Friday, September 28, 2012

[Sunlight] The Song of the Reed

~

Today, in honor of the anniversary of Rumi's birth on September 29, 1207 A.D., Sunlight offers the beloved opening verses from Rumi's Mathnawi, the story of The Song of the Reed, in an interpretive versionby Jonathan Star, and in a contemporary literal translation by Ibrahim Gamard. Sunlight thanks Dr. Gamard for his generous contributions.

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The Song of the Reed

Listen to the song of the reed,
How it wails with the pain of separation:

"Ever since I was taken from my reed bed
My woeful song has caused men and women to weep.
I seek out those whose hearts are torn by separation
For only they understand the pain of this longing.
Whoever is taken away from his homeland
Yearns for the day he will return.
In every gathering, among those who are happy or sad,
I cry with the same lament.
Everyone hears according to his own understanding,
None has searched for the secrets within me.
My secret is found in my lament
But an eye or ear without light cannot know it . . ."

The sound of the reed comes from fire, not wind
What use is one's life without this fire?
It is the fire of love that brings music to the reed.
It is the ferment of love that gives taste to the wine.
The song of the reed soothes the pain of lost love.
Its melody sweeps the veils from the heart.
Can there be a poison so bitter or a sugar so sweet
As the song of the reed?
To hear the song of the reed
everything you have ever known must be left behind.

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

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


The Song of the Reed
Mathnawi I: 1-18


Listen* to the reed (flute),* how it is complaining!* It is telling
about separations,*
(Saying), "Ever since I was severed from the reed field,* men and
women have lamented in (the presence of) my shrill cries.*
"(But) I want a heart (which is) torn, torn from separation, so that
I may explain* the pain of yearning."*
"Anyone one who has remained far from his roots,* seeks a return
(to the) time of his union.*
"I lamented in every gathering; I associated with those in bad or
happy circumstances.
"(But) everyone became my friend from his (own) opinion; he did
not seek my secrets* from within me.
"My secret is not far from my lament, but eyes and ears do not
have the light* (to sense it).
"The body is not hidden from the soul, nor the soul from the body;
but seeing the soul is not permitted."*
The reed's cry is fire* -- it's not wind! Whoever doesn't have this
fire, may he be nothing!*
It is the fire of Love that fell into the reeds. (And) it is the
ferment of Love that fell into the wine.*
The reed (is) the companion of anyone who was severed from a
friend; its melodies tore our veils.*
Who has seen a poison and a remedy like the reed? Who has seen
a harmonious companion and a yearning friend like the reed?
The reed is telling the story of the path full of blood;* it is
telling stories of Majnoon's (crazed) love.*
There is no confidant (of) this understanding* except the
senseless!* There is no purchaser of that tongue* except the ear [of
the mystic.]
In our longing,* the days became (like) evenings;* the days
became fellow-travellers with burning fevers.
If the days have passed, tell (them to) go, (and) don't worry. (But)
You remain!* -- O You, whom no one resembles in Purity!
Everyone becomes satiated by water,* except the fish. (And)
everyone who is without daily food [finds that] his days become
long.*
None (who is) "raw" can understand the state of the "ripe."*
Therefore, (this) speech must be shortened. So farewell!*

-- From "The Mathnawî-yé Ma`nawî" [Rhymed Couplets of
Deep Spiritual Meaning] of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard (with gratitude
for R.A. Nicholson's 1926 British translation)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, and
transliteration)


*Listen: states of spiritual ecstasy were induced in sufi gatherings by
listening to mystical poetry and music. During such a "mystical
concert" [samâ`-- literally, "audition" or "hearing" session] some
dervishes would enter a spiritual state of consciousness and
spontaneously begin to move. Sometimes they would stand up and
dance or whirl. They would listen to the poetry or music as if they
were hearing the voice of God, the Beloved. Such gatherings were
controversial, were criticized by orthodox Muslim leaders, and were
practiced by very few sufi orders-- usually with restrictions and high
standards for participants.
*the reed [nay]: a flute made by cutting a length of a naturally hollow
reed cane and adding finger holes. "The nay or reed-flute as the
poet's favourite musical instrument and has always been associated
with the religious services of the Mawlawí ["Whirling Dervish"]
Order, in which music and dancing are prominent features."
(Nicholson, Commentary). The reed flute symbolizes the soul which
is emptied of ego-centered desires and preoccupations and is filled
with a spiritual passion to return to its original nearness to God.
Rumi said, "The world (is) like a reed pipe [sornây], and He blows
into every hole of it; every wail it has (is) certainly from those two
lips like sugar. See how He blows into every (piece of) clay (and)
into every heart; He gives a need and He gives a love which raises up
a lament about misfortune." (Ghazal 532, lines 5664-5665) Rumi
also said, "We have all been part of Adam (and ) we have heard those
melodies in Paradise. Although (bodily) water and clay have cast
skepticism upon us, something of those (melodies) comes (back) to
our memory.... Therefore, the mystical concert has become the food
of the lovers (of God) for in it is the image of (heavenly) reunion."
(Mathnawî IV: 736-737, 742)
*separations: "The point is that while self-conscious lovers complain
of separation from the beloved one, and reproach her for her cruelty,
the mystic's complaint (shikáyat) is really no more than the tale
(hikákat) of his infinite longing for God-- a tale which God inspires
him to tell." (Nicholson, Commentary). Rumi said: "I'm
complaining [shikâyat mê-kon-am] about the Soul of the soul; but I
am not a complainer [shâkê] -- I'm relating words [rawâyat
mê-kon-am]. (My) heart keeps saying, 'I'm afflicted by Him!' And I
have been laughing at (its) feeble pretense." (Mathnawî I: 1781-82).
"Be empty of stomach and cry out, in neediness (neyâz), like the reed
flute! Be empty of stomach and tell secrets like the reed pen!" (Divan:
Ghazal 1739, line 18239). "Lovers (are) lamenting like the reed flute
[nây], and Love is like the Flutist. So, what things will this Love
breathe into the reed pipe [sôr-nây] of the body?! The reed pipe is
visible, but the pipe-player is hidden. In short, my reed pipe became
drunk from the wine of His lips. Sometimes He caresses the reed
pipe, sometimes he bites it. (Such) a sigh, because of this
sweet-songed reed-breaking Flutist!" (Divan: Ghazal 1936, lines
20374-20376)
Nicholson later changed his translation, based on the earliest
manuscripts of the Mathnawi, to "Listen to this reed how it
complains: it is telling a tale of separations" (from, "Listen to the
reed how it tells a tale, complaining of separations." This is what the
earliest known manuscript has. (This is the "Konya Manuscript,"
completed five years after Rumi died, and written by Muhammad ibn
Abdullâh Qûnyawî, a disciple of Rumi's son, Sultân Walad, under
his supervision together with Husâmuddîn Chelabî -- who was
present with Rumi during the dictation of every verse of the
Mathnawi.) All manuscripts and editions after the 13th century
adopted a changed (and "improved") version of this line: "Listen
from the nay, how it tells a story... [be-sh'naw az nay chûn Hikâyat
mê-kon-ad / az jodâ'îy-hâ shikâyat mê-kon-ad].
*the reed field [nay-estân]: lit., "place of reeds." A symbol for the
original homeland of the soul, when it existed harmoniously in the
presence of God. "... referring to the descent of the soul from the
sphere of Pure Being and Absolute Unity, to which it belongs and
would fain return." (Nicholson, Commentary)
*in (the presence of) my shrill cries: Nicholson later changed his
translation, based on the earliest manuscript, to: "man and woman
have moaned in (unison) with my lament" [dar nafîr-am] (from, "my
lament hath caused [az nafîr-am] man and woman to moan").
*explain: a pun on the two meanings of the same word [sharH],
"explanation" and "torn."
*the pain of yearning: The longing of love is painful, because of
separation-- yet also sweet. This is because the longing brings
remembrance of the beloved's beauty. Longing for nearness to a
human beloved, such as a spiritual master, is a means for the spiritual
disciple to increase his longing for nearness to God, the only
Beloved. Rumi said: "If thought of (longing) sorrow is
highway-robbing (your) joy, (yet) it is working out a means to
provide joy.... It is scattering the yellow leaves from the branch of
the heart so that continual green leaves may grow.... Whatever
(longing) sorrow sheds or takes from the heart, truly it will bring
better in exchange." (Mathnawi V:3678, 3680, 3683)
*roots: also means foundation, source, origin.
*union: also means being joined.
*my secrets: "The Perfect Man (prophet or saint) is a stranger in the
world, unable to communicate his sorrows or share his mystic
knowledge except with one of his own kind; he converses with all
sorts of people, worldly and spiritual alike, but cannot win from
them the heartfelt sympathy and real understanding which he craves.
This is the obvious sense of the passage, and adequate so far as it
goes, but behind it lies a far-reaching doctrine concerning the
spiritual "Descent of Man.' .... The whole series of planes forms the
so-called 'Circle of Existence', which begins in God and ends in
God and is traversed by the soul in its downward journey through
the Intelligences, the Spheres, and the Elements and then upward
again, stage by stage-- mineral, vegetable, animal, and man-- till as
Perfect man it completes its evolution and is re-united with the
Divine Soul..." (Nicholson, Commentary)
*the light: refers to the ancient Greek theory of Galen, that vision is
caused by an "inner light" within the eye. Similarly, the faculty of
hearing was believed to be caused by an "inner air" within the ear.
*not permitted: "As the vital spirit, though united with the body, is
invisible, so the inmost ground of words issuing from an inspired
saint cannot be perceived by the physical senses." (Nicholson,
Commentary) The reed flute's speech ends here, and Rumi's
commentary begins next.
*The reed's cry is fire: Nicholson, in his Commentary, quotes
Rumi's verse (Divan, Ghazal 2994, line 31831): "The flute is all afire
and the world is wrapped in smoke; / For fiery is the call of Love that
issues from the flute."
*may he be nothing [nêst bâd]: a pun on another meaning of these
words -- "it's not wind." It means, "May he experience absence of
self so that he may burn with yearning love for the presence of the
Beloved." Nicholson interpreted that this means, "The Mathnawí is
not mere words; its inspiration comes from God, whose essence is
Love. May those yet untouched by the Divine flame be naughted, i.e.
die to self!" He said that the words here [nêst bâd] "should not be
taken as an imprecation [= a cursing]; the poet, I think, prays that by
Divine grace his hearers may be enraptured and lose themselves in
God." (Commentary)
*into the wine: "i.e. Love kindles rapture in the heart and makes it
like a cup of foaming wine." (Nicholson, Commentary)
*tore our veils [parda-hâ]: a pun on the two meanings of this word,
"veils" and "melodies." The meaning of this line is that the sounds of
pure yearning from the reed flute tore through the veils covering up
the inward spiritual yearning of listening mystics -- the sufis, who
have had the capacity to understand the meaning of the reed flute's
melodious wails. This is a reference to the "mystical concert" [samâ`]
of the Mevlevi ("Whirling") dervishes in which the reed flute is
prominent.
*the path full of blood: "the thorny path of Love, strewn with
(Díwán, SP, XLIV, 6) 'with thousands slain of desire who manfully
yielded up their lives'; for Love 'consumes everything else but the
Beloved' (Math. V 588)." (Nicholson, Commentary)
*Majnoon's crazed love: "Majnún: the mad lover of Laylà: in Súfí
literature, a type of mystical self-abandonment." (Nicholson,
Commentary). Majnoon (lit., "jinn-possessed") was a legendary
Arab lover whose love for the beautiful Laylà [lit., "of the night"]
made him crazy. Majnoon's love for Layla also symbolizes the
perception of spiritual realities seen only by mystics, as in Rumi's
lines: "The Caliph said to Layla, Are you the one by whom Majnoon
became disturbed and led astray? You are not more (beautiful) than
other fair ones. She said, Be silent, since you are not Majnoon!"
(Mathnawi I: 407-08; see also V:1999-2019, 3286-99) This
"craziness" of being an ecstatic mystic lover of God is quite different
from the craziness of being psychotic or mentally ill.
*this understanding: "the spiritual or universal reason (`aql-i ma`ád)
and transcendental consciousness of those who have escaped from
the bondage of the carnal or discursive reason (`aql-i ma`ásh)."
(Nicholson, Commentary)
*the senseless [bê-hôsh]: a play on "understanding" (hôsh), and also
means devoid of understanding lacking reason, swooned and
insensible. The meaning is that no one can understand mystical
understanding except one who is able to transcend the intellect.
*that tongue: an idiom for language. The meaning is that only a
mystic who is capable of passing beyond the senses and ordinary
mind has an "ear" which can understand the "tongue" or language of
the heart. Nicholson explained: "i.e. every one desires to hear what is
suitable to his understanding; hence the mysteries of Divine Love
cannot be communicated to the vulgar" [= ordinary people].
(Commentary)
*longing [gham]: lit., "grief." An idiom here, meaning the suffering
of longing love.
*evenings [bê-gâh]: An idiom meaning "evening." Means that the
days became quickly used-up. Nicholson (1926) erred in translating
this idiom too literally as "untimely." (I am indebted to Dr. Ravan
Farhadi, an Afghan scholar, for this understanding of the idiom.)
*but You remain: 26. God is addressed directly as "Thou," or
perhaps indirectly as "Love." "The meaning is: 'What matter though
our lives pass away in the tribulation of love, so long as the Beloved
remains?'" (Nicholson, Commentary)
*water (âbash): Nicholson later corrected his translation to, "except
the fish, every one becomes sated with water" (from, "Whoever is
not a fish becomes sated with His water"). As Nicholson pointed
out, the word for "water" here [âbash] is a noun (as in III: 1960--
Commentary). It therefore does not mean "his water" or "water for
him" [âb-ash]. Nicholson also explained: "The infinite Divine grace
is to the gnostic [= mystic knower] what water is to the fish, but his
thirst can never be quenched." (Commentary)
*become long: Nicholson mentions this as "alluding to the proverb,
harkih bí-sír-ast rúz-ash dír-ast" [The day are long for whoever is
without satisfaction] (Commentary)
*the state of the ripe [pokhta]: refers to the spiritual state of the
spiritually mature, experienced, refined. This contrasts to the state of
the raw [khâm]-- the unripe, immature, inexperienced, uncooked, the
one who bears no fruit. Rumi has been quoted as saying, "The result
of my life is no more than three words: I was raw [khâm], I became
cooked [pokhta], I was burnt [sokht]." However, this is not
supported by the earliest manuscripts (collected by Faruzanfar), only
one of which contains the following: "The result for me is no more
than these three words: I am burnt, I am burnt, I am burnt (or: I am
inflamed, burned, and consumed-- Divan, Ghazal 1768, line 18521).
In Rumi's famous story of the man who knocked on the door of a
friend, the visitor was asked who he was and he answered, "Me."
He was told to go, for he was too "raw" [khâm]. The man was then
"cooked" by the fire of separation and returned a year later. Asked
who he was, he answered, "Only you are at the door, O beloved."
His spiritual friend then said, "Now, since you are me, O me, come
in. There isn't any room for two me's in the house!" (Mathnawi I:
3056-63)
*farewell: Here, Rumi's famous first eighteen verses end. Rumi's
close disciple, Husamuddin Chelebi had asked him one night: "'The
collections of odes [ghazalîyât] have become plentiful.... (But) if
there could be a book with the quality of (the sufi poet Sana'i's)
'Book of the Divine,' yet in the (mathnawi) meter of (the sufi poet
Attar's) 'Speech of the Birds,' so that it might be memorized among
the knowers and be the intimate companion of the souls of the lovers
... so that they would occupy themselves with nothing else...' At that
moment, from the top of his blessed turban, he [Rumi] put into
Chelebi Husamuddin's hand a portion (of verses), which was the
Explainer of the secrets of Universals and particulars. And in there
were the eighteen verses of the beginning of the Mathnawi: 'Listen to
this reed, how it tells a tale...." (Aflaki, pp. 739-741) After that,
Husamuddin was present with Rumi for every verse he composed of
the Mathnawi during the next twelve years until Rumi's death. The
number eighteen has been considered sacred in the Mevlevi tradition
ever since.

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

be-sh'naw în nay chûn shikâyat mê-kon-ad
az jodâ'îy-hâ hikâyat mê-kon-ad


k-az nayestân tâ ma-râ bo-b'rîda-and
dar nafîr-am mard-o zan nâlîda-and

sîna khwâh-am sharHa sharHa az firâq
tâ be-gôy-am sharH-é dard-é ishtiyâq

har kasê k-ô dûr mând az aSl-ê khwêsh
bâz jôy-ad rôzgâr-é waSl-é khwêsh

man ba-har jam`îyatê nâlân shod-am
joft-é bad-Hâl-ân-o khwash-Hâl-ân shod-am

har kasê az Zann-é khwad shod yâr-é man
az darûn-é man na-joft asrâr-é man

sirr-é man az nâla-yé man dûr nêst
lêk chashm-o gôsh-râ ân nûr nêst

tan ze-jân-o jân ze-tan mastûr nêst
lêk kas-râ dîd-é jân dastûr nêst

âtesh-ast în bâng-é nây-o nêst bâd
har-ke în âtesh na-dâr-ad nêst bâd

âtesh-é `ishq-ast k-andar nây fotâd
jôshesh-é `ishq-ast k-andar may fotâd

nay Harîf-é har-ke az yârê bor-îd
parda-hâ-ash parda-hâ-yé mâ darîd

ham-chô nay zahrê wo tiryâqê ke dîd?
ham-cho nay dam-sâz-o mushtâqê ke dîd?

nay HadîS-é râh-é por khûn mê-kon-ad
qiSSa-hâ-yé `ishq-é majnûn mê-kon-ad

maHram-é în hôsh joz bê-hôsh nêst
mar zabân-râ mushtarê joz gôsh nêst

dar gham-é mâ rôz-hâ bê-gâh shod
rôz-hâ bâ sôz-hâ ham-râh shod

rôz-hâ gar raft gô raw bâk nêst
tô be-mân ay ân-ke chûn tô pâk nêst

har-ke joz mâhê ze-âbash sêr shod
har-ke bê-rôzî-st rôz-ash dêr shod

dar na-yâb-ad Hâl-é pokhta hêch khâm
pas sokhon kôtâh bây-ad wa s-salâm

(meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

[Sunlight] Spiritual nudity

~

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

Those who wear clothes look to the launderer,
but the naked soul wears illumination.
Either withdraw from the naked
or take off your clothes like them.
If you can't become wholly naked,
take the middle way
and take off at least some of what you wear.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jâmeh-pushân-râ nazar bar gâzorast
jân-e `oryân-râ tajalli zivarast
Yâ ze `oryânân be-yeksu bâz raw
yâ cho ishân fâregh az tan jâmeh shaw
Var na-mi tâni keh koll `oryân shavi
jâmeh kam kon tâ rah-e awsat ravi

-- Mathnawi II: 3524-3526
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Daylight
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~




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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

[Sunlight] A figment of my imagination -- Quatrain 67

~

Today, Sunlight offers three interpretations of Quatrain 67:

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

Sometimes I feel like a king,
sometimes I moan in my own prison.
Swaying between these states
I can't be proud of myself.
This "I" is a figment of my imagination.

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

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

I thought I had self-control,
so I regretted times I didn't.

With that considering over, the one thing I know
is I don't know who I am.

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

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

there was a time
when my thought
soared as a king
or a time when I mourned
like a prisoner
those days are gone
and I have promised
not to take myself
seriously again

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

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

~





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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

[Sunlight] Disappearing reflections

~

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

Such is the seeker of the court of God:
when God comes, the seeker is no more.
Although union with God is immortality upon immortality,
yet at first that immortality consists in dying to self.
The reflections that are seeking the Light
disappear when His Light appears.
How should reason remain when He bids it go?
Everything is perishing except His Face.*
Before His Face the existent and the nonexistent perish:
existence in nonexistence is truly a marvelous thing!
In this place of presence all minds are lost beyond control;
when the pen reaches this point, it breaks.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hamchonin juyâ-ye dargâh-e Khodâ
chon Khodâ âmad shavad juyandeh lâ
Garcheh ân vaslat baqâ andar baqâst
lik zavâl-e ân baqâ andar fanâst
Sâyeh-hâyi keh bovad juyâ-ye nur
nist gardad chon konad nuresh zohur
`Aql kay mânad cho bâshad sar deh U
Kullu shay'in hâlikun illâ wajhu*
Hâlek âyad pish-e vajhesh hast o nist
hasti andar nisti khvod torfeh-'ist
Andarin mahzar kherad-hâ shod ze dast
chon qalam injâ resideh shod shekast

--Mathnawi III:4658-4663
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

*al-Qasas, 88

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

~


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Monday, September 24, 2012

[Sunlight] Would you bow? -- Ghazal 2938

~

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

"Would You Bow?"

If the Friend rose inside you, would you
bow? Would you wonder where that one

came from and how? If you say, "I will
bow," that's important. If you answer,

"But can I be sure?" it will keep the
meeting from happening, as busy people

rush there and back here murmuring, Now
I know; no, I don't know now. Have you

seen a camel with its eyes covered turn
and walk one way, then turn another?

Be silent and revolve with no will.
Don't raise your hand to ask anything.

Holy one, sitting in the body's well
like Joseph, a rope is there in front

of you. Lift your hand to that! A
blind man has bought you for eighteen

counterfeit coins. Empty metal cups
bang together, and the full moon slides

out of hiding. Make one sound, please!
You are the precious hyacinth that the

sickle will spare, not the wheat plant
Adam ate. I remind you with these poems

to dress in the flower of God's qualities,
not your torn robe of self-accusation.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2938
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~


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Friday, September 21, 2012

[Sunlight] Hearts and minds

~

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

If the house of the head is completely filled with crazy passion,
anxiety will fill the heart.
The rest of the bodily members aren't disturbed by thinking,
but hearts are consumed by persistent thoughts.
Take refuge in the autumn gale of fear of God:
let last year's peonies be shed;
for these flowers keep new buds from blossoming,
and it's only for the sake of their growth
that the tree of the heart exists.
Put yourself to sleep and escape from this vain thinking:
then lift up your head into spiritual wakefulness.
Like the Seven Sleepers of the Cave,* pass quickly, O mistress,
into the state of those who are awake
though you would say they are asleep.**

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khâneh-ye sar jomleh por sawdâ bovad
sadr por vasvâs o por ghawghâ bovad
Bâqi-ye a`zâ ze fekr âsudeh-'and
v-ân sodur az sâderân farsudeh-'and
Dar hazzân o bâd-e khawf-e Haqq goriz
ân shaqâyeq-hâ-ye pârin-râ be-riz
In shaqâyeq man`-e naw oshkuf-hâst
keh derakht-e del barâ-ye ân namâst
Khvish-râ dar khvâb kon zin eftekâr
sar ze zir-e khvâb dar yaqzat bar âr
Hamcho ân As.hâb-e Kahf* ay khvâjeh zud
raw be-ayqâzan keh tahsabuhum ruqûd**

-- Mathnawi VI:4459-4464
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

*A reference to the story of the Seven Companions of the Cave
and their miraculous sleep of several centuries. Qur'ân: Sûrat al-Kahf
(The Cave).
**al-Kahf, 18:18


~


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Thursday, September 20, 2012

[Sunlight] Seek Him in the placeless

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal 900 from the Diwan, in a versionby Coleman Barks, and in translations by Annemarie Schimmel and by Reynold A. Nicholson.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the Sky Does in Water

For the grace of the presence, be grateful.
Touch the cloth of the robe,
but do not pull it toward you,
or like an arrow it will leave the bow.

Images. Presence plays with form,
fleeing and hiding as the sky does in water,
now one place, now nowhere.

Imagination canot contain the absolute.
These poems are elusive
because the presence is.

I love the rose that is not a rose,
but the second I try to speak it, any name
for God becomes so-and-so and vanishes.

What you thought to draw lifts off the paper,
as what you love slips from your heart.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
Rumi: Bridge to the Soul
HarperCollins, 2007

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

Oh seize the hem of His favor,
for suddenly He will flee!
But do not draw Him like arrows,
for from the bow He will flee.
Look – all the shapes He assumes, and
what kind of tricks He plays!
In form He may well be present,
but from the soul He will flee.
You seek Him high in His heaven –
He shines like the moon in a lake,
But if you enter the water,
up to the sky He will flee.
You seek Him in Where-no-place is –
then he gives signs of His place:
But if you seek Him in places,
to Where-no-place He will flee.
As arrows fly from the bowstring
and like the bird of your thought . . .
You know for sure: from the doubting
the Absolute One will flee.
"I'll flee from this and from that, see –
but not out of weariness:
I fear that My beauty, so lovely,
from this and from that may well flee.
For like the wind I am flighty,
I love the rose, like the breeze,
But out of fear of the autumn,
you see, the rose too will flee!"
His name will flee when it sees you
intent on pronouncing it
So that you cannot tell others:
"Look here, such a person will flee!"

-- Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
Look! This Is Love
Shambhala, 1996

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

Grasp the skirt of his favor, for on a sudden he will flee;
But draw him not, as an arrow, for he will flee from the bow.
What delusive forms does he take, what tricks does he invent!
If he is present in form, he will flee by the way of spirit.
Seek him in the sky, he shines in water, like the moon;
When you come into the water, he will flee to the sky.
Seek him in the placeless, he will sign you to place;
When you seek him in place, he will flee to the placeless.
As the arrow speeds from the bow, like the bird of your imagination,
Know that the Absolute will certainly flee from the Imaginary.
I will flee from this and that, not for weariness, but for fear
That my gracious Beauty will flee from this and that.
As the wind I am fleet of foot, from love of the rose I am like the
zephyr;
The rose in dread of autumn will flee from the garden.
His name will flee, when it sees an attempt at speech,
So that you cannot even say, "Such an one will flee."
He will flee from you, so that if you limn his picture,
The picture will fly from the tablet, the impression will flee from
the soul.

-- Selected Poems from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz
Reynold A. Nicholson, editor
Curzon Press Ltd., 1999

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

~


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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

[Sunlight] Beyond sense perception -- Ghazal 2293

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2293, in translations by Professor Arberry and Professor Chittick:

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

I keep on seeing a moon in my eyes outside of
my eyes, but the eyes have not seen him, nor have the ears
heard news of him.
From the moment I first looked furtively at that
face, I have seen neither tongue, spirit, nor heart except in
selflessness.
If Plato had seen the beauty and loveliness of
that moon, he would have become madder than I and more
distraught.
Eternity is the mirror of temporality and
temporality of Eternity: In that mirror, these two are
intertwined like his two tresses.
Beyond sense perception is a cloud whose rain
is all spirit – what rains have rained as largesse upon the dust
of his body!
The moon-faced beauties of heaven have seen
the reflection of his face – ashamed at his beauty, they scratch
their heads in wonder.
Eternity-without-beginning grasped the hand of
Eternity-without-end and together they went to the palace of
that moon. Jealously looked at the two and laughed:
"Around his palace what lions have come out of
jealousy, roaring for the blood of the self-sacrificers and
the sincere."
Suddenly I asked, "Who is that king?" "Shams
al-Din, the king of Tabriz," and my blood began to boil.

-- William C. Chittick,
"The Sufi Path of Love - The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi,"
State University of New York Press, Albany, 1983

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

I am seeing a moon outside the eye in the eye, which neither
eye has seen nor ear heard of.
I do not see tongue and soul and heart save without myself,
from that moment that I stole a glance at that cheek.
Had Plato seen the loveliness and beauty of that moon, he
would have become madder and more distressed than I.
Eternity is the mirror of the temporal, the temporal the mirror
of pre-eternity – in this mirror those two are twisted together
like his tresses.
A cloud beyond the senses whose rain is all spirit; sprinkling
on the dust of the body – what rains he has rained!
The moonfaced ones of heaven, seeing the picture of his
face, have become ashamed before that beauty and scratched
the back of their necks*.
Posteternity took the hand of pre-eternity and took it towards
the palace of that moon: having seen both, it laughed in jealous
pride at the two.
About and around his palace what lions there are, roaring
jealously, aiming at the blood of the self-sacrificing, adventurous
men.
Suddenly the word jumped from my mouth, "Who is that
king? Shams-al din king of Tabriz"; and at those words my
blood surged.

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

*To scratch the back of one's neck or ear signifies embarrassment.

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

~


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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

[Sunlight] The lightning's deception

~

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

All selfish pleasures are false:
surrounding that flash of lightning is a wall of darkness.
The lightning gleams but a moment,
then surrounded by darkness, you'll find the way long.
By that light you can neither read a letter
nor ride to your destination.
But, because of your enchantment with the lightning,
the beams of sunrise withdraw from you.
Mile after mile through the night
the lightning's deception leads you,
without a guide, in a dark wilderness.

One moment you fall against a mountain, the next into a river;
now you wander in this direction, now in that.
O seeker of worldly position, you'll never find the guide;
and if you find him, you'll turn your face from him,
saying, "I've already traveled sixty miles on this road,
and now this guide tells me I've lost my way.
If I pay attention to his strange advice,
I'd have to begin my journey all over again under his orders.
I've devoted my life to this journey:
I'll pursue it come what may. Go away, O master!"

"Yes, you have journeyed far,
but only in opinion insubstantial as lightning:
come, make even a tenth of that journey
for the sake of the glorious sun of Divine inspiration.
You have read the verse, Opinion cannot serve instead of truth,
and yet by a lightning flash like that
you've been blinded to a rising sun.
Listen, climb into our boat, O wretched one,
or at least tie that boat of yours to this boat."

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

Jomleh lazzat-e havâ makrast o zarq
sur-e târikist gerd-e nur-e barq
Barq nur-e kuteh o kezb o majâz
gerd-e u zolomât o râh-e to darâz
Nah be-nuresh nâmeh tavâneh khvândan
nah beh be-manzel asp dâni rândan
Lik jarm ânkeh bâshi rahn-e barq
az to ru andar keshad anvâr-e sharq
Mi keshânad makr-e barqet bi dalil
dar mafâzeh-'i mozlemi shab mil mil

Bar koh ofti gâh o dar juy ufti
gah bedin su gah bedân suy ufti
Khvod na-bini to dalil ay jâh ju
var be-bini ru be-gardâni azu
Keh "Safar kardam darin rah shesad mil
mar marâ gomrâh guyad in dalil
Gar neham man gush su-ye in shegeft
ze amr-e u râham ze sar bâyad gereft
Man darin rah `omr khvod kardam geraw
harcheh bâdâ bâd ay khvâjeh be-raw"

"Râh kardi lik dar zann cho barq
`oshr-e ân rah kon pay-e vahy cho sharq
Zann lâ yughnî min al-haqq khvândeh-'i
vaz chonân barqi ze sharqi mândeh-'i
Hay dar â dar kashti-ye mâ ay nezhand
yâ to ân kashti barin kashti be-band"

-- Mathnawi VI: 4094-4106
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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Monday, September 17, 2012

[Sunlight] An Invisible Bee -- Ghazal 2390

~

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

"An Invisible Bee"

Look how desire has changed in you,
how light and colorless it is,

with the world growing new marvels
because of your changing. Your soul

has become an invisible bee. We
don't see it working, but there's

the full honeycomb.! Your body's height,
six feet or so, but your soul rises

through nine levels of sky. A barrel
corked with earth and a raw wooden

spike keeps the oldest vineyard's wine
inside. When I see you, it is not so

much your physical form, but the company
of two riders, your pure-fire devotion

and your love for the one who teaches you;
then the sun and moon on foot behind those.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2390
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~


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Friday, September 14, 2012

[Sunlight] Tempted by the bait

~

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

The bird tempted by the bait may still be on the roof,
but with wings outspread, it is already imprisoned in the trap.
If with all its soul it has given its heart to the bait,
consider it caught, even though it may still appear to be free.
Consider the looks it gives to the bait to be
the knots it is tying on its own legs.
The bait says, "You may be stealing looks away from me,
but know that I am stealing patience and constancy away from you."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Morgh-e fetneh-ye dâneh bar bâmast u
par-e goshâdeh basteh-ye dâmast u
Chon be-dâneh dâd u del-râ be-jân
nâ-gerefteh mar varâ be-gerefteh dân
n nazar-hâ be-dâneh mi konad
ân gereh dân ku beh pâ bar mi zanad
Dâneh guyad "Gar to mi dozdi nazar
man hami dozdam ze to sabr o maqarr"

-- Mathnawi IV:620-623
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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Thursday, September 13, 2012

[Sunlight] Reciting joyfully

~

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

At every instant the heart hears this call from the blazing
sun: "Renounce the torch of the earth and gain the torch of
beyond."

Since you are serving the Beloved, why hide?
Gold shines always brighter from the wounds inflicted by
the goldsmith.

Overwhelmed by the eternal Wine,The heart was reciting joyfully:
"The wine may tear my life away, it will give me another life."

-- Ode (Ghazal) 538
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Selected and Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

~


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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

[Sunlight] Leave the stream and join the river -- Quatrain 62

~

Today, Sunlight offers three interpretations of Quatrain 62:

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

If you want to live, leave your banks,
as a small stream enters the Oxus, miles wide,
or as cattle moving around a millstone
suddenly circle to the top of the sphere.

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

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

Are you searching for your soul?
Then come out of your prison.
Leave the stream and join the river
that flows into the ocean.
Absorbed in this world
you've made it your burden.
Rise above this world.
There is another vision…

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

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

if you want to find yourself
leave yourself alone
wade in no little creek
swim in the big flow
you are that bull
who carries the world
revolt for once
and topple the globe.

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

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

~


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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

[Sunlight] The most powerful of attractors

~

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

The belly attracts bread to its resting-place;
the heat of the liver attracts water.
The eye is an attractor of beautiful persons
from these different quarters of town;
the nose is attracting scents from the garden,
while the sense of sight is an attractor of color,
and the brain and nose attract sweet perfumes.
O Lord who knows the secret, preserve us
from these attractions by the attraction of Your grace!
You, Owner of everything, are the most powerful of attractors:
it would be fitting if You would redeem the helpless.

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

Me`deh nân-râ mi keshad tâ mostaqarr
mi keshad mar âb-râ taf-e jegar
Cheshm jazzâb-e botân zin kuy-hâ
maghz juyân az golestân buy-hâ
Zânkeh hess-e cheshm âmad rang kesh
maghz o bini mi keshad bu-hâ-ye khvosh
Zin keshesh-hâ ay Khodâ-ye râzdân
to be-jazb-e lotf khvodemân deh amân
Ghâlebi bar jâzebân ay Moshtari
shâyad ar dar mândegân-râ vâ khari

-- Mathnawi VI: 2901-2905
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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Monday, September 10, 2012

[Sunlight] "Do the careful donkey-tending work"

~

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

"After the Meditation"

Now I see something in my listeners
that won't let me continue this way.

The ocean flows back in
and puts up a foam barrier,
and then withdraws.

After a while,
it will come in again.

This audience wants to hear more
about the visiting sufi and his friends
in meditation. But be discerning.

Don't think of this as a normal character
in an ordinary story.

The ecstatic meditation ended.
Dishes of food were brought out.

The sufi remembered his donkey
that had carried him all day.

He called to the servant there, "Please,
go to the stable and mix the barley generously
with the straw for the animal. Please."

"Don't worry yourself with such matters.
All things have been attended to."

"But I want to make sure that you wet the barley first.
He's an old donkey, and his teeth are shaky."
"Why are you telling me this?
I have given the appropriate orders."

"But did you remove the saddle gently,
and put salve on the sore he has?"

"I have served thousands of guests
with these difficulties, and all have gone away
satisfied. Here, you are treated as family.
Do not worry. Enjoy yourself."

"But did you warm his water
just a little, and then add only a bit of straw
to the barley?"
"Sir, I'm ashamed for you."

"And please,
sweep the stall clean of stones and dung,
and scatter a little dry earth in it."

"For God's sake, sir,
leave my business to me!"

"And did you currycomb his back?
He loves that."

"Sir! I am personally
responsible for all these chores!"

The servant turned and left at a brisk pace ...
to join his friends in the street.

The sufi then lay down to sleep
and had terrible dreams about his donkey,
how it was being torn to pieces by a wolf,
or falling helplessly into a ditch.

And his dreaming was right!
His donkey was being totally neglected, weak and gasping
without food or water all the night long.
The servant had done nothing he said he would.

There are such vicious and empty flatterers
in your life. Do the careful,
donkey-tending work.

Don't trust that to anyone else.
There are hypocrites who will praise you,
but who do not care about the health
of your heart-donkey.

Be concentrated and leonine
in the hunt for what is your true nourishment.
Don't be distracted by blandishment-noises,
of any sort.

-- Mathnawi II: 194-223; 260-63
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

~


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Friday, September 07, 2012

[Sunlight] As it really is

~

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

You, who have made it easy
for us to labor fruitlessly in the world,
deliver us!
To us it seems a tempting bait,
and it's really a hook:
show it to us as it really is.

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

Ay moyasser kardeh mâ-râ dar jahân
sokhreh o bikâr mâ-râ vâ rahân
To`meh be-namudeh be-mâ vân budeh shast
ânchonân be-namâ be-mâ ân-râ keh hast

-- Mathnawi II: 466-467
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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Thursday, September 06, 2012

[Sunlight] Strife and Substance

~

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

Oh you who have devoted yourself to strife,
you have not discerned yourself from others!
Whenever you come upon a form, you stop and
say, "I am this." By God, you are not that! . . .
How can you be that? You are that unique one,
happy, beautiful, and intoxicated with yourself.
You are your own bird, prey, and snare, your
own seat of honor, carpet, and roof.
"Substance" subsists in itself, those things that
derive from it are accidents.
If you are born of Adam, sit like him and
behold his progeny within yourself.
What does the vat contain that is not in the
river? What does the room encompass that is not in the city?
This world is the vat, and the heart the running
stream, this world the room, and the heart the city of
wonders.

-- Mathnawi IV: 803-811
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~


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Wednesday, September 05, 2012

[Sunlight] Out of all the world I choose you alone -- Ghazal 1521

~



Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1521, in poetic translations by Khalili and Schimmel, a literal translation by Arberry, and a version from Cowan.

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

only you
i choose among the entire world
is it fair of you
letting me be unhappy

my heart is a pen in your hand
it is all up to you
to write me happy or sad

i see only what you reveal
and live as you say.
all my feelings have the color
you desire to paint

from the beginning to the end
no one but you.

please make my future
better than the past

when you hide i change
to a godless person
and when you appear
i find my faith

don't expect to find
any more in me
than what you give

don't search for
hidden pockets because
i've shown you that
all i have is all you gave

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

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

I've chosen you, of all the world, alone!
Can You allow then that I sit and grieve?
My heart is in Your fingers like a pen:
You cause my sadness and You cause
my joy.
What could I choose but that what
You have chosen?
What do I see but that what You are showing?
Now You make grow from me a thorn,
now roses –
Now I smell roses, now I feel the thorn.
When You keep me like that, that's how I am,
friend!
When You want me like this – again, this is it.
And in the vat where our hearts are colored –
How would I find what love is,
and what hatred?
You were the First and You will be the Last,
too –
Let better be my end than my beginning!
When You are hidden, I'm an unbeliever;
When You are manifest, I'm a believer.
And I own nothing but what you have granted –
Why do You search my pockets and my sleeves?

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

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

Out of all the world I choose you alone; do you deem it right
for me to sit sorrowful?
My heart is like a pen in your hand; through you it is, whether
I am glad or grieve.
What shall I be other than what you wish? What shall I see
except what you show?
Now you cause thorns to grow from me, now roses; now I
smell roses, now I pluck thorns.
Since you keep me so, I am so – since you wish me so, I am so
In that vat where you dispense dye to the heart, what should I
be? What my love and hate?
You were the first, and you will be the last; do you make my last better
than my first.
When you are hidden, I am of the infidels; when you appear, I
am of the faithful.
What do I possess other than the thing you have given? What
are you searching for in my pocket and sleeve?

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

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

Of all the world I choose you alone;
Will you allow me to sit in grief?

My heart is as a pen in your hand;
You cause me to be either glad or sad.

Save what you will, what will have I?
Save what you reveal, what do I see?

Out of me you grow a thorn or a rose;
I small roses now, and pull out thorns.

If you keep me as I am, I am;
If you change me, I'm changed.

In the glass where you colour my soul
I'm who? Why is my Love or hate?

You were first, and last you shall be;
Make my last better than my first, do.

When you're hidden, I'm faithless;
When you're visible, I'm faithful.

I'm nothing, except what you've bestowed;
What do you seek from my breast and sleeve?

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

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

~


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Tuesday, September 04, 2012

[Sunlight] What does the water of your stream carry?

~

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

The surface of thought's stream
carries sticks and straws--
some pleasant, some unsightly.
Seed-husks floating in the water
have fallen from the fruits of the invisible garden.
Look for the kernels back in the garden,
for the water comes from the garden into the riverbed.
If you don't see the flow of the water of Life,
look at this movement of weeds in thought's stream.
When the water flows more fully,
the husks, our ideas, pass along more quickly.
When this stream has become a torrent,
no care lingers in the mind of gnostics:
since the water has become so swift and full,
there is no longer room in it for anything but water.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ru-ye âb ju-e fekr andar ravesh
nist bi khâshâk-e mahbub o vahsh
Qeshr-hâ bar ru-ye in âb ravân
az semâr-e bâgh-e ghaybi shod davân
Qeshr-hâ-râ maghz andar bâgh ju
zânke âb az bâgh mi âyad be-ju
Gar na-bini raftan âb-e hayât
be-negar andar ju-ye in sayr-e nabât
b chon anboh-tar âyad dar gozar
zu konad qeshr-e sovar zutar gozar
Chon be-ghâyat tiz shod in ju ravân
ghamm na-pâyad dar zamir-e `ârefân
Chon be-ghâyat momtali bud o shetâb
pas na-ganjad andaru ellâ keh âb

-- Mathnawi II:3296-3302
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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