Wednesday, November 30, 2011

[Sunlight] Back to being -- Ghazal 853

~

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

Back to Being

The ocean can do without fish. My soul,
let me tell you a secret: it's rare to

meet a fish like the ocean! Seawater is
the nursing mother. Fish, the crying

babies. But sometimes the ocean comes
looking for a particular fish to hear

what it wants. The ocean will not act
before it knows. That fish is an

emperor then; the ocean is its minister.
But don't call such a fish a fish! How

long will I keep talking in riddles?
Shams is the master who turns the earth

fragrant. When plants feel him near
they open out. I would not have a soul,

if after tasting the taste of Shams,
I could go back to being who I was.

-- Ode (Ghazal) 853
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

~

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

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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

[Sunlight] The body resembles a garment

~

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


When a man is busy in earnest,
he is unconscious of his pain.
I mention this insensibility to pain
so you may know how much the body resembles a garment.
Go, seek the one who wears it;
don't kiss a piece of cloth.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khvod be-binad dast rafteh dar zarar
khvod azu besyâr rafteh bi khabar
Tâ be-dâni keh tan âmad chon lebâs
raw be-ju lâbes lebâsi ma-lis

-- Mathnawi III: 1610
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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

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Monday, November 28, 2011

[Sunlight] Too Vast for Partnership -- Ghazal 941

~

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

Too Vast for Partnership


Will it be better for us when we
dissolve into the ground, or worse?

Let's learn now what will happen.
This is lovers' work, to break through

and become this earth, to die before
we die. Don't think of pairing up

somehow with God! That claim is a
religious self-indulgence. You know

it by the smell: smoke coming off
dried dung is different from that of

aloe wood! The presence that one
second is soil, then water, fire,

smoke, woof, warp, a friend, a shame,
a modesty, is too vast and intimate

for partnership! Observers watch as
presence takes thousands of forms.

But inside your eyes the presence
doesn't brighten or dim; it just

lives there. A saint or a prophet,
one like Muhammad can see the trees

of heaven, the fruit hanging so close
he could reach and pick one for his

friend. But it's not time for that.
They melt and flow away from sight.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 941
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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Friday, November 25, 2011

[Sunlight] Dumfounded by love

~

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

Dear soul, Love alone cuts arguments short,
for it alone comes to the rescue when you cry for help against disputes.
Eloquence is dumbfounded by Love: it dares not wrangle;
for the lover fears that, if he answers back,
the pearl of inner experience might fall out of his mouth.

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

`Eshq borad bahs-râ ay jân o bas
ku ze goft o gu shavad feryâd ras
Hayrati âyad ze `eshq ân notq-râ
zahreh na-bovad keh konad u mâ-jarâ
Keh be-tarsad gar javâbi vâ dehad
gawhari az lonj-e u birun fotad

-- Mathnawi V: 3240-3241
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, November 24, 2011

[Sunlight] All praise be to God and thanksgiving! -- Ghazal 123

~

Sunlight offers Rumi's Ghazal (Ode) 123, in a translation by
William Chittick, and in a version by Jonathan Star:

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

I saw that good and beautiful King, that Eye
and Lamp of the breast,
That Intimate and Comforter of the heart, that
spirit-increasing Spirit and World.
I saw Him who gives intellect to the intellect
and purity to purity,
That Object of adoration for the moon and the
heavens, that Kiblah of the spirits of the saints.
Each one of my particles called out with its
own voice, "All praise be to God and thanksgiving!"
When Moses suddenly saw that Light from the
bush,
He said, "I have been delivered from seeking!
For I have been given this gift."
God said, "Oh Moses, leave aside traveling!
Throw down thy staff! (XXVII 10)"
At once Moses cast out from his heart friends,
fellows, and kin.
This is the significance of Put off thy two shoes!
(XX 12): "Cut off thy love from the two worlds!"
The house of the heart has no room for any but
God-- the heart knows the jealousy of the prophets.
God said, "Oh Moses, what is that in thy hand?"
He replied, "That is my staff for the road" (XX 17-18).
He said, "Cast it down (XX 19) and see the
marvels of heaven!"
He threw it down and it became a serpent;
when he saw the serpent he fled (XX 20-21).
God said, "Take it and I will make it your staff
once more" (XX 21):
"I will make your enemy your assistant, your
adversary your support.
Then you will know that faithful and gentle
friends derive only from My Bounty.
When We give pain to your hands and feet,
they become serpents in your eyes.
Oh hand, seize naught but Us! Oh foot, seek
naught but the Goal!
Flee not from the suffering We inflict, for
wherever you find suffering, there also you find a way to the
remedy."
No one has ever fled from suffering without
finding something worse in return.
Flee from the bait-- that is where fear lies.
Leave fear of places for the intellect.
Shams of Tabriz has shown his gentleness, but
when he went away, he took it with him.

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

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

"Throw Down Your Staff"

I saw that good and beautiful King,
That Witness of the heart's light,
That comforter and friend of the soul,
That spirit of all the world.

I saw the One who gives
wisdom to the wise,
purity to the pure;
The one adorned by the Moon and stars,
The one toward whom all saints bow.

Every cell of my body called out,
Praise God! Glory to God!

When Moses saw the radiant fire of the bush, he said:
"After finding this gift I need nothing more."

God said, "O Moses, your wandering is over.
Throw down your staff."
In that moment Moses cast from his heart
all friends, relatives, and kinsmen.

This is the meaning of "Take off both your shoes" -
Remove from your heart the desire of both worlds.
The abode of the heart has room for God alone.
You will know this through the grace of the prophets.

God said, "O Moses, what do you hold in your hand?"
Moses replied, "This is my rod for the journey."

God said,
"Throw it down and behold the marvels within yourself!"
Moses tossed his rod to the ground
and it became a serpent.
When Moses saw the serpent he ran in fear.

God said,
"Pick it up and I will turn it
into a staff once again.
Through my grace your foes will grant you blessings,
Your enemies will reach out in friendship.
When We bring suffering to your hands and feet
like the burning pain of snake-bites - carry on."

O hand, keep reaching for Us.
O feet, keep walking toward the Goal!
Do not run from the hardship We give you,
For wherever you find hardship
you will also find the means to its end.

No one has ever escaped from hardship
without something worse happening in return.

Don't take the bait! -
It will only lead to disaster.
Don't give in to your doubts! -
It will shake you from your ground.

Now Shams has shown us his mercy -
He went away
and left us with nothing but ourselves.

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

[Sunlight] I will take you to the depths of spirit -- Ghazal 1518

~


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

I am the Spirit Moon
with no place.
You do not see me for I am hidden
inside the soul.
Others want you for themselves but I call you
back to yourself.
You give me many names but I am
beyond all names.
Sometimes you say I am deceitful
but as long as you are
I will be too.
Until you remain blind and deaf
I will be invisible.
I am the garden of all gardens
I speak as the King of all flowers
I am the spring of all waters.
My words are like a ship and the sea
is their meaning.
Come to me and I will take you
to the depths of spirit.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1518
Translated by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Hidden Music
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

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

~

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

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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

[Sunlight] Generation upon generation

~

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

This world and that world are forever giving birth:
every cause is a mother; the effect is born as a child.
When the effect was born, it too became a cause,
so that it might give birth to wondrous effects.
These causes follow generation upon generation,
but it takes a very well-illuminated eye
to see all the links in the chain.

~ ~ ~

in jahân va ân jahân zâyad abad
har sabab mâdar asar zâyad valad
Chon asar zâyid ân ham shod sabab
tâ be-zâyid u asar-hâ-ye `ajab
in sabab-hâ nasl bar naslast layk
dideh-'i bâyad monavvar nik nik

-- Mathnawi II: 1000-1002
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Monday, November 21, 2011

[Sunlight] Union with you is the source of happiness -- Ghazal 2756

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2756, from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams",
in a version by Coleman Barks, and in the translation by A.J.
Arberry, upon which Barks based his version:

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

Only union with you gives joy.
The rest is tearing down one building
to put up another.
But don't break
with forms!

Boats cannot move without water.
We are misquoted texts
made right when you say us.

We are sheep in a tightening wolf-circle:
You come like a shepherd and ask,
"So how are you?"
I start crying.

This means something to anyone in a body,
but what means something to you?

You can't be spoken, though you listen
to all sound. You can't be written,
but you read everything.

You don't sleep, yet you're the source of dream-vision.

Your ship glides over nothing,
deep silence, praise for the ONE,
who told Moses on Sinai,

You Shall Not See Me

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"We Are Three,"
Maypop, 1987

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

Union with you is the source of happiness, for those are
but forms and this is reality.
Break not for a moment from your servant, for a ship
cannot sail without water.
I am a faulty Qur'an but am made correct when you recite.
A Joseph alone, and a hundred wolves, yet he escapes
when you are shepherd.
Every time you ask me, "How are you?" I am with tears
and pale cheeks.
For the vulgar these two are tokens; what are signs to
you who are without signs?
Unspoken you hear the discourse, unwritten you read the
deed.
Without sleep you show visions, without water you
drive on the ships.
Silence, have done with praises and petition, for from
the unseen has come "thou shall not see me".*

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 2"
The University of Chicago Press, 1979/1991


*When Moses asked to see God on the Mount, the answer was, "You will
never see me." Qur'an 7:143.

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

~

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

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Friday, November 18, 2011

[Sunlight] Beware the trap

~

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

The fowler scatters grain incessantly:
the grain is visible,
but the deceit is hidden.
Wherever you see the grain, beware,
lest the trap confine your wings.
The bird that gives up that grain
eats from Reality's spacious field.
With that it is content and escapes;
no trap confines its feathers.
Many times have you fallen into the snare of greed
and given your throat up to be cut;
but again the One that disposes hearts to repentance
has set you free, accepted your repentance,
and made you rejoice.
O moth, don't be forgetful and dubious;
just look at your burnt wing.

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

Dâyeman sayyâd rizad dâne-hâ
dâneh paydâ bâshad va penhân daghâ
Har kojâ dâneh be-didi al-hazar
tâ na-bandad dâm bar to bâl o par
Zânkeh morghi ku be-tark-e dâneh kard
dâneh az sahrâ-ye Bi Tazvir khvord
Ham bod ân qâne` shod vaz dâm jast
hich dâmi par o bâlesh-râ na-bast
Bâr-hâ dar dâm-e hers oftâdeh-'i
halq-e khvod-râ dar boridan dâdeh-'i
Bâzet ân Tavvâb-e lotf âzâd kard
tawbeh pezroft va shomâ-râ shâd kard
Kam kon ay parvâneh nesyân o shakki
dar par-e suzideh be-negar to yeki

-- Mathnawi III:2858-2861; 2870-2871; 2879
Translation by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Thursday, November 17, 2011

[Sunlight] The Still-Point of Ecstasy -- Ghazal 1529

~

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

"The Still-Point of Ecstasy"

On the Night of Creation I was awake,
Busy at work while everyone slept.
I was there to see the first wink
and hear the first tale told.
I was the first one caught
in the hair of the Great Imposter.

Whirling around the still-point of esctasy
I spun like the wheel of heaven.

How can I describe this to you?
you were born later.

I was a companion of that Ancient Lover;
Like a bowl with a broken rim
I endured his tyranny.
Why shouldn't I be as lustrous as the King's cup?
I have lived in the room of treasures.
Why shouldn't this bubble become the sea?
I am the secret that lies at its bottom . . .

Sh . . . no more words
Hear only the voice within.
Remember, the first thing He said was:
"We are beyond words."

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1529
Interpretive version by Jonathan Star
(in cooperation with the translator Shahram Shiva)
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~

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

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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

[Sunlight] Reveal your face, as I long for orchard and rose-garden

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 441, in a poetic translation
by Nader Khalili, a version by Coleman Barks, and a translation by
A.J. Arberry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
show me your face
i crave
flowers and gardens
open your lips
i crave
the taste of honey
come out from
behind the clouds
i desire a sunny face
your voice echoed
saying "leave me alone"
i wish to hear your voice
again saying "leave me alone"
i swear this city without you
is a prison
i am dying to get out
to roam in deserts and mountains
i am tired of
flimsy friends and
submissive companions
i die to walk with the brave
am blue hearing
nagging voices and meek cries
i desire loud music
drunken parties and
wild dance
one hand holding
a cup of wine
one hand caressing your hair
then dancing in orbital circle
that is what i yearn for
i can sing better than any nightingale
but because of
this city's freaks
i seal my lips
while my heart weeps
yesterday the wisest man
holding a lit lantern
in daylight
was searching around town saying
i am tired of
all these beasts and brutes
i seek
a true human
we have all looked
for one but
no one could be found
they said
yes he replied
but my search is
for the one
who cannot be found

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

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

What I want is to see your face
in a tree, in the sun coming out, in the air.

What I want is to hear the falcon-drum,
and light again on your forearm.

You say, "Tell him I'm not here." The
sound of that brusque dismissal becomes
what I want.

To see in every palm your elegant silver coin-shavings,
to turn with the wheel of the rain,
to fall with the falling bread of every experience,

to swim like a huge fish in ocean water,
to be Jacob recognizing Joseph.
To be a desert mountain instead of a city.

I'm tired of cowards.
I want to live with lions.
With Moses.

Not whining, teary people.
I want the ranting of drunkards.
I want to sing like birds sing, not worrying
who hears, or what they think.

Last night, a great teacher went
from door to door with a lamp.
"He who is not to be found is the one
I'm looking for."

Beyond wanting, beyond place, inside form,
That One. A flute says, I have no hope
for finding that.

But Love plays and is the music played.
Let that musician finish this poem.

Shams, I am a waterbird flying into the sun.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"We Are Three,"
Maypop, 1987

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

Show your face, for the orchard and rosegarden are my desire;
open your lips, for abundant sugar is my desire.
Sun of beauty, come forth one moment out of the cloud, for
that glittering, glowing countenance is my desire.
Out of your air I heard the sound of the falcon-drum; I
returned, for the sultan's forearm is my desire.
You said capriciously, "Trouble me no more; be gone!" That
saying of yours, "Trouble me no more," is my desire.
And your repulse, "Be gone, the king is not at home," and
those mighty airs and brusqueness of the doorkeeper, are my
desire.
In the hand of every one who exists there are filings of beauty;
that quarry of elegance and that mine are my desire.
This bread and water of heavens wheel are like a treacherous
torrent; I am a fish, a leviathan, Oman* is my desire.
Like Jacob I am crying alas, alas*; the fair visage of Joseph of
Canaan is my desire.
By Allah, without you the city is a prison for me; I wander
abroad, mountain and desert are my desire.
My heart is weary of these weak-spirited fellow-travellers; the
Lion of God* and Rustam-i Dastan are my desire.
My soul is sick of Pharaoh and his tyranny; that light of the
countenance of Moses son of Imran is my desire.
I am aweary of these tearful people so full of complaining;
that ranting and roaring of the drunkards is my desire.
I am more eloquent than the nightingale, but because of
vulgar envy a seal is on my tongue, and lamentation is my desire.
Last night the shaikh went all about the city, lamp in hand,
crying, "I am weary of beast and devil, a man is my desire."
They said, "He is not to be found, we too have searched." He
answered, "He who is not to be found is my desire."
Though I am penniless, I will not accept a small carnelian, for
that rare, precious carnelian is my desire.
Hidden from every eye, and all things seen are from Him --
that hidden One manifest in works is my desire.
My state has gone beyond every desire and yearning; from
mine and place to the elements is my desire.
My ear heard the tale of faith and became drunk; where is the
portion of sight? The form of faith is my desire.
In one hand the winecup, in the other the Beloved's curl -- to
dance so in the midst of the arena is my desire."
That rebeck says, "I am dead of expectation; the hand and
bosom and plectrum of Uthman* are my desire."
I am at once Love's rebeck, and Love is my rebeck-player;
those favours of the plucking of the All-merciful are my desire.
Cunning minstrel, number the rest of this ode after this fashion,
for it is after this fashion I desire.
Show your face from the east, Sun of the Pride of Tabriz; I am
the hoopoe, the presence of Solomon is my desire.

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

* Oman, the southern part of the Persian Gulf, symbolizes
the Divine Ocean.
* "Like Jacob, etc." -- Koran 12:84
* The "Lion of God" was Ali, Muhammad's cousin and fourth
caliph. Rustam was the famous Iranian champion.
* Uthman: Sharaf al-Din-i Qavval the minstrel, see Aflaki 222, etc.

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

~

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

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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

[Sunlight] Increase this search

~

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

If continually you keep your hope
quivering like the willow in longing for Heaven,
spiritual water and fire will continually arrive
and increase your subsistence.
And if your longing carries you there, it will be no wonder.
Don't pay attention to your weakness,
but to the intensity of your longing.
For this search is God's pledge within you,
because every seeker deserves to find something of which she seeks.
Increase this search,
that your heart may escape from this bodily prison.
If your spirit shall not live without the body,
for whom is the blessing promised in the words:
in Heaven is your provision?*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dam be-dam bar âsmân mi dâr omid
dar havâ-ye âsmân raqsân cho bid
Dam be-dam az âsmân mi âyadet
âb o âtesh rezq mi afzâyadet
Gar torâ ânjâ barad na-bud `ajab
ma-negar andar `ajz va be-negar dar talab
Kin talab dar to gerawgân-e Khodâst
zânkeh har tâleb be-matlubi sazâst
Jahd kon tâ in talab afzun shavad
tâ delet zin châh-e tan birun shavad
Gar na-khvâhad bi badan jân-e to zist
fî al-samâ'i rizqukum* ruzi kist

*al-Dhâriyât, 22

-- Mathnawi V:1731-1735; 1742
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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Monday, November 14, 2011

[Sunlight] Shadow and light together

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2155, from Rumi's Diwan-e
Shams, in a version by Coleman Barks, and in translation by A.J.
Arberry:

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

How does a part of the world leave the world?
How can wetness leave water?

Don't try to put out a fire
by throwing on more fire!
Don't wash a wound with blood!

No matter how fast you run,
your shadow more than keeps up.
Sometimes, it's in front!

Only full, overhead sun
diminishes your shadow.

But that shadow has been serving you!
What hurts you, blesses you.
Darkness is your candle.
Your boundaries are your quest.

I can explain this, but it would break
the glass cover on your heart,
and there's no fixing that.

You must have shadow and light source both.
Listen, and lay your head under the tree of awe.

When from that tree, feathers and wings sprout
on you, be quieter than a dove.
Don't open your mouth for even a cooooooo.

When a frog slips into the water, the snake
cannot get it. Then the frog climbs back out
and croaks, and the snake moves toward him again.

Even if the frog learned to hiss, still the snake
would hear through the hiss the information
he needed, the frog voice underneath.

But if the frog could be completely silent,
then the snake would go back to sleeping,
and the frog could reach the barley.

The soul lives there in the silent breath.

And that grain of barley is such that,
when you put it in the ground,
it grows.
Are these enough words,
or shall I squeeze more juice from this?
Who am I, my friend?

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

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

Say, how shall a part of the world depart from the world? How
shall moisture escape from water, one leap from two?
No fire dies from another fire, my son; O my heart bleeding of
love, wash not my blood in blood.
However much I fled, my shadow did not leave me; shadow
must be in charge of me, even though I become as the thread of
a hair.
Only the sun has the power to drive away shadows, the sun
increases and diminishes them; seek this from the sun.
Though for two thousands years you are running in the back of
the shadow, in the end you will see that you are behind and the
shadow before.
Your sin has become your service, your pain your blessing,
your candle your darkness, your bounds seeking and questing.
I would explain this, only it would break the back of your
heart; when you break the glass of the heart, repairs are of no
avail.
You must have both shadow and light together; listen to me,
lay your head down and prostrate yourself before the tree of the
fear of God.*
When from the tree of His grace wings and feathers sprout
for you, be silent as a dove, do not open your mouth for cooing.
When a frog enters water, the snake cannot reach it; the frog
croaks and gives information so that the snake knows where
he is.
Even though the cunning frog should hiss like a snake, the
feeble frog-sound of his betrays the true voice.
If the frog were silent, the snake would be his prey: when it
retires into its corner, the barleycorn and grain become a treasure.
When the golden barleycorn has become a treasure, it does
not diminish in the earth; the barleycorn of the soul becomes a
treasure when it attains the treasure of Hu.
Shall I finish these words, or shall I squeeze them again?
Yours is the decree; what am I, O gracious king?

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2155, from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shams"
Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 2"
University of Chicago Press, 1979

* I.e. "O you who believe! Fear God as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam." Qur'an 3: 102.


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

~

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

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

[Sunlight] The Invisible Hand

~

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


See how the hand is invisible while the pen is writing;
the horse careening, yet the rider unseen;
the arrow flying, but the bow is out of sight;
individual souls existing,
while the Soul of souls is hidden.

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

Dast panhân va qalam bin khatt-gozâr
asb dar jawlân va nâ-paydâ savâr
Tir parân bin va nâ-paydâ kamân
jân-hâ paydâ va panhân Jân-e jân

-- Mathnawi II:1303-1304
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Wednesday, November 09, 2011

[Sunlight] "In silence" -- Quatrain 337

~

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

There is a channel between voice and presence,
a way where information flows.

In disciplined silence the channel opens.
With wandering talk, it closes.

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


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


There is a thread from the heart to the lips
where the secret of life is woven.
Words tear the thread
but in silence
the secrets
speak.


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


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

~

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

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Tuesday, November 08, 2011

[Sunlight] Root, River, Fire, Sea

~


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

Root, River, Fire, Sea

A man was wandering the marketplace at noon
with a candle in his hand, totally ecstatic.

"Hey," called a shopkeeper. "Is this a joke?
Who are you looking for?" "Someone breathing Huuuuuu,

the divine breath." "Well, there are plenty
to choose from." "But I want one who can be

in anger and desire and still a true human being
in the same moment." "A rare thing! But maybe

you're searching among the branches for what appears
only in the roots." There's a river that turns

these millstones. Human will is an illusion. Those
that are proud of deciding things and carrying out

decisions are the rawest of the raw! Watch the thought-
kettles boiling and then look down at the fire.

God said to Job, "You value your patience well.
Consider now that I gave you that patience."

Don't be absorbed with the waterwheel's motion.
Turn your head and gaze at the river. You say,

"But I'm looking there already." There are several signs
in eyes that see all the way to the ocean. Bewilderment

is one. Those who study foam and flotsam near the edge
have purposes, and they'll explain them at length!

Those who look out to sea become the sea,
and they can't speak about that. On the beach

there's desire-singing and rage-ranting,
the elaborate language-dance of personality,

but in the waves and underneath there's no volition,
no hypocrisy, just love forming and unfolding.


-- Mathnawi V, 2887-2911
Version by Coleman Barks
"Say I Am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

~

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

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Friday, November 04, 2011

[Sunlight] "Turning Toward Kindness"

~

Here, Sunlight offers an excerpt from the Mathnawi story, in
versions by Barks and Helminski, along with a Persian
transliteration, and in the translation by Nicholson from which
the versions were developed:

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

"Turning Toward Kindness"

Anyone who genuinely and constantly with both hands
looks for something, will find it.

Though you are lame and bent over, keep moving
toward the Friend. With speech, with silence,
with sniffing about, stay on track.

Whenever some kindness comes to you, turn
that way, toward the source of kindness.

Love-things originate in the ocean.
Restlessness leads to rest.

-- Mathnawi III: 978-981, 987-992
Version by Coleman Barks
"One-Handed Basket Weaving"
Maypop, 1991

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

Whether one moves slowly or with speed,
the one who is a seeker will be a finder.
Always seek with your whole self,
for the search is an excellent guide on the way.
Though you are lame and limping,
though your figure is bent and clumsy,
always creep toward the One. Make that One your quest.
By speech and by silence and by fragrance,
catch the scent of the King everywhere.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar gerân o gar shetâbandeh bovad
ânke juyandeh-st yâbandeh bovad
Dar talab zan dâyeman to har do dast
kay talab dar râh niku rahbarast
Lang o luk o khofteh-shakl o bi adab
su-ye U mi ghizh va U-râ mi talab
Gah be-goft va gah be-khâmushi va gah
bui kardan gir har su bu-ye Shah

-- Mathnawi III: 978-981
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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


"Whether one be slow or speedy (in movement), he that is
a seeker will be a finder.
Always apply yourself with both hands (with all your
might) to seeking, for search is an excellent guide on the way.
(Though you be) lame and limping and bent in figure and
unmannerly, ever creep towards Him and be in quest of Him.
Now by speech and now by silence and now by smelling,
catch in every quarter the scent of the King."

-- Translation by Reynold A. Nicholson
Mathnawi II, verses 978-982
"The Mathnawi of Jalaluddin Rumi"
Published and Distributed by
The Trustees of The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial"

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

~

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

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Thursday, November 03, 2011

[Sunlight] Show me the ladder, that I may mount up to heaven

~

Here, Sunlight offers two renditions of Ghazal (Ode) 19 -- a
version by Coleman Barks, and the translation by A.J. Arberry,
upon which Barks based his version:

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

Any Chance Meeting

In every gathering, in any chance meeting
on the street, there is a shine,
an elegance rising up.

Today, I recognized that that jewel-like beauty
is the presence, our loving confusion,
the glow in which watery clay
gets brighter than fire,

the one we call the Friend.
I begged, "Is there a way into you,
a ladder?"
"Your head is the ladder.
Bring it down under your feet."

The mind, this globe of awareness,
is a starry universe that when
you push off from it with your foot,

a thousand new roads come clear, as you yourself
do at dawn, sailing through the light.

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

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

Today I beheld the beloved, that ornament of every affair;
he went off departing to heaven like the spirit of Mustafa.
The sun is put to shame by his countenance, heaven's sphere is
as confused as the heart; through his glow, water and clay are
more resplendent than fire.
I said, "Show me the ladder, that I may mount up to heaven."
He said, "Your head is the ladder; bring your head down under
your feet."
When you place your feet on your head, you will place your
feet on the head of the stairs; when you cleave through the air, set
your foot on the air, so, and come!
A hundred ways to heaven's air become manifest to you; you
go flying up to heaven every dawning like a prayer.

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
University of Chicago Press, 1991


Arberry's notes:

1. "Like the spirit of Mustafa": a reference to the famous mi'raj (Ascension) of Muhammad. The orthodox view was that his ascension was bodily, but Rumi is attracted by the double meaning of "ravan" ("departing" and "spirit").
2. "Confused": literally, "latticed"
3. "Your head is the ladder; bring your head down under your feet."
-- prostration in prayer, the subjection of reason to spirit.

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

~

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

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Wednesday, November 02, 2011

[Sunlight] Before I was seduced by love -- Ghazal 1517

~

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

you ask me
who are you and
with such a shaky
existence how can you
fall in love

how do i know
who am i or where i am
how could a simple wave
locate itself
in an ocean

you ask me
what am i seeking
above and beyond
the pure light
that i once was

and why am i
imprisoned in this cage
named body and
yet i claim to be
a free bird.

how do i know
how i lost my way
i know for sure
i was all straight
before i was
seduced by love.

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

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

~

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

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