[Sunlight] Severed from every other work

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The real work belongs to someone who desires God
and has severed himself from every other work.

The rest are like children who play together until it gets dark
for these few short days.

Or like someone who awakes and springs up, still drowsy,
and then is lulled back to sleep by the suggestion of an evil nurse:
"Go to sleep, my darling, I won't let anyone disturb your slumber."

If you are wise, you, yourself, will tear up your slumber by the roots,
like the thirsty man who heard the noise of the water.

God says to you, "I am the noise of the water in the ears of the thirsty;
I am rain falling from heaven.
Spring up, lover, show some excitement!
How can you hear the sound of water and then fall back asleep?!"

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Kâr u dârad keh Haqq-râ shod morid
bahr-e kâr-e U ze har kâri borid
Digarân chon kudakân in ruz chand
tâ be-shab tarhâl bâzi mi konand
Khvâbnâki ku ze yaqzat mi jahad
dâyeh-'i vasvâs-e `ashveh-sh mi dehad
"Raw be-khosp ay jân keh na-gozârim mâ
keh kasi az khvâb be-jahânad torâ"
Ham to khvod-râ bar koni az bikh khvâb
hamcho teshneh keh shenud u bâng-e âb
"Bâng âyam Man be-gush-e teshnegân
hamcho bârân mi resam az âsmân
Bar jah ay `âsheq bar âvor ezterâb
bâng-e âb o teshneh va ângâh khvâb?!"

-- Mathnawi VI: 586-592
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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[Sunlight] Severed from every other work