
from elsewhere. Existence does this switching trick,
giving you hope from one source, then satisfaction
from another.
It keeps you bewildered
and wondering, and lets your trust in the Unseen grow.

You think to make your living from tailoring,
but then somehow money comes in
through goldsmithing,
which had never entered your mind.

I don't know whether the Union I want will come
through my effort, or my giving up effort,
or from something completely separate
from anything I do or don't do.

I wait and fidget and flop about
as a decapitated chicken does, knowing that
the vital spirit has to escape this body
eventually, somehow!

This desire will find an opening.

There was once a man
who inherited a lot of money and land.

But he squandered it all too quickly. Those who inherit
wealth don't know what work it took to get it.

In the same way, we don't know the value of our souls,
which were given to us for nothing!

So the man was left alone without provisions,
an owl in the desert.
The Prophet has said
that a true seeker must be completely empty like a lute
to make the sweet music of "Lord, Lord."

When the emptiness starts to get filled with something,
the One who plays the lute puts it down
and picks up another.

There is nothing more subtle and delightful
than to make that music.
Stay empty and held
between those fingers, where "where"
gets drunk with Nowhere.
This man was empty,
and the tears came. His habitual stubbornness
dissolved. This is the way with many seekers.
They moan in prayer, and the perfumed smoke of that
floats into Heaven, and the angels say, "Answer
this prayer. This worshiper has only You and
nothing else to depend on. Why do you go first
to the prayers of those less devoted?
God says,
"By deferring My Generosity I am helping him.
His need dragged him by the hair into My Presence.
If I satisfy that, he'll go back to being absorbed
in some idle amusement. Listen how passionate he is!
That torn-open cry is the way he should live."

Nightingales are put in cages
because their songs give pleasure.
Whoever heard of keeping a crow?

When two people, one decrepit and the other young
and handsome, come into a bakery where the baker
is an admirer of young men, and both of them
ask for bread, the baker will immediately
give what he has on hand to the old man.

But to the other he will say, "Sit down and wait a while.
There's fresh bread baking in the house. Almost ready!"

And when the hot bread is brought, the baker will say,
"Don't leave. The halvah is coming."

So he finds ways of detaining the young man with,
"Ah, there's something important I want to tell you about.
Stay. I'll be back in a moment. Something very important!"

This is how it is when true devotees
suffer disappointment
in the good they want to do,
or the bad they want to avoid.

So this man with nothing, who had inherited everything
and squandered it, kept weeping, "Lord, Lord!"

Finally in a dream he heard a Voice, "Your wealth
is in Cairo. Go there to such-and-such a spot
and dig, and you'll find what you need.

So he left on the long journey,
and when he saw the towers of Cairo,
he felt his back grow warm with new courage

But Cairo is a large city,
and before he could find the spot,
he had to wander about.

He had no money, of course, so he begged
among the townspeople, but he felt ashamed doing that.
He decided, "I will go out at night
and call like the night-mendicants that people
throw coins into the street for."
Shame and dignity and hunger
were pushing him forward and backward and sideways!

Suddenly, he was seized by the night-patrol.
It so happened that many had been robbed recently
in Cairo at night, and the Caliph had told the police
to assume that anyone out roaming after dark
was a thief.
It's best not to let offenders go unpunished.
Then they poison the whole body of society. Cut off
the snakebitten finger! Don't be sympathetic
with thieves. Consider instead
the public suffering. In those days
robbers were expert, and numerous!

So the night-patrol grabbed the man.
"Wait!
I can explain!"

"Tell me."

"I am not a criminal.
I am new to Cairo. I live in Baghdad." He told the story
of his dream and the buried treasure,
and he was so believable in the telling that the night-patrolman
began to cry. Always, the fragrance of Truth has that effect.
Passion
can restore healing power, and prune the weary boughs
to new life. The energy of passion is everything!

There are fake satisfactions that simulate passion.
They taste cold and delicious,
but they just distract you and prevent you
from the search. They say,
"I will relieve your passion.
Take me. Take me!"
Run from false remedies
that dilute your energy. Keep it rich and musky.

The night-patrol said, "I know you're not a thief.
You're a good man, but you're kind of a fool.
I've had that dream before.
I was told, in my dream,
that there was a treasure for me in Baghdad,
buried in a certain quarter of the city
on such-and-such a street."
The name of the street
that he said was where this man lived!
"And the dream-
voice told me, "It's in So-and-so's house.
Go there and get it!"

Without knowing either,
he had described the exact house,
and mentioned this man's name!
"But I didn't do
what the dream said to do, and look at you,
who did, wandering the world, fatigued,
and begging in the streets!"
So it came quietly
to the seeker, though he didn't say it out loud,
"What I'm longing for lived in my poor house in Baghdad!"

He filled with joy. He breathed continuous praise.
Finally, he said,
"The Water of Life is here.
I'm drinking it. But I had to come
this long way to know it!"

-- Interpretive version by Coleman Barks
Based on Reynold Nicholson's translation of
Rumi's Mathnawi, Volume VI
Verses 4167-4275, 4280,4302-19, 4324-26
"The Essential Rumi"
Castle Books, 1997

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


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Wednesday, August 03, 2011

[Sunlight] Whatever comes of the world's affairs -- Ghazal 2144

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2144, in poetic translation
by Nader Khalili, and in literal translation by A.J. Arberry.

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

whatever happens
to the world around
show me your purpose
show me your source

even if the world
is Godless and chaos
show me your anchor
show me your love

if there is hunger
if there is famine
show me your harvest
show me your resource

if life is bitter
everywhere snakes everywhere poison
show me your garden
show me your meadow

if the sun and the moon fall
if darkness rules the world
show me your light
show me your flame

if i have no mouth
or tongue to utter
words of your secrets
show me your fountain

i'll keep silence
how can i express
your life when mine
still is untold

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

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

Whatever comes of the world's affairs, how does that affect
your business? If the two worlds have become an idol-temple,
where is that roguish idol of yours?
Grant that the world is in famine, there is no bowl [of wine]
and bread any more; O king of the manifest and hidden, where
are your measure and store?
Grant that the world is all thorn, scorpion and snake; O joy
and gladness of the soul, where are your rose bower and rosebed?
Grant that liberality itself is dead, that miserliness has slain
all; O our heart and eye, where are your pension and robe of
honor?
Grant that both the sun and the moon have sunk into hell; O
succor of hearing and sight, where are your torch and light?
Grant that the jeweler is not after any customer, how shall
you not take the leadership? Where is your pearl-raining cloud?
Grant there is no mouth, there is no speech of tongue to tell
the secrets; where is the surging of your heart?
Come, leave all this, for we are drunk with union and
encounter; the hour is late come quickly, where is this house of
your vintner?
Drunken sharp-glancer of mine, my fellow in heart and hand,
if you are not dissolute and in dotage, where are your cloak and
turban*?
A whore has carried off your cap, another your gown; your
face is pale with a moonlike beauty; where is your support and
protection?
A stranger is waylaying the path to the drunkards of eternity:
why do you not act the policeman? Where is your wound thrust?
Where are your gallows?
Silence, word-scatterer! Interpret not to ordinary people what
is fit only for the ears of the silent ones; where is your ecstasy
and speech?**

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

* "Ham dil o ham dast" means an associate and confidant. Arberry's
translation is "my fellow in heart and hand."
** The last past of the last line was revised. The original translation
was: "What has your ecstasy to do with speech?"

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

~

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

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Tuesday, August 02, 2011

[Sunlight] The foundation of ease, the forerunner of pleasure

~

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

The porter runs to the heavy load and takes it from others,
knowing burdens are the foundations of ease
and bitter things the forerunners of pleasure.
See the porters struggle over the load!
It's the way of those who see the truth of things.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mi davad hammâl zi bâr-e gerân
mi robâyad bâr-râ az digarân
Chon gerâni-hâ asâs-e râhatast
talkh-hâ ham pishvâ-ye ne`matast
Jang-e hammâlân barâ-ye bâr bin
in chonin ast ejtehâd-e kâr-bin

-- Mathnawi, II:1834-1836
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Monday, August 01, 2011

[Sunlight] "Fasting" -- Ghazal 1739

~

Here, in celebration of the beginning of Ramadan, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1739, from the Diwan-e Shams, in a version by Coleman Barks, in a version by Jonathan Star, and in translation by William Chittick and in a translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"Fasting"

There is an unseen sweetness
in the stomach's emptiness.

We are lutes.
When the soundbox is filled,
no music can come forth.

When the brain and the belly
are burning from fasting,
every moment a new song rises
out of the fire.

The mists clear,
and a new vitality makes you
spring up the steps before you.

Be empty and cry as a reed instrument.
Be empty and write secrets with a reed pen.

When satiated by food and drink,
an unsightly metal statue
is seated where your spirit should be.

When fasting, good habits gather like
helpful friends.

Fasting is Solomon's ring.
Don't give in to illusion
and lose your power.

But even when all will and control
have been lost,
they will return when you fast,
like soldiers appearing out of the ground,
or pennants flying in the breeze.

A table descends to your tents,
the Lord's table.
Anticipate seeing it when fasting,
this table spread with a different food,
far better than the broth of cabbages.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
Castle Books, 1997

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


"Better than Cabbage Soup"

What sweetness lies in an empty stomach!
Man is like a lute: no more, no less.
If the lute is full
it cannot sing a high or low note.

If your mind and stomach
burn with the fire of hunger
it will be like a heavenly song for your heart.
In each moment that fire rages
It will burn away a hundred veils
And carry you a thousand steps
toward your goal.

Be empty
and weep with the fullness of the reed flute.
Be empty
and discover the mysteries of the reed pen.

If your belly is full on the day you are called
pain will come instead of freedom,
worldly cares will come instead of paradise.
When you fast, good qualities will gather round you
like faithful friends and servants.

Don't break the fast
for it is Solomon's Seal.
Don't give the Seal to harmful spirits.
Don't destroy your kingdom with a full belly.

Even in your kingdom falls
and your armies abandon you,
keep the fast.

Soon they will return
with their banners high in the air.
I say, by the prayer of Jesus,
Heaven's Table will come to your fasting tent.

Fast and remember that the abundance
of Heaven's Table will soon be yours -
And I assure you,
the food on that Table
is better than cabbage soup!

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

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

What hidden sweetness is found in this empty
stomach! Man is like a lute, neither more nor less:
When the lute's stomach is full, it cannot
lament, whether high or low.
If your brain and stomach burn from fasting,
their fire will draw constant lamentation from your breast.
Through that fire you will burn a thousand
veils at every instant--you will ascend a thousand degrees on
the Way and in your aspiration.
Keep your stomach empty! Lament like a flute
and tell your need to God! Keep your stomach empty and
speak of the mysteries like a reed!
If you keep your stomach full, it will bring
Satan to you at the Resurrection instead of your intellect, an
idol instead of the Kaaba.
When you fast, good character traits gather
round you like servants, slaves, and retinue.
Continue your fasting, for it is Solomon's seal:
Give not the seal to the devil, disrupt not your kingdom.
And if your kingdom and army should flee from
you, your army will return, so raise the banner!
The Spread Table has come from heaven to
those who fast, for Jesus son of Mary has called it down with
his prayers*.
Await the Table of Generosity in your fast--the
Table of Generosity is better than cabbage stew!


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

* Chapter V of the Koran is named after the "spread table"
referred to in these verses: "And when the Apostles said, 'Oh
Jesus, son of Mary, is thy Lord able to send down on us a
Spread Table out of heaven? ... Said Jesus son of Mary, 'Oh
God, our Lord, send down upon us a Spread Table out of
heaven, that shall be for us a festival ... And provide for us;
Thou art the best of providers."' (V 112, 114)

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


What hidden sweetness there is in this emptiness of the belly!
Man is surely like a lute, no more and no less;
For if, for instance, the belly of the lute becomes full, no
lament high or low will arise from that full lute.
If your brain and belly are on fire through fasting, because
of the fire every moment a lament will arise from your breast.
Every moment you will burn a thousand veils by that fire; you
will mount a hundred steps with zeal and endeavor.
Become empty of belly, and weep entreatingly like the reed
pipe; become empty of belly, and tell secrets with the reed pen.
If your belly is full at the time of concourse, it will bring Satan
in place of your reason, an idol in place of the Kaaba.
When you keep the fast, good habits gather together before
you like slaves and servants and retinue.
Keep the fast, for that is Solomon's ring; give not the ring to
the div, destroy not your kingdom.
Even if your kingdom has gone from your head and your army
has fled, your army will rise up, pennants flying above them.
The table arrived from heaven to the tents of the fast, by the
intervention of the prayers of Jesus, son of Mary.
In the fast, be expectant of the table of bounty, for the table
of bounty is better than the broth of cabbages.

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

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

~

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

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