Wednesday, February 29, 2012

[Sunlight] O Whispering Breeze -- Ghazal 1081

~

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

"O Whispering Breeze"


O whispering breeze,
bring the news of my beloved Shams.
It would be worth more
than all the amber and musk
from China to Constantinople.

Please tell me if you've heard a word
from his sweet lips,
or a beat of his pounding heart.

O, just one word from Shams,
and I'd gladly give my life.

His love is before me and behind me;
Through his love
my heart has become pure,
my breast has imbibed every virtue.

One smell of his perfume
and I walk light-headed on this path.
O Saaqi, enough with your wine –
I am drunk on the wine from his cup!
My nose is so full of his fragrance
that I have no need for incense, musk,
or the fine amber of Mongolia.

Shamsuddin is forever alive in my heart.
Shamsuddin is the generosity of every soul.
Shamsuddin is poverty,
Shamsuddin is the purest of all wealth.

I am not the only one
singing, Shamsuddin, Shamsuddin –
The nightingales sing from the garden,
And the partridge from the mountainside.

The beauty of a starry night is Shamsuddin.
The Garden of Paradise is Shamsuddin.
Love, compassion, and gratitude are Shamsuddin.

Shamsuddin is the brightness of day,
Shamsuddin is the turning sky,
Shamsuddin is time everlasting,
Shamsuddin is the endless treasure.

Shamsuddin is the King of Cups,
Shamsuddin is the ocean of nectar.
Shamsuddin is the breath of Jesus,
Shamsuddin is the face of Joseph.

O God, show me that inner place,
where we can sit together,
Shams in the middle, my soul by his side.

Shamsuddin is sweeter than life,
Shamsuddin is an earth full of sugar,
Shamsuddin is the towering cypress,
Shamsuddin is the flowering Spring.

Shamsuddin is the well of clear water,
Shamsuddin is the harp and rubaab,
Shamsuddin is the barrel of wine,
Shamsuddin is the bliss of my soul.

O Shams, you are the hope of every heart,
the one every lover longs to hear.
O Shams, come back, alas,
Don't leave my soul in ruins.

-- Ode 1081
Version by Jonathan Star from translation by Shahram Shiva
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~


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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

[Sunlight] Destruction and restoration

~

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

When a tailor cuts the cloth for a garment piece by piece,
does anyone strike him,
saying, "Why have you torn this choice satin?"
Whenever the builders repair an old building,
don't they first ruin the old one?
Likewise the carpenter, the blacksmith, and the butcher—
with them too there is destruction before restoration.
The pounding of the myrobalan
becomes the means of restoring the body to health.
Unless you crush the wheat in the mill,
how will there be bread on your table?

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

Pareh pareh kard darzi jameh-ra
kas zanad an darzi allameh-ra
Keh "Chera in atlas be-gozideh-ra
bar daridi cheh konam be-darideh-ra"
Har benâ-ye kohneh k-abadan konand
nah keh avval kohneh-ra viran konand
Hamchonin najjar o haddad o qassab
hasteshân pish az emarat-ha kharab
n halileh o an balileh kuftan
z-an talaf gardand mamuri-ye tan
Ta na-kubi gandom andar asiya
kay shavad arasteh z-an khvan-e ma

-- Mathnawi IV:2348-2353
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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Monday, February 27, 2012

[Sunlight] Dying, Laughing

~

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

Dying, Laughing

A lover was telling his beloved
how much he loved her, how faithful
he had been, how self-sacrificing, getting
wealth and strength and fame, all for her.

There was a fire in him.
He didn't know where it came from,
but it made him weep and melt like a candle.

"You've done well," she said, " but listen to me.
All this is the décor of love, the branches
and leaves and blossoms. You must live
at the root to be a true lover."

"Where is that!
Tell me!"
"You've done the outward acts,
but you haven't died. You must die."

When he heard that, he lay back on the ground
laughing, and died. He opened like a rose
that drops to the ground and died laughing.

That laughter was his freedom
and his gift to the eternal.

As moonlight shines back at the sun,
he heard the call to come home, and went.

When light returns to its source
it takes nothing of what is has illuminated.

It may have sone on a garbage dump, or a garden,
or in the center of a human eye. No matter.

It goes, and when it does
the open plain becomes passionately desolate,
wanting it back.

- Mathnawi V: 1242-64
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

~

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

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Friday, February 24, 2012

[Sunlight] Let your senses feed on His pasture

~

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

When one sheep of the flock jumps over a stream,
they all jump across on each other's heels.
Drive the sheep, your senses, to pasture:
Let them feed on the pasture shown by
"He who has brought forth the herbage,"*
that they may graze on hyacinth and wildrose;
and be led to the green meadows of the Realities;
that every one of your senses
may become a prophet to the others,
and lead all senses into Paradise.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chon ze ju jast az galeh yek gusfand
pas payâpay jomleh zân su barjahand
Gusfandân havâsset-râ be-rân
dar cherâ az "akhraja al-mar`â"* charân
Tâ dar ânjâ sonbol o nasrin charand
tâ be-rawzât-e Haqâyeq rah be-rand
Har hesset payghambar-e hess-hâ shavad
jomleh hess-hâ-râ dar ân Jannat kashad

-- Mathnawi II: 3242-3245
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

*al-A`lâ, 4

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

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

[Sunlight] Come, let us speak our souls -- Ghazal 1540

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal 1540, from Rumi's Diwan-e Shams, in
translations by Kolin and Mafi, and by Nader Khalili:

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

Hidden from all eyes and ears
let us tell each other of our soul.
Smile like a rose with no lips
and keep silent like a thought.
Let us speak silently the secret like Spirit
and avoid talkers who use words in vain.
Let us join our hands
listen to every flutter of our heart
let us become one in silence.
Divine destiny knows our fate to the last detail
let our story be told in a silent way.

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

come let's speak
of our souls
let's even hide from
our ears and eyes

like a rose garden
always keep a smile
like imagination
talk without a sound

like the spirit
reigning the world
telling the secrets
uttering no word

let's get away from
all the clever humans
who put words in our mouth
let's only say what our hearts desire

even our hands and feet
sense every inner move
let's keep silence
but make our hearts move

the mystery of destiny
knows the life of
speck after speck of dust
let's tell our story as a particle of dust

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

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

~

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

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

[Sunlight] We seek from God the ability to have good manners

Here, Sunlight offers a passage from Rumi's epic Mathnawi, in
a poetic version by Robert Bly, and in a translation by Dr. Ibrahim
Gamard, accompanied by a Persian transliteration:

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

We should ask God
To help us toward manners. Inner gifts
Do not find their way
To creatures without just respect.

If a man or a woman flails about, he not only
Smashes his house,
He burns the world down.

Your depression is connected to your insolence
And your refusal to praise. If a man or a woman is
On the path, and refuses to praise - that man or woman
Steals from others every day - in fact is a shoplifter!

The sun became full of light when it got hold of itself.
Angels began shining when they achieved discipline.
The sun goes out whenever the cloud of non-praising comes
near.
The moment that foolish angel felt insolent, he heard the
door close.

-- Version by Robert Bly,
based on a translation by R.A. Nicholson
"The Soul Is Here For Its Own Joy"
Ecco Press, 1995

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

We seek from God the ability (to have) good manners,*
(For) the one lacking good manners is deprived of the grace of the
Lord.
The one lacking good manners doesn't keep himself (in a) foul
(state)alone, But he sets fire to every region (of the world).

(.........)

Whatever gloom and grief comes to you
Is both from recklessness and rudeness.
Whoever acts recklessly in the path of the Beloved
Is a highway robber of men and is unmanly.
Because of good manners, the sky is full of light.
And because of good manners, the angel is innocent and pure.
From being rude, the sun became eclipsed.
And from being rash, Satan was denied the door (back to heaven).

-- Mathnawi I: 78-79, 89-92
Translation by Ibrahim Gamard, with thanks to
R.A. Nicholson
(c)2004

*good manners: "adab"

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

az Khodâ jôyêm tawfîq-é adab
bê-adab mahrûm gasht az lutf-é Rabb
bê-adab tan-hâ na khwad-râ dâsht bad
belke âtesh dar hama âfâq zad

(..............)

har-che bar tô ây-ad az zulmât-o gham
ân ze bê-bâkî wo gostâkhî-st ham
har ke bê-bâkî kon-ad dar râh-é Dôst
rah-zan-é mard-ân shod-o nâ-mard ô-st
az adab por nûr gasht-ast în falak
wa-z adab ma`sûm-o pâk âm-ad malak
bod ze gostâkhî kusûf-é âftâb
shod `Azâzîlê ze jur'ât radd-é bâb

-- Transliteration by Dr. Ibrahim Gamard (c)2004

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

~

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

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

[Sunlight] Points of view

~

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

To the Prophet, this world is plunged in glorification of God,
while to us it is heedless.
To his eye this world is filled with abundant love;
to the eyes of others it is inert and lifeless.
To his eye, valley and hill are in fluid motion:
he hears subtle discourses from sod and bricks.
To the vulgar, this whole world is a dead thing in chains.
I have never seen a veil of blindness more amazing than this.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hamchonânkeh in jahân pish-e Nabi
gharq-e tasbihast va pish-e mâ ghabi
Pish-e cheshmesh in jahân por-e `eshq o dâd
pish-e cheshm-e digarân mordeh o jamâd
Past o bâlâ pish-e cheshmesh tizraw
az kolukh o khesht u nokteh shenaw
Bâ `avâmm in jomleh basteh o mordeh-'i
zin `ajab-tar man na-didam pardeh-'i

-- Mathnawi IV: 3532-3535
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Monday, February 20, 2012

[Sunlight] Layla's dog

~

Here, Sunlight offers the tale of Majnun and Layla's dog, from
the Mathnawi, in a version by Coleman Barks, and in the translation
by Nicholson upon which Barks based his interpretation:

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

Majnun with Layla's Dog

Majnun saw Layla's dog and began kissing it,
running around like a hajji* circling the Kaaba,
bowing to its paws, holding its head, scratching
its stomach, giving it sweets and rosewater.

"You idiot," said someone passing by.
"Dogs lick their privates and sniff
excrement on the road. This is insane,
the intimate way you treat that dog."

"Look though my eyes," said the lover.
"See the loyalty, how he guards the house
of my Friend, how he's so glad to see us.

Whatever we feel, grief, the simple delight
of being out in the sun, he feels
that with us completely.

Don't look too much at surface actions.
Discover the lion, the rose of his real nature.
Friend, this dog is a garden gate into the invisible."

Anyone preoccupied with pointing out what's wrong
misses the unseen. Look at his face!

-- Mathnawvi, III, 567-575
Coleman Barks
Rumi - Say I Am You
Maypop, 1994

*"Majnun and Layla" -- figures in a traditional and archetypal Persian tale of love and separation. (Sunlight footnote)
*"hajji" -- a Muslim pilgrim who is making the haj -- pilgrimage -- to Mecca.
(Sunlight footnote)

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

(They behaved) like Majnun, who was (seen) petting a dog
and kissing it and melting (with fondness) before it:
He was pacing round it, stooping humbly in circumambulation;
he was also giving it pure sugar-julep (to drink).
An idle talker said, "O half-baked Majnun, what hypocrisy is
this that thou art always displaying?
A dog's muzzle is ever eating filth; a dog scrapes its seant
with its lips."
He recounted the dog's faults at some length: no one who perceives
faults (aybdan) has got (even) a scent (inkling) of him that know the things unseen (ghaybdan*). Majnun said, "Thou art entirely (external) form and body:
come within, and view it (the dog) through my eyes;
For this (dog) is a talisman sealed by (the hand of) the Lord:
this (dog) is the guardian of the abode of Layla.
Look at its high aspiration and its heart and soul and knowledge;
(consider) where it chose (to lie) and made its dwelling-place.
It is the dog of blessed countenance, (the dog) of my Cave*; nay, it is the sharer of my grief and woe.

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

* Either the holy man or God himself.
* Referring to the dog of the Seven Sleepers. Cf. v. 208 supra.

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

~

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

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Friday, February 17, 2012

[Sunlight] Addicted to subtle discussions

~

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

We're quite addicted to subtle discussions;
we're very fond of solving problems.
So that we may tie knots and then undo them,
we constantly make rules for posing the difficulty
and for answering the questions it raises.
We're like a bird which loosens a snare
and then ties it tighter again
in order to perfect its skill.
It deprives itself of open country;
it leaves behind the meadowland,
while its life is spent dealing with knots.
Even then the snare is not mastered,
but its wings are broken again and again.
Don't struggle with knots,
so your wings won't be broken.
Don't risk ruining your feathers
to display your proud efforts.

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

Mula`im andar sokhan-hâ-ye daqiq
dar gereh-hâ bâz kardan mâ `ashiq
Tâ gereh bandim va bo-g'shâyim mâ
dar shekâl va dar javâb âyin fazâ
Hamcho morghi ku goshâyad band dâm
gâh bandad tâ shavad dar fann tamâm
U bud mahrum az sahrâ o marj
`omr-e u andar gereh kârist kharj
Khvod zabun u na-gardad hich dâm
layk paresh dar shekast oftad modâm
Bâ gereh kam kush tâ bâl o paret
na-sheklad yek yek azin karr o farret

-- Mathnawi II: 3733-3738
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

[Sunlight] Opposites are made manifest through opposites

~


"Rumi often refers to or quotes the proverbial expression, "Things become clear through their opposites." Everyday experience confirms this truth, for the existence of the myriad things of the world only becomes possible through differentiation and opposition. If two things were not different, and thereby "opposed" in some respect, they would be one and the same. And so it is with all things, except God. He alone has no opposite, but transcends all oppostion."
-- William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love," page 49


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

God created suffering and heartache so that
joyful-heartedness might appear through its opposite.
Hence hidden things become manifest through
opposites. But since God has no opposite, He remains hidden.
For the sight falls first upon light, then upon
color: Opposites are made manifest through opposites, like
white and black.
So you have come to know light through light's
opposite: Opposites display opposites within the breast.
God's light has no opposite within existence,
that through its opposite it might be made manifest.
Therefore our "eyes comprehend Him not, but He
comprehends the eyes" (Koran VI 104): Learn this from Moses at
Mount Sinai*.
Know that form springs from meaning as the
lion from the thicket, or as voice and speech from thought.
Form was born from speech and then died. It
took its wave back to the sea.
Form comes out from Formlessness: Then it
returns, for "unto Him we are returning" (Koran II 156).

-- Mathnavi I, 1130-34
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

* Rumi alludes here to Moses' words in the Koran: "Oh
my Lord, show me, that I may behold Thee!" The verse
continues, "Said He, `Thou shalt not see Me; but behold
the mountain – if it stays fast in its place, then thou shalt
see Me.' And when his Lord revealed His theophany to
the mountain, He made it crumble to dust; and Moses fell
down swooning" (Koran VII 143).

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

~

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

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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

[Sunlight] Bring on the wine -- Ghazal One

~


Here, Sunlight offers three renderings of Mowlana Rumi's Ghazal
(Ode) One, in a version by Jonathan Star, in a translation by Nader Khalili, and in a translation by Kolin and Mafi:

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

Alchemist of My Soul


O limitless and compassionate one,
high above the rest,
You have set ablaze the dry weeds of intellect.
You have come with a smile,
and thrown open the gates of my prison.
You have come to the lowly
and given to them with the generosity of God.

You are the call of the rising Sun,
the hope of all people in need.
You are the seeker, the goal,
and seeking itself.
Blazing like fire in every heart,
calming the mind of its restlessness,
you are the seer, the seen, and sight itself.

O Alchemist of my soul, essence of all truth,
once your cure appeared
everything else lost its meaning.

There was a time we lost ourselves in others,
a time we ate the best of foods.
There a was time we relied on the intellect,
a time we looked for fortune
but all this had no value in the end.

For a mouthful of food and some bitter herbs
we went everywhere,
we made so many plans
one day it was Rome,
the next day it was Africa.

We entered a raging battlefield, for what?
a few crumbs of bread.

Lose your soul in God's love, I swear
there is no other way.

Stay with that silence.
I once ran toward the knowledge of this world;
now the papers are packed, the pens are broken
O Saaqi, bring on the wine!

-- Version by Jonathan Star, based on a translation
by Shahram Shiva
"A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi"
Bantam Books, 1992

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


you are
a sudden resurrection
an endless bliss
you set a fire
in the meadow
of our dreams

laughing today
you are happy
crashing the prisons
blessing the poor

like God Himself
unveiling the sun
spreading hope
bestowing a quest
beginning a beginning
setting the end
arranging minds
giving desires
and filling desires

to make a meager living
is not worth the suffering
i let go of preaching
and fill myself with sweets

i set the paper aside
break my pen
name myself silence
i see the cup-bearer is arriving now

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

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You came suddenly like resurrection,
like an infinite blessing
and my thoughts burned like trees on fire.
You came today like God Himself,
generous and full of grace,
holding the key to my freedom in your hands.
Both traveller and the road,
the beginning and the end,
You are the gatekeeper of the Sun.
For so long I have lived in pain, suspended
between my longing and my need for bread.
Now that You have risen in my heart
and taken over my thoughts,
I am breaking the pen and leaving the paper.

My Sun has risen.

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

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

~

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

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

[Sunlight] That oneness you can't know by reasoning

~


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

The beauty of the heart
is the lasting beauty:
its lips give to drink of the water of life.
Truly it is the water, that which pours,
and the one who drinks—all three
become one when your talisman is shattered.
That oneness you can't know by reasoning.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kân jamâl-e del jamâl-e bâqist
do labesh az âb-e hayât sâqist
Khvod hamu âbast va ham sâqi va mast
har seh yak shod chon telesm-e to shekast
Ân yaki-râ to na-dâni az qiyâs
bandagi kon zhâzh kam khâ nâ-shenâs

-- Mathnawi II: 716-718
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~

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

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Monday, February 13, 2012

[Sunlight] All I have to offer -- Ghazal 2422

~

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2422, from the Divan-e Shams*, in
versions by Helminski and Barks, and in translation by Arberry:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rest your cheek, for a moment,
on this drunken cheek.
Let me forget the war and cruelty inside myself.
I hold these silver coins in my hand;
give me Your wine of golden light.
You have opened the seven doors of heaven;
now lay Your hand generously on my tightened heart.
All I have to offer is this illusion, my self.
Give it a nickname at least that is real.
Only you can restore what You have broken;
help my broken head.
Im not asking for some sweet pistachio candy,
but Your everlasting love.
Fifty times I've said,
"Heart, stop hunting and step into this net."

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

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

Silver Coins

Put your cheek against this drunken cheek.
Forget anger and men planning war.
When I hold out silver coins, take them, and give
me a cup of liquid full of gold light.
You can open the wide door of the sky.
Surely you will open me. All I have
is this emptiness. Give it a nickname.
Breaker and healer, break and heal this head.
Don't press your seal to that pistachio nut.
Put it here. There is that in me
that has to be told fifty times a day:
Stop hunting. Step on this net.

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

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

For a moment lay your cheek on the cheek
of this drunkard, for a moment put behind your
war and cruelty.
If it be hard, I bring out silver in my hand; put
in this hand wine like gold.
You who have opened the doors of the seven
heavens, lay the hand of generosity on my fettered
heart.
All I have to offer is not-being; give the nickname
of being to my not-being.
You are both breaker and binder of the broken;
lay the balm of the soul on my broken head.
Do not put a seal on that sugar and pistachio nut;
lay everlasting love upon this servant.
I have told you fifty times, O heart: do not hunt,
put your foot in this net.

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

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

* Sunlight note: Rumi's collection of lyrical poems (ghazals) is
known by various names, and the various names are spelled
variously, e.g. "Diwan". For those new to the works of Rumi, the
title means simply "The Collected (or, "Collection of") Shams
(Rumi's friend, teacher, and nspiration). Often, "Tabrizi" is also
added to the title, referring to Shams' home city ("Tabrizi" = of
Tabriz). Sunlight will endeavour to assist in the standardization
of the title, and its spelling, by adopting that used by Professor
Franklin Lewis in his recent volume, "Rumi, Past and Present,
East and West".

~

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

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Friday, February 10, 2012

[Sunlight] Entering the shell -- Ghazal 843

~

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

Entering the Shell

Love is alive, and someone borne
along by it is more alive than lions

roaring or men in their fierce courage.
Bandits ambush others on the road.

They get wealth but they stay in one
place. Lovers keep moving, never

the same, not for a second! What
makes others grieve, they enjoy!

When they look angry, don't believe
their faces. It's spring lightning,

a joke before the rain. They chew
thorns thoughtfully along with pasture

grass. Gazelle and lioness, having
dinner. Love is invisible except

here, in us. Sometimes I praise love;
sometimes love praises me. Love,

a little shell somewhere on the ocean
floor, opens its mouth. You and I

and we, those imaginary beings, enter
that shell as a single sip of seawater.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 843
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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Thursday, February 09, 2012

[Sunlight] "Truly, I am near"

~

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

When God gives spiritual awareness to any community,
the face and voice of a prophet
become a miraculous proof.
The prophet calls aloud
and the soul of the community
falls to worship within.
Never had the soul's ear heard a cry like this.
That stranger, the soul, immediately perceiving the wondrous voice,
hears from God's own tongue the words,
"Truly, I am near."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dar del-e har ommati kaz Haqq mazeh-st
ruy o âvâz-e payambar mo`jezeh-st
Chon payambar az berun bângi zanad
jân-e ommat dar darun sajdeh konad
Zânkeh jens-e bâng-e u andar jahân
az kasi na-shenideh bâshad gush-e jân
n gharib az zawq-e âvâz-e gharib
az zabân-e Haqq shonud "inni qarib"

-- Mathnawi II: 3598-3601
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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Wednesday, February 08, 2012

[Sunlight] "Look! This is love" -- Ghazel 1919

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1919, from Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shams" ("The Collection of Shams"), in a version by Jonathan Star (based on a translation by Shiva), a translation by Professor Annemarie Schimmel, a translation by Professor Reynold Nicholson, and a translation by Professor Arberry:

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

THIS IS LOVE

This is love –-- to fly upward
toward the endless heavens.
To rend a hundred veils at every moment.
At the first breath, to give up for life;
At the final step, to go without feet.
To see the world as a dream
and not as it appears.

I said, O heart
What a blessing it is
To join the circle of lovers,
To see beyond sight,
To know the secrets within every breast.

I said, O soul
From where comes your life
And the power of your spirit?
Tell me, speak in the language of birds,
And I will understand.

My soul said to me:
They brought me to God's workshop
Where all things take form – and I flew.
Before this form of mine
was even shaped – I flew and flew.

And when I could fly no longer
They dragged me into this form,
and locked me into this house
of water and clay.

-- Version by Jonathan Star
"A Garden Beyond Paradise:
The Mystical Poetry of Rumi,"
Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
Bantam Books, 1992

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

Look! This is love ---– to fly toward the heavens,
To tear a hundred veils in ev'ry wink,
To tear a hundred veils at the beginning,
To travel in the end without a foot,
And to regard this world as something hidden
And not to see with one's own seeing eye!
I said: "O heart, may it for you be blessed
To enter in the circle of the lovers,
To look from far beyond the range of eyesight,
To wander in the corners of the bosom!
O soul, from where has come to you this new breath?
O heart, from where has come this heavy throbbing?
O bird, speak now the language of the birds
Because I know to understand your secret!"
The soul replied: "Know, I was in God's workshop
While He still baked the 'house of clay and water.'
I fled from yonder workshop at a moment
Before the workshop was made and created.
I could resist no more. They dragged me hither
And they began to shape me like a ball!"

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

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

XXXV.

This is Love: to fly heavenward,
To rend, every instant, a hundred veils*.
The first moment, to renounce life*;
The last step, to fare without feet.
To regard this world as invisible*,
Not to see what appears to one's self*.
"O heart," I said, "may it bless thee
To have entered the circle of lovers,
To look beyond the range of the eye,
To penetrate the windings of the bosom*!
Whence did this breath come to thee, O my soul,
Whence this throbbing, O my heart?
O bird*, speak the language of birds*:
I can understand thy hidden meaning."
The soul answered: "I was in the (divine) Factory*
While the house of water and clay* was a-baking*.
I was flying away from the (material) workshop
While the workshop* was being created*.
When I could resist no more, they dragged me
To mould me into shape like a ball*."

-- T.267.8 ("Tabriz Edition of the Divani Shamsi Tabriz)
"Selected Poems from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz"
Edited and translated by Reynold A. Nicholson
Cambridge, At the University Press, 1898, 1952

Nicholson's notes:

* "a hundred veils" "a veil' is whatever prevents
union with the Deity. "Some one said to Junaid (ob.
297 A.H.): 'I find that the shaikhs of Khorasan recognise
three species of veils, the first is the human nature,
the second is the world, and the third is concupiscence.'
'These,' answered Junaid, 'are veils on the hearts of the
vulgar; the elect are veiled otherwise, namely by regarding
works, by seeking future recompense for them, and by
considering the favour of God'" (Jami, "Nafahatu'l
Uns," p. 92).
* "to renounce life" -- to renounce self (fana') and
to travel abidingly in God (bagha'), which are the
beginning and end of the mystical journey; cf.
i.e. transported me out of self. The first stage is fana',
return from phenomenal to Absolute Being.
In the second stage of his journey (bagha') the pilgrim
abides in God and experiences with Him the differentiation
of Unity into plurality.
"Gulshani Raz," 307 seq.). In the "Baharistan" (p. 10, 1. 16 seq.)
faith is defined as "severing and uniting", i.e., to sever the heart
from created things and unite it with God.'
* "To regard this world as invisible" -- cf.

Look not on the world from outside, for the world
is within the eye;
When you shut your eyes to the world, the
world remains not.
(T. 164. 3a)

* "Not to see what appears to one's self" -- this misra' allows of
another interpretation, viz, 'not to see your own eye,' whence all
objects derive their unreal existence.
* "To penetrate the windings of the bosom" -- introrsum ascendere,
cf.

Returning to its ancient nest
My restless fluttering soul had rest.
(T. 340. 3a)

* "O bird" -- we shall often meet with this comparison
of the soul to a bird.
* "speak the language of birds" -- use the language of mystics,
speak in parables. The hoopoe "hod hod" which Solomon sent
with a letter to Bilqis, queen of Sheba (Koran XXVII. 16:
"and Solomon was David's heir, and he said, O people, we
have been taught the language of birds.'"
* "I was in the (divine) Factory" "in the presence of, and not
yet separated from, the divine artificer. cf.
"Then he (Gabriel) approached (the Prophet), and drew nigh, until
he was at the distance of two bow-lengths, or nearer' (Koran LIII.
809). But the Sufi's interpret the passage as signifying the
approach of Mohammed himself to the divine presence."
* "While the house of water and clay" -- the body. While the house
of water and clay was a-baking" -- According to an hadis, "He kneeded
the clay of Adam forty days."
* "workshop" -- the phenomenal world.
* "was being created" -- because the soul was reluctant to enter the
world, and hated the body in which it was doomed to captivity.
* "like a ball" -- this simile may have been suggested by the words
'chon pai namanad': 'the epithet footless', frequently applied to a
ball.


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


This is love: to fly to heaven, every moment to rend a hundred
veils;
At first instance, to break away from breath -- first step, to
renounce feet;
To disregard this world, to see only that which you yourself
have seen*.
I said, "Heart, congratulations on entering the circle of lovers,
"On gazing beyond the range of the eye, on running into the
alley of the breasts."
Whence came this breath, O heart? Whence came this
throbbing, O heart?
Bird, speak the tongue of birds: I can heed your cipher!
The heart said, "I was in the factory whilst the home of water
and clay was abaking.
"I was flying from the workshop whilst the workshop was
being created.
"When I could no more resist, they dragged me; how shall I
tell the manner of that dragging?"

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
(Arberry's Poem #237)
Univ. of Chicago Press, 1991

Arberry's note:
* "to see only that which you yourself have seen" -- Nicholson's
version is "(not to see your own eye) whence all objects derive
their unreal existence."

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

~

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

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Tuesday, February 07, 2012

[Sunlight] "Fly back!" -- Ghazal 26

~

Here, Sunlight offers Rumi's Ghazal 26, from the Diwan-e Shams,
in a poetic translation by Nader Khalili, and in a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

every moment
a voice
out of this world
calls on our soul
to wake up and rise

this soul of ours
is like a flame
with more smoke than light
blackening our vision
letting no light through

lessen the smoke and
more light brightens your house
the house you dwell in now
and the abode
you'll eventually move to

now my precious soul
how long are you going to
waste yourself
in this wandering journey
can't you hear the voice
can't you use your swifter wings
and answer the call

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

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

Every instant a revelation from heaven comes to men's
innermost souls: "How long like dregs do you remain upon
earth? Come up!"
Whoever is heavy of soul in the end proves to be dregs;
only then does he mount to the top of the vat when his dregs
are clarified.
Do not stir the clay every moment, so that your water
may become clear, so that your dregs may be illumined, so
that your pains may be cured.*
It is spiritual, like a torch, only its smoke is greater
than its light; when its smoke passes beyond bounds, it
no longer displays radiance in the house.
If you diminish the smoke, you will enjoy the light of
the torch; both this abode and that will become illumined
by your light.
If you look into muddy water, you see neither the moon
nor the sky; sun and moon both disappear when darkness
possesses the air.
A northern breeze is blowing through which the air
becomes clarified; it is for the sake of this burnishing that
at dawn the zephyr breathes.
The spiritual breeze burnishes the breast of all sorrow;
let the breath be stopped but for a moment, and annihilation
will come upon the spirit.
The soul, a stranger in the world, is yearning for the
city of placelessness; why, O why does the bestial spirit
continue so long to graze?**
Pure, goodly soul, how long will you journey on? You
are the King's falcon; fly back toward the Emperor's whistle!

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

Arberry's footnotes:
*Man is composed of water and clay. Rumi puns on "durd"
(dregs) and "dard" (pains).
**Rumi puns on chara (graze) and chira (why).

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


For those who may be new to Rumi's work, the "Divan-e Shams"
is the "Collection of Shams" -- the collection of Rumi's lyrical ghazals (odes), named for his great friend, teacher, and inspiration, Shams of Tabriz. -- Sunlight Ed.


~

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

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Monday, February 06, 2012

[Sunlight] For lovers, advice is never useful -- Ghazal 532

~

Today, Sunlight presents Ghazal 532, in a poetic version from
Coleman Barks, and in literal translation from Ibrahim Gamard. Dr.
Gamard's translation is footnoted, and accompanied by a transliteration of the original Persian.

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

Each Note

Advice doesn't help lovers!
They're not the kind of mountain stream
you can build a dam across.

An intellectual doesn't know
what the drunk is feeling!

Don't try to figure
what those lost inside love
will do next!

Someone in charge would give up all his power,
if he caught one whiff of the wine-musk
from the room where the lovers
are doing who-knows-what!

One of them tries to dig a hole through a mountain.
One flees from academic honors.
One laughs at famous mustaches!

Life freezes if it doesn't get a taste
of this almond cake.
The stars come up spinning
every night, bewildered in love.
They'd grow tired
with that revolving, if they weren't.
They'd say,
"How long do we have to do this!"

God picks up the reed-flute world and blows.
Each note is a need coming through one of us,
a passion, a longing-pain.
Remember the lips
where the wind-breath originated,
and let your note be clear.
Don't try to end it.
Be your note.
I'll show you how it's enough.

Go up on the roof at night
in this city of the soul.

Let everyone climb on their roofs
and sing their notes!

Sing loud!

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

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

For lovers, advice (from) anyone is never useful, (because) this
[love of theirs] is not like a flood which someone can block up.
An intellectual can never know the savor* (in) the mind of the
(mystic) "drunkard,"* (and) a sensible person can never know the
"senseless" state* of (such a) heart.
If kings were to catch a scent of those "wines" which lovers drink
during the meetings of hearts, they would become fed-up with
kingship.
For the sake of (the beautiful) Sheereen, (King) Khosraw said
farewell to his kingdom, (and) Farhad* pounded a mountain with a
pick-ax for her sake as well.
From love of (his beloved) Layla, (the crazed lover) Majnoon*
fled the circle of intellectuals, (and the lover) Wamiq laughed at the
foolish pride* of every arrogant one.
That life (is) frozen which has passed without that sweet spirit [of
warm love]. (And) that brain (is) rotten which is ignorant of these
compliments* (of love).
If the sky were not bewildered and a lover like us, it would
become weary of revolving, (and) it would say, "It's enough for me!
How (much) longer?"
The world (is) like a reed-pipe, and He blows into its every hole;
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.*
If you uproot the heart from God, tell (me) with whom will you
place it? Anyone who is able to tear (his) heart from Him for a
moment is without a soul!*
I'm stopping (now). Be nimble, and go up on top of the roof at
night. Make a happy uproar in the city with a loud voice, O soul!

-- From The Dîwân-é Kabîr (also known as "Kulliyat-é Shams" and
"Dîwân-é Shams-é Tabrîz") of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard, 10/24/98;
revised 1/3/00 (c)
Footnotes and transliteration (c) Ibrahim Gamard

*savor [Zawq]: a technical term in sufism meaning the "taste" of
mystical experience, often of a quality which cannot be described in
words. Therefore it includes subtle spiritual perception, mystical
feeling, and spiritual enjoyment. Related to the meaning in this line is
the Arabic saying, "He who does not taste, does not know" (man
lam yaZuq lam yadrî-- quoted in Nicholson's Commentary to
Mathnawi V:2145).
*in the mind of the (mystic) "drunkard": literally, "in the head of the
head-drunk one." The words "drunkards," "drunkenness," and
"wine" in Persian sufi poetry refer to ecstatic mystics, ecstatic
mystical states, and spiritual energy (alcoholic beverages are
strictly forbidden in Islam).
*the "senseless" state: may also be translated as "un-sensible
ecstasy" and is a play on "sensible" (which means "wary,"
"prudent," "cautious," as well as "understanding" ). The word
translated as "state" [Hâl] is a technical term in sufism referring to
spiritual-mystical states, and often means spiritual ecstasy and
rapture. This line is similar to one of the famous opening verses of
Rumi's Mathnawi, I:14: "There is no confidant (of) this
understanding [hôsh] except the senseless [bê-hôsh]! There is no
purchaser of that tongue except the ear [of the mystic]."
*In Persian legend, the hero Farhad dug through a mountain to reach
the beautiful woman he loved, Sheereen-- who was also loved by
King Khosraw.
*Manjoon: literally, "jinn-possessed," "insane." A famous lover
whose love for the beautiful Layla (also pronounced in Persian as
"Laylee") drove him crazy and to act in extreme ways.
*laughed at the foolish pride: literally, "beard-ridiculed the
moustache." An idiom meaning making fun of someone's proud
appearance.
*these compliments: literally, the whey of cheese, churned into a
certain consistency. An idiom meaning amorous flattery and praise
(Faruzanfar, "Glossary," p. 425), and here meaning the flirtatious
and adoring compliments enjoyed by lovers. The word translated as
"brain," also means the kernel of a nut.
*into every (piece of) clay: refers to the creation of Adam from clay,
and how God breathed into him of His spirit (Qur'ân 15:29).
*a lament about misfortune: similar to the famous opening lines of
Rumi's Mathnawi: "Listen to this reed-flute, how it complains; it is
telling a story about separations,/ Saying: "Ever since I was torn
from the reed field, man and woman have lamented in (hearing) my
shrill cry." (I:1-2)
*without a soul: also means, "without life"-- because he has no
heart.

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

mar `âshiq-ân-râ pand-é kas hargez na-bâsh-ad sûd-mand
nay ân-chon-ân sayl-ast în ke-sh kas tawân-ad kard band

Zawq-é sar-é sar-mast-râ hargez na-dân-ad `âqilê
Hâl-é del-é bê-hôsh-râ hargez na-dân-ad hôsh-mand

khosraw Wadâ`-é mulk-é khwad az bahr-é shîrîn mê-kon-ad
farhâd ham az bahr-é ô bar kôh mê-kôb-ad kaland

majnûn ze-Halqa-yé `âqil-ân az `ishq-é laylà mê-ram-ad
bar sablat-é har sar-kashê kard-ast wâmiq rêsh-khand

afsorda ân `umrê! ke ân be-g'Zasht bê-ân jân-é khwash
ay ganda ân maghzê! ke ân ghâfil bow-ad z-în lôr-é kand

în âsmân gar nîst-y sar-gashta-wo `âshiq-é chô mâ
z-în gardesh ô sêr âmad-y goft-y: bas-ast-am chand chand

`âlam chô sornâyê-wo ô dar har shekâf-ash mê-deh-ad
har nâla-yê dâr-ad yaqîn z-ân dô lab-é chûn qand, qand

mê-bîn ke-chûn dar mê-dam-ad dar har gelê, dar har delê
Hâjat deh-ad `ishqê deh-ad k-afghân bar âr-ad az gozand

del-râ ze-Haq gar bar kan-î bar key neh-î âkhir be-gô
bê-jân kasê! ke del az-ô yak laHZa bar tânest kand

man bas kon-am, tô chost shaw, shab bar sar-é în bâm raw
khwash gholgholê dar shahr zan ay jân ba-âwâz-é boland

(meter: XXoXoXoX XXoXoXoX/XXX)

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

~

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

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Friday, February 03, 2012

[Sunlight] "My hope increases when I work"

~

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

When it comes to earning food,
why has the fear of eternal disappointment
not waylaid you?
You'll say, "Though I face the fear of disappointment,
fear increases when I'm idle.
My hope increases when I work;
when I'm idle, I risk more."
Why does the fear of loss
restrain you when it comes to faith?
Haven't you seen how gainfully employed
the prophets and saints are?
Haven't you seen what mines of treasure
have opened to them
from frequenting the shop of Spirit?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khawf-e hermân-e azal dar kasb-e lut
chon na-gardet sost andar jost o ju-t
Guyi "Garcheh khawf-e hermân hast pish
hast andar kâheli in khawf pish
"Hast dar kushesh omidam pishtar
dâram andar kâheli afzun-e khatar"
Pas cherâ dar kârdin ay bad-gomân
dâmanet mi girad in khawf-e ziyân
Yâ na-didi kâhel in bâzâr-e mâ
dar cheh sudand anbiyâ o awliyâ
Zin dokân raftan cheh kâneshân raw namud
andarin bâzâr chon bastand sud

-- Mathnawi III: 3096-3101
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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Thursday, February 02, 2012

[Sunlight] The Sanctuary of Love -- Ghazal 1335

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1335, in versions by Jonathan
Star and Coleman Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

Who is in the house of my heart,
I cried in the middle of the night.
Love said,
"It is I, but what are all these images that fill your house?"
I said, they are the reflection of your beautiful face.
She asked,
"But what is this image full of pain?"
I said, it is me lost in the sorrows of life
and showed her my soul full of wounds.
She offered me one end of a thread and said:
"Take it so I can pull you back
but do not break the delicate string."
I reached towards her but she struck my hand.
I asked, why the harshness?
She said,
"To remind you that whoever comes to love's holy space,
proud and full of himself will be sent away.
Look at love with the eyes of your heart."

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


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


"I Cried Out at Midnight"

I cried out at midnight,
"Who lives in the house of my heart?"
An answer came back,
"It is I, whose radiance
puts the Sun and Moon to shame."

He then asked,
"Why is this house of the heart
so full of images?"
I said, "They are the reflections of you,
whose face is the envy of Chigil."
He asked, "What is this other image
all soaked in blood?"
I said, "It is me
with my heart torn open
and my feet caught in the mud."

I tied a noose round the neck of my soul
and brought it to Him:
"Here is the one who turned his back on love -
Do no let him escape this time."

He gave me one end of a thread
which was twisted with guile and deceit.
He said, "Pull on this end,
I will pull on the other,
And let's hope the thread doesn't break
in the pulling."

From the chamber of my soul
the form of my Beloved
shone more radiant than ever.
I reached out and grabbed Him with my hand -
He knocked it away and said,
"Don't cling to me!"
I said, "You've become harsh like all the rest."

He said, "Don't insult me - I am harsher than all the rest!
But what I do is born of love, not malice or spite.
I am here to make your heart a shrine of love,
not a pen for holding sheep. . . ."

The Beautiful One has made this world out of gold.
Rub your eyes and see
that He is the keeper of your heart.

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

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

"Talking in the Night"

In the middle of the night,
I cried out,
"Who lives in this love
I have?
You said, "I do, but I'm not here
alone. Why are these other images
with me?"
I said, "They are reflections of you,
just as the beautiful inhabitants of Chigil
in Turkestan resemble each other."

You said, "But who is this other living
being?"
"That is my wounded soul."

Then I brought that soul
to you as a prisoner.
"This one is dangerous,"
I said. "Don't let him off easy."

You winked and gave me one end
of a delicate thread.
"Pull it tight,
but don't break it."
I reached my hand
to touch you. You struck it down.

"Why are you so harsh with me?"

"For good reason. But certainly not
to keep you away! Whoever enters this place
saying "Here I am" must be slapped.

This is not a pen for sheep.
There are no separating distances here.
This is love's sanctuary.

Saladin is how the soul looks. Rub your eyes,
and look again with love at love.

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

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

I cried out at midnight, "Who is in this house of the heart?"
He said, "It is I, by whose countenance the sun and the moon are
put to shame."
He said, "Why is this house of the heart full of all sorts of
images?" I said, "These are reflections of You, whose face is
the envy of Chigil*."
He said, "What is this other image, full of the heart's blood?"
I said, "This is the image of me, heart wounded and feet in the
mire."
I bound the neck of my soul and brought it before him as a
token: "It is a sinner of love; do not acquit your sinner."
He gave me the end of a thread, a thread full of mischief and craft; he said, "Pull, that I may pull, pull and at the same time do not break."
From that tent of the soul the form of my Turk flashed out
fairer than before; I reached out my hand to him; He struck
my hand, saying, "Let go!"
I said, "You have turned harsh, like So-and-so." He said,
"Know that I am harsh for a good purpose, not harsh out of
rancour and spite.
Whoever enters in saying, 'It is I,' I strike him on the brow,
for this is the sanctuary of Love, animal, it is not a sheepcote."
Salah-i Dil u Din* is truly the image of that Turk; rub your
eyes, and behold the image of the heart, the image of the heart.

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

* Chigil in Turkestan was proverbial for its handsome inhabitants.
* Salah al-Din Zarkub was first Rumi's friend, and later his spiritual
inspiration, after Rumi accepted the likelihood of Shams al-Din's
death. According to Sultan Valad, Rumi's son, Rumi said of
Salah al-Din:

"That Shams al-Din of whom we always spoke
has come back to us! Why do we slumber?
Changed into new clothes, he has returned
to flaunt and strut and show his beauty."

(Translation by Franklin D. Lewis, "Rumi, Past and Present, East
and West". Sunlight footnote.)

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

~


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

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Wednesday, February 01, 2012

[Sunlight] How can a lover be joined to sensuality?

~

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

In truth, love for the Illuminator of hearts keeps
Lovers awake all night without food and sleep.
Oh friend, if you are a lover, be like a candle:
Melt all night long, burn joyfully till morning!
He who is like cold weather in autumn is no
lover -- in autumn's midst the lover's heart is burning summer.
Dear friend, if you have a love you want to
proclaim, then shout like a lover! Shout! Shout!
But if you are chained by sensuality, make no
claims to Love -- enter the spiritual retreat and burn away your
chains!
Oh simple man, how can a lover be joined to
sensuality? How could Jesus eat from the same trough as his
ass?
If you want to catch the fragrance of these
symbols, then turn your eyes away from everything but Shams
al-Din of Tabriz!
But if you cannot see that he is greater than the
two worlds, you are still a wretch drowned in the ocean of
heedlessness.
So go before the teachers of conventional
knowledge -- busy yourself with jurisprudence and become a
master of the science of "This is permitted and that is
forbidden."
My spirit has passed beyond childhood in love
for Shams al-Din -- love for him is not mixed with raisins and
nuts.
My intellect has left me and my verses are
incomplete -- that is why my bow has no more designs and
wrappings.
Oh Jalal al-Din, sleep and abandon speech! No
leopard will ever catch that lion!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1196
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~


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

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