Sunlight: March 2012

Friday, March 30, 2012

[Sunlight] Grainy Taste -- Ghazal 328

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

"Grainy Taste"

Without a net, I catch a falcon
and release it to the sky, hunting

God. This wine I drink today was
never held in a clay jar. I love

this world, even as I hear the great
wind of leaving it rising, for there

is a grainy taste I prefer to every
idea of heaven: human friendship.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 328
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

[Sunlight] Desperately seeking simplicity -- Ghazal 3210

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

this time i must confess
i feel a total hate for myself
while crowded and swarmed
my heart wishes to be a single self

seeking that single pearl
i crave to dive deep into this sea
but fear of murderous waves
makes me beg for your help my friends

scattered with so much going on inside
i long for nothing but an inner unity
duality must be abandoned
if you seek to drink the soul of unity

you must bet and lose
everything you've ever owned
if you truly desire
to become one with your beloved

listen to the secret sound
of the revelation now
when your quest aspires the skies
fly away from this lowly earth

my heavenly soul
who only nests in the heights
is tired of its house on earth
it wants to abandon the body
it wants to take the final flight

-- Ghazal 3210
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, 1994

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

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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

[Sunlight] "If you are born of Adam"

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

If you are born of Adam, sit like him
and behold all his progeny within yourself.
What is in the jar that is not also in the river?
What is in the house that is not also in the city?
This world is a jar, and the heart-spirit is like the river;
this world is the chamber, and the spirit is the wondrous city.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar to Âdamzâdeh-'i chon u neshin
jomleh zorriyât-râ dar khvod be-bin
Chist dar khom keh andar nahr nist
chist andar khâneh k-andar shahr nist
In jahân khomast va del chon ju-ye âb
in jahân hojreh-st va del shahr-e `ojâb

-- Mathnawi IV: 809-811
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, March 26, 2012

[Sunlight] O soul, the breeze of spring is coming -- Ghazal 3034

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 3034, from Molana Rumi's
"Diwan-e Shams" - the "Collection of Shams", in a version by
Coleman Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Water opens the garden like a new friendship.
Leaf says to fruit, "Quit scratching your ear,
and come outside."

The sweet grape makes the deepest teacher,
because its trunk is spindly.

Lust is a winter the garden contracts in,
for how long? Too long.

Wash your face with Spring water.
Now a branch of blooms talks to the basil,
"Lie down."

Birds say to trees, "Hold us."

A rose to God: "Don't let winter come again."

The reply:

"Don't grieve over December,
or Mongol tribes that raid Khorasan.
That is my concern.

Juice doesn't flow from fruit
unless you squeeze them.
I give unnumbered life
when I take away the numbers.
I serve wine that gives no headache
when I withhold the headache wine.

But you go on painting pictures and blackening
pages of print, like smoke obscuring light.
Read the day instead of books.

Get off your horse and let him ride away,
the perfect equestrian."

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

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

O soul, the breeze of spring is coming, so that you may raise
your hand towards the rose garden.
Grass and lily, tulip and hyacinth said, "There grows what-
ever you sow."
Buds and rose blossoms came as a helmet so that the ugliness
of the thorn may not appear.*
Elevation has come to the tall cypress, it has found glory
after humiliation.
Spirit enters all the garden, for water displays spirit-bestow-
ing;
The beauty of the garden increases from water--it has come as
most blessed friendship.
Leaf has sent a message to fruit, "You come quickly, do not
scratch your ear."
That sweet grape is king of the fruits, because its tree was
emaciated.
In the winter of lust how long shall the garden of our heart re-
main imprisoned and walled in?
Seek the way from the heart, seek the moon from the soul;
what does the earth possess but dust?
Rise, wash your face, but with a water which beautifies the
cheek of the rose.
The branch of blossoms said to the basil, "Lay down what-
ever you posses in our path."
The nightingale said to the garden, "We are the quarry of
your snare."
The rose entreats God for mercy, "Do not put winter in com-
mand over us."
God says, "How does juice come out of fruit until you squeeze
it?
"Do not grieve over December and the raiding Gozz, and re-
gard this business as lying at my door.*
"Thanks and praise, joy and increase do not appear except
you lament.
"I will give you life unnumbered if I take away numbered life;
"I will give you wine without headache if I take away wine
that yields headache."
Though many pictures have knowledge, why do you go on
painting the pages?
Through you the face of the pages has been blackened; how
can you read the writing of day?
Have done with smoke; look at the light from the moon of the
Beloved in the dark night.
Enough, enough, come down from your horse, so that he may
ride forth, the horseman supreme.

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

* This line could be translated: "Bud and flowers came as
forgiveness so that you may not see the ugliness of the thorn."
* The nomadic Gozz tribes invaded and destroyed Khorasan in
the twelfth century.

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

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Friday, March 23, 2012

[Sunlight] Make glorification of God your sustenance

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

Though Light is the food of the spirit and spiritual vision,
the body also partakes of it.
If your belly is greedy, turn away from the world;
the only way is to change what you eat.
You whose heart is sick, turn to the remedy:
the entire diet is a change of attitude.
You who are kept in pawn to food,
you can be free if you suffer yourself to be weaned.
Truly in hunger there is abundant nourishment:
search after it diligently
and cherish the hope of finding it.
Feed on the Light, be like the eye,
be in harmony with the angels, O best of humankind.
Like the Angel, make glorification of God your sustenance.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Garcheh ân mat`um-e jânast o nazar
jesm-râ ham ze ân nasib ast ay pesar
Yâ haris al-butun `arjun hâkadhâ
innamâ al-minhâj tabdil al-ghadhâ
Yâ marid al-qalbi `urija lil-`ilâj
jumlat al-tadbir tabdil al-mizâj
Innahâ al-mahbusu fi rahn al-ta`âm
sawfa tanju in tahammalta al-fitân
Inna fi al-ju` ta`âman wâfirâ
iftaqid'hâ wa-rtaj yâ nâfirâ
Ightadhi bi-al-nur kun mithla al-basar
wâfiq al-amlâk yâ khayr al-bashar
Chon malak tasbih-e Haqq-râ kon ghezâ
tâ rahi hamchon malâyek az azâ

-- Mathnawi V:288; 293-298
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, March 22, 2012

[Sunlight] Joyous spring has arrived -- Ghazal 1121

Sunlight presents Ode 1121, in a poetic version by
Coleman Barks and in a translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Spring, and no one can be still,
with all the messages coming through.

We walk outside as though going to meet visitors,
wild roses, trilliums by the water.

A tight knot loosens.
Something which died in December
lifts a head out,
and opens.

Trees, the tribe gathers!
Who has a chance
against such an elegant assemblage?

Before this power,
human beings are chives to be chopped,
gnats to be waved away.

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

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

Joyous spring has arrived and the Beloved's message has come,
we are drunk with love and intoxicated and cannot be still.
O my darling one, go forth to the garden, do not leave the
beauties of the meadow in expectation.
Strangers from the Unseen have arrived in the meadow; go
forth, for it is a rule that "the newcomer is visited."*
Following your footsteps the rose has come into the rosebower,
to greet and meet you the thorn has become soft of cheek.
Cypress, give ear, for the lily in exposition of you has become
all tongue by the bank of the river.
The bud was tightly knotted; your grace looses knots; the rose
blossoms thanks to you, and scatters it petals over you.
You might say that it is the resurrection, that there have raised
their heads from the earth those who rotted in December and
January, the dead of yesteryear.
The seed which had died has now found life, the secret which
earth held has now become revealed.
The bough which held fruit is glorying for joy, the root which
had none is shamefast and ashamed.
After all, the trees of the spirit will become even so, the tree of
excellent boughs and fortunate will be manifest.
The king of spring has drawn up his army and made his
provisions; the jasmine has seized the shield, the green grass
Dhu `l-Faqar.
They say, "We will cut off the head of So-and-so like chives;
behold that visibly enacted in the handiwork of the Creator."
Yes; when the succour of divine assistance arrives, Nimrod is
brought to destruction by a gnat*.

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

* Rumi quotes an Arabic rule of etiquette.
* Nimrod died of a gnat-bite, see Nicholson on Math. I:1189.

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

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

[Sunlight] In every breath -- Ghazal 323

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

[Sunlight] Tricks, or right thought?

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

Students of cunning have consumed their hearts
and learned only tricks;
They've thrown away real riches:
patience, self-sacrifice, generosity.
Right thought opens a way.

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

Hileh âmuzân jegar-hâ sukhteh
fe`l-ha o makr-hâ âmukhteh
Sabr o isâr o sakhâ-ye nafs o jud
bâd dâdeh k-ân bovad eksir-e sud
Fekr-e ân bâshad ke bo-g'shâyad rahi
râh-e ân bâshad keh pish âyad shahi

-- Mathnawi II:3205-3208
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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Monday, March 19, 2012

[Sunlight] "Weary of a secret joy" -- Ghazal 2880

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2880, in a version by Coleman Barks, and in the translation by A.J. Arberry from which Barks developed his version:

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

With the sacredness you give and describe,
turn us upside down that other people
may know you're here. We're tired of secret joy,
bashfulness and being ashamed.

Reasons for holding back fly off like doves.
You speak your subtle truth to this ring of blank faces,
and someone suddenly finds something in a pile of ashes.

Why am I talking? You know what's happening.
Simply say it.
Walk around to each of us and pour the wine
and spoon out that eggplant fricassee concoction!

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

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

By the right and sanctity of that, that you are the soul of all
men, fill a cup with that whose description you know well.
Turn everything upside down, leave neither up or down, so
that men may know that today you are in this meydan.*
Strike the fire of wine in the chattel of shyness and shame; the
drunkards' hearts are weary of secret joy.
The time has come for you to bring back to us that departed
heart, that you should set our reasons aflying like your doves.
You are speaking subtleties in the ring of dissolute drunkards;
it is fine when the treasure shines out in a ruin.
Circumambulate the fermented wine among these consumed
ones; place before the raw ones that fricassee and eggplant
concoction.
What has become of me? You tell me, for how should I know
what has become of me, your lips utter [those] words so easily.

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

* "meydan" is any defined space, such as the grounds of a building

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

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Friday, March 16, 2012

[Sunlight] Mystical bewilderment must sweep thought away

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

With us, one needs to be a waking sleeper,
that in the state of wakefulness,
you may dream dreams.
The thought of created things
is an enemy to this sweet waking sleep;
until your thought is asleep, your throat is shut,
no mysteries can enter.
Mystical bewilderment must sweep thought away;
bewilderment devours thought
and recollection of anything other than God.

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

Khofteh-ye bidâr bâyad pish-e mâ
tâ beh bidâri be-binad khvâb-hâ
Doshman-e in khvâb-e khvosh shod fekr-e khalq
tâ na-khospad fekretesh basteh-st halq
Hayrati bâyad keh rubad fekr-râ
khvordeh hayrat fekr-râ va zekr-râ

-- Mathnawi III: 1114-1116
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, March 15, 2012

[Sunlight] Union and separation of heart and soul -- Ghazal 3071

Sunlight offers Ghazal 3071, in versions by Coleman Barks
and Jonathan Star, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

THE SNOW-WORLD MELTS

Think of the phoenix coming up out of ashes,
but not flying off.
For a moment we have form.
We can't see.
How can we be conscious and you be conscious
at the same time and separate?
Copper when an alchemist works on it loses its copper
qualities. Seeds in Spring
begin to be trees, no longer seed. Brushwood
put in the fire changes. The snow-world melts.
You step in my footprint and it's gone.

It's not that I've done anything to deserve
this attention from you. Predestination
and freewill: We can argue them,
but they're only ideas. What's real
is a presence, like Shams.

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

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

THE ASHES OF UNION

O Soul,
You are the Phoenix
rising up from the ashes of Union.
Why don't you fly? -
No one knows you on the ground.

You are the heart's sweetness
And by some magical power
your form ravishes a thousand hearts.

For a time you took form in the body.
For a time you passed beyond the heavens
and the bonds of both worlds.

Why can't the spirit find you? -
You are its wings and its feathers.
Why can't the eye see you? -
You are the source of its sight.

What will happen to your copper soul
when the Alchemist arrives?
Will it not become gold?
What will become of your little seed
when the Springtime arrives? -
Will it not become a towering tree?
What will happen to brushwood
when it falls into fire? -
Will it not change into sparks and rise to heaven?

Reason and intellect
Are like the dim light of distant stars.
You are the bright Sun
that shines through every veil.

The world is nothing but snow and ice.
You are the burning heat of Summer.
O King, no trace of this world remains
the moment you arrive!

Who can sit by your side?
Everyone would vanish with one glance of yours.

O blessed eyes!
I have seen something beyond imagination,
unreachable by fortune or human effort -
I have seen the perfect face
of Shams-e Tabriz.

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

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

Heart, you are the phoenix of union. Fly, why do you not fly?
No one recognizes you, neither man nor peri*.
You are the sweetheart, not the heart; but with every device
and trickery you have taken the shape of the heart so that you
will ravish a thousand hearts.
For a moment faithfully you mingle with earth, and for a
moment you pass beyond empyrean and firmament and the
bounds of the two worlds.
Why does not spirit find you, for you are its wings and
feathers? Why does not sight see you who are the source of sight?
What fear has penitence to repent of you? What is conscious-
ness that it should remain conscious along with you?
What shall be that poor copper when the alchemy comes?
Will it not pass away from copperhood into the attribute of gold?
Who is that poor seed when the springtime comes? Does not
its seedhood pass away into treehood?
Who is poor brushwood when it falls into the fire? Is not the
brushwood transformed into a spark by the flame?
All reason and science are stars; are you the sun of the world
who tear asunder their veils?
The world is like snow and ice, and you are the season of sum-
mer; when you, king, are on its track, no trace of it remains.
Say, who am I to remain along with you? I and a hundred like
me will pass away when you gaze towards me.
The perfection of the description of the lord Shams-e Tabrizi
surpasses the imaginations of predestinator and free-willer.

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

* "Peri" -- a supernatural being in Persian folklore descended from
fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is accomplished;
also, a beautiful and graceful girl. (Sunlight footnote)

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

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

[Sunlight] "Love knows the secret way there"

Here, Sunlight offers two renderings of Mowlana Rumi's Ghazal
(Ode) 132: a translation by Kolin and Mafi, and a translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Behind the blood-stained curtains of Love
there are fields of flowers
where the lovers wander.
While the mind sees only boundaries
Love knows the secret way there.
While the mind smells profit and quickly sets up shop
Love sees untold of treasures far beyond.
Lovers trust in the wealth of their hearts
while the all-knowing mind sees only thorns ahead.

To wander in the fields of flowers
pull the thorns from your heart.

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

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

Lover has rosebowers amid the veil of blood; lovers have
affairs to transact with the beauty of incomparable Love. (1)

Reason says, "The six directions are the boundary, and there is
no way out"; Love says, "There is a way, and I have many times
travelled it."

Reason beheld a bazaar, and began trading; Love has beheld
many bazaars beyond Reason's bazaar. (2)

Many a hidden Mansur (3) there is who, confiding in the soul of
Love, abandoned the pulpit and mounted the scaffold.

Dreg-sucking lovers possess ecstatic perceptions inwardly;
men of reason, dark of heart, entertain denials within them.

Reason says, "Set not your foot down, for in the courtyard (4)
there is naught but thorns"; Love says, "These thorns belong to
the reason which is within you."

Beware, be silent; pluck the thorn of being out of the heart's
foot, that you may behold the rosebowers within you.

Shams-I Tabrizi, you are the sun within the cloud of words;
when your sun arose, all speech was obliterated.

(1) The sufferings of love lead to incomparable joy.
(2) Love knows to transcend the physical universe of Reason.
(3) The reference is to Hallaj, the martyr-mystic, executed in 309/922.
(4) "The courtyard": perhaps "annihilation (fana).

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
Mystical Poems of Rumi 1
The University of Chicago Press 1968/1991

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

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

[Sunlight] Always give thanks to God for His bounties

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

Gratitude to the benefactor is certainly the same
as gratitude to God, since it was Divine favor that
caused beneficence to be bestowed.
To be ungrateful to the giver is to be ungrateful to God,
for surely his right to gratitude results from God's right.
Always give thanks to God for His bounties,
and always give thanks and praise to the Master.
Though a mother's tenderness comes from God,
still it is a sacred duty and a worthy task to serve her well.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shokr-e u shokr-e Khodâ bâshad yaqin
chon beh-ehsân kard tawfiqesh qarin
Tark-e shokresh tark-e shokr-e Haqq bovad
haqq-e u lâ shakk be-Haqq molhaq bovad
Shokr mi kon mar Khodâ-râ dar ne`am
niz mi kon shokr o zekr-e Khvâjeh ham
Rahmat-e mâdar agar cheh az Khodâst
khedmat-e u ham farizeh-st o sazâst

-- Mathnawi VI:3254-3257
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Monday, March 12, 2012

[Sunlight] Die Before You Die

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

Love's sun is the face of the Friend. This other sunlight
covers that. The day

and the daily bread that come are not to be worshiped for
themselves. Praise the great

heart within those, and the loving ache in yourself that's part
of that. Be one of God's fish

who receives what it needs directly from the ocean it swims –
food, shelter, sleep, medicine.

A lover is like a baby at its mother's breast, knowing
nothing of the visible or

invisible worlds. Everything is milk, though it could not
define that. It can't talk!

This is the riddle that drives the mind crazy; that the opener
and what is opened are the same!

It's the ocean inside the fish that bears it along, not the
river water. The time river

spreads and disappears in to the ocean with the fish. Seeds
break open and dissolve in

ground. Only then do new fig trees come into being. So you
must die before you die.

-- Mathnawi VI: 4044-53
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

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Friday, March 09, 2012

[Sunlight] The most painful affliction

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

The cruelty of Time
and every affliction that exists
are lighter than being distant from God
and forgetful of Him.
Because afflictions will pass,
but that forgetfulness will not.
Felicity belongs only to the one
who brings his spirit near to God,
awake and mindful of Him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jawr-e Dawrân o har ân ranji keh hast
sahl-tar az bo`d-e Haqq o ghaflatast
Zânkeh in-hâ bo-g'zarand ân na-gozarad
dawlat ân dârad keh jân âgah barad

-- Mathnawi VI:1756-1757
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, March 08, 2012

[Sunlight] Unite the scattered parts

Here, Sunlight offers three presentations
from the Mathnawi, Volume 3, verses 3287-3299:

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

The gold of your intelligence
is scattered over many clippings and bits
of wanting. Bring them all together
in one place. How else can I stamp it?

Think how a great city concentrates
around a point. Damascus or Samarcand.
Grain by grain, collect the pieces.

The Beloved then becomes food and water,
lamp and helper, dessert and wine.
Many-ness is confusion and intellectual talk.

Silence gives answers. I know that,
but my mouth keeps opening involuntarily
like a yawn or a sneeze.

-- Mathnawi IV: 3287-3299
Version by Coleman Barks
Delicious Laughter
Maypop, 1990

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

Your intelligence is split into a hundred busy tasks,
in thousands of desires, in large and small things.
You must unite these scattered parts with love and
become as sweet as Samarkand and Damascus.
Once you are unified, grain by grain, then you can be
stamped with the royal seal.

-- Mathnawi IV: 3288/3290
Version by Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

Your intelligence is spread over a hundred "important" affairs,
over thousands of desires and concerns great and small.
You must unite the scattered parts by means of love,
so that you may become as sweet as Damascus and Samarkand.
When you have become united,
particle by particle, from out of perplexity,
then it is possible to stamp the King's seal on you.

~~~~~~~~~~~

`Aql-e to qesmat shodeh bar sad mohemm
bar hazârân ârzu o temm o remm
Jam` bâyad kard ajzâ-râ beh `eshq
tâ shavi khvosh chon Samarqand o Demashq
Joz jozi chon jam` gardi ze eshtebâh
pas tavân zad bar to sekkeh-ye Padeshâh

-- Mathnawi IV: 3288-3290
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

Here, Sunlight offers three presentations from the Mathnawi, volume 3, verses 3287 -- 3299:

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

The gold of your intelligence
is scattered over many clippings and bits
of wanting. Bring them all together
in one place. How else can I stamp it?

Think how a great city concentrates
around a point. Damascus or Samarcand.
Grain by grain, collect the pieces.

The Beloved then becomes food and water,
lamp and helper, dessert and wine.
Many-ness is confusion and intellectual talk.

Silence gives answers. I know that,
but my mouth keeps opening involuntarily
like a yawn or a sneeze.

-- Mathnawi IV: 3287-3299
Version by Coleman Barks
Delicious Laughter
Maypop, 1990

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

-- Mathnawi IV: 3288/3290
Version by Muriel Maufroy
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

~~~~~~~~~~~

-- Mathnawi IV: 3288-3290
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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Wednesday, March 07, 2012

[Sunlight] Hunger, not sweetmeats, gives pleasure

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

Hunger gives pleasure, not fresh sweetmeats--
Hunger makes barley bread better than sugar. . . .
Pain renews old medicines and
lops off the branch of every indifference.
Pain is an alchemy that renovates--
where is indifference when pain intervenes?
Beware, do not sigh coldly in your indifference!
Seek pain! Seek pain, pain, pain!

-- Mathnawi VI: 4296, 4302-04
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

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Tuesday, March 06, 2012

[Sunlight] Travel with a guide

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

If anybody goes traveling without a guide,
every two day's journey
becomes a journey of a hundred years.
The one who takes up a profession
without having had a teacher
becomes a laughing-stock,
no matter where he lives.
Except perhaps for a single occurrence,
in all the world, is a descendant of Adam
ever born without parents?
The one who earns gains wealth;
it's a rare event
to find a buried treasure.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Har keh dar râh bi qelâvozi ravad
har do ruzi râh-e sad sâleh shavad
Har keh girad pisheh-ye bi ustâ
rish-khandi shod be-shahr o rustâ
Joz keh nâder bâshad andar khâfeqayn
âdami sar bar zanad bi vâledayn?
Mâl u yâbad keh kasi mi konad
nâderi bâshad keh ganji bar zanad

-- Mathnawi III: 588; 590-592
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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Monday, March 05, 2012

[Sunlight] Be a connoisseur, and taste with caution

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

God has given us a dark wine so potent that,
drinking it, we leave the two worlds.

God has put into the form of hashish a power
to deliver the taster from self-consciousness.

God has made sleep so
that it erases every thought.

God made Majnun love Layla so much that
just her dog would cause confusion in him.

There are thousands of wines
that can take over our minds.

Don't think all ecstasies
are the same!

Jesus was lost in his love for God.
His donkey was drunk with barley.

Drink from the presence of saints,
not from those other jars.

Every object, every being,
is a jar full of delight.

Be a connoisseur,
and taste with caution.

Any wine will get you high.
Judge like a king, and choose the purest,

the ones unadulterated with fear,
or some urgency about "what's needed."

Drink the wine that moves you
as a camel moves when it's been untied,
and is just ambling about.

-- Mathnawi IV, 2683-96
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
Castle Books, 1997

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

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Friday, March 02, 2012

[Sunlight] A moth to the fire of love

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

If you are wise like the Friend of God,
the fire is water to you, especially this fire of Love,
which is the soul of all waters . . . and you are a moth.
But the ignorant moth behaves differently than we do:
it sees the light and ends up in the fire.
The heart of the mystic sees fire and goes into the Light.
A fire has been made to look like water,
while within the apparent fire is a real fountain.

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

Chon Khalil-e Haqq agar farzâneh-'i
âtesh âb-e tost va to parvâneh-'i
Khâsseh in âtesh keh jân-e âb-hâst
kâr-e parvâneh beh `aks-e kâr-e mâst
U be-binad nur va dar nâri ravad
del be-binad nâr va dar nuri shavad
teshi-râ shakl-e âbi dâdeh-'and
va andar âtesh cheshmeh-'i bo-g'shâdeh-'and

-- Mathnawi V:438; 442-443; 445
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

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Thursday, March 01, 2012

[Sunlight] One live flame -- Ghazal 1197

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

if your beloved
has the life of a fire
step in now and burn along

in a night full of
suffering and darkness
be a candle spreading light till dawn

stop this useless
argument and disharmony
show your sweetness and accord

even if you feel
torn to pieces
sew yourself new clothes

your body and soul
will surely feel the joy
when you simply go along

learn this lesson from
lute tambourine and trumpet
learn the harmony of the musicians

if one is playing a wrong note
even among twenty
others will stray out of tune

don't say what is the use
of me alone being peaceful
when everyone is fighting

you're not one
you're a thousand
just light your lantern

since one live flame
is better than
a thousand dead souls

-- Ghazal 1197
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

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