Friday, May 31, 2013

[Sunlight] Don't waste the day in idle talk

~

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

Haven't you heard the verse, the present life is only a play*?
You have squandered your goods and grown afraid.
Look for your clothes before night comes on:
don't waste the day in idle talk.

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

Ni shenidi innamâ al-dunyâ la`ib*?
bâd dâdi rakht o gashti morta`eb
Pish az ânkeh shab shavad jâmeh ma-ju
ruz-râ zâye` ma-kon dar goft o gu

*Qur'ân: Sûrat Muhammad, 36

-- Mathnawi VI: 457-458
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~


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Thursday, May 30, 2013

[Sunlight] Enthralled only by love -- Ghazal 2132

~

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

whenever you meet
someone deep drunk
yet full of wisdom
be aware and watch
this person is enthralled
only by love

anytime you see
someone who seems gone
tipsy and happy
filled with rapture
be sure and observe
this is the condition
of someone in love

if you see a head
happy and thrilled
filled with joy
every night and day
this head was fondled
by the fingers of love

every moment
someone is blessed
a tree sprouts
an angel flies
even a monster
leaps with delight

when your body
feels together
when your soul
wants to unite
you are chosen
for a blissful love

-- Ghazal 2132
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~



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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

[Sunlight] What veils me from You is my memory of You

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 193:

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

O my Beloved,
The thought of you keeps me from you.
The thought of your face covers your face.

When I remember your lips,
they fade away.
When I think of your kisses
they come no more.

-- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise
Bantam Books, 1992

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

Invoking Your name
does not help me to see You.
I'm blinded by the light of Your face.
Longing for your lips
does not bring them any closer.
What veils You from me
is my memory of You.

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


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

~



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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

[Sunlight] "Don't look only at the exterior"

~

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

When you read the Qur'ân
don't look only at the exterior, my son:
the Devil considers Adam as nothing more than clay.
The external sense of the Qur'ân is like a person's form:
while his features are visible, his spirit is hidden.
Someone's uncles look at him for a hundred years,
and yet of his inward state
don't see so much as the tip of a hair.

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

To ze Qor'ân ay pesar zâher ma-bin
Div Âdam-râ na-binad joz keh tin
Zâher-e Qor'ân cho shakhs-e âdamist
keh noqushesh zâher va jânesh khafist
Mard-râ sad sâl `amm o khâl-e u
yek sar-e muyi na-binand hâl-e u

-- Mathnawi III: 4247-4249
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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Monday, May 27, 2013

[Sunlight] "The Thicket"

~

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

"The Thicket"

Don't burn a blanket because of one flea!
Don't waste a day on trivial irritation,
some gnat's headache.

Take your attention off the forms
and focus on what's inside.

If you're on this way, choose companions
who are also pilgrims. No matter their shape,
color, or national origin, if they are your
people, go with them.

This confused story,
like the doings of lovers, may be told up and
down and sideways, because it's not a story.

It has no beginning or end. It's water.
Each incident-drop is self-contained, and yet
not.

This is just the bare cash of how we are
in this instant, you and I.

A sufi sees that whatever happened in the past
is completely gone. In that last story we told,
we are all now the man with his gift of water,
and the generous caliph, and the jug.

Know this: there's a marriage in each of us.
One partner is reason, universal clarity.
The other is desire and ambition. Those qualities
darken the candles of reason.

How did this come to be? It happens
because the whole has parts, and the parts
are not in relation to the whole as the smell
of the rose remains somehow part of the rose.

And with the rose that I'm talking about,
all the growing things are inside it, just
as the turtledove's coo enters and becomes
the nightingale.

But if I go more deeply
into this difficult question, will I be able
to give water to those of you who are thirsty?

If you're in some particular trouble,
a tight spot, be patient. Patience
is the way out of anxiety.

And try to avoid distracting thoughts.
Thoughts are like wild donkeys in the thicket
of human existence. Stay away from the market

bazaar of thought-traffic, and find your
strength.

Such acts of abstinence are the ultimate medicine.
Let these words enter your open ear,
and they will become a gold earring.

And then you will become a ring around the moon
ascending toward the Pleiades.

Know that created beings are as diverse as Z
and A. From one perspective unified.
From another they seem opposites.

To one being, resurrection is laughter.
To another, its a deadly judging-time,
when all frauds will be exposed.

A thorn loves the fall, because then he knows
that he won't be compared to the rose,
but the gardener knows, and a True Human Being
is always saying, "Look, it's spring!"

The body is here blooming and shining,
because form must be,
and then be dropped, before the knobs
of spiritual fruit can appear.

Bread must be broken, before it gives us
strength. Clusters of grapes must be crushed
to make wine. Myrobalan
must be pounded into powder,
so it can heal.

Husam! Take out two clean
sheets of paper. Add a description
of the true Sheikh. Your slender body
is so frail, but without the gift of your spirit-sun
we could see nothing. You are the wick,
the end of the thread, the clue we follow.

Write about the guide,
the summer full-moon.

Husam is young, but the truth has made him so old
that he has no birthdate. Old wine and old gold
are the most precious. Find such a teacher,
because without one you're in danger.
You need an escort on this mountain road.
If you go alone, you'll get dizzy
with the ghoul-sounds.

Read the Qu'ran where it tells about
these bits of bone and hair
that we find by the roadside.

Keep the reins tight, or your donkey will stray.
And if you do leave the road, go in the opposite
direction from where your donkey wants to go.

That will get you back on the path.
Don't be constant friends
with sexual desire.

Stay with those who have a true guide,
Their company protects.

-- Mathnawi I, 2892-2959
Version by Coleman Barks
"Feeling the Shoulder of the Lion"
Threshold Books, 1991

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

~



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Friday, May 24, 2013

[Sunlight] Arguing with it doesn't help

~

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

The lower self philosophizes:
beat it for its own good,
arguing with it doesn't help.
It witnesses a prophet's miracle
and momentarily glows with belief;
but later on says, "That was just imagination;
for if that incredible sight had been real,
it would have lasted--it would have remained before my eyes."
It is lasting in the eyes of the pure,
but it doesn't haunt the eyes of animals.
Miracles keep their distance from bodily senses:
would a peacock stay in a ditch?

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

Nafs sufestâyi âmad mi zanesh
kash zadan sâzandeh hojjat goftanesh
Mo`jezeh binand foruzad ân zamân
ba`d az ân guyad "Khayâli bud ân
Var haqiqat budi ân did-e `ajab
pas moqim-e cheshm budi ruz o shab"
Ân moqim-e cheshm-e pâkân mi bovad
ni qarin-e cheshm-e hayavân mi-shavad
K-ân `ajab zin hessdâr dârad `âr o nang
kay bovad tâ'us andar châh-e tang

-- Mathnawi II: 3500-3504
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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Thursday, May 23, 2013

[Sunlight] Various Disguises and Scams

~

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

Various Disguises and Scams

A bird lit in a meadow where a trap was set.
Grain had been put out on the ground,
and nearby a fowler had wrapped himself in grass
and pulled roses and red anemones over his head like a cap.

The bird had some notion that this clump of grass
was not all grass, but at first look,
he had no argument about what it might be.

He hopped a circuit around the strange heap
and asked,
"Who are you, out here in the wild?"

"I am a renunciate,
content to live like the grass.
After my neighbor's death, I closed my shop.
I gave up associating with every human being
that came along, and now I'm trying to be a friend
of the One. I saw that my jaw
would eventually be bound in the shroud,
so I figured it was best to use it less now.

You birds wear beautiful green robes
with gold embroidery, but at the end
you too will be wrapped in unsewn cloth."

All faces turn back into dirt.
The moist-dry, hot-cold parts
rejoin their kinfolk, and our spirits
receive a letter from the world
of pure intelligence. It says,

"So your five-day buddies left you!
Learn who your true friends are."

Some children, when they're playing with strangers,
get so hot and preoccupied with the game,
that they take off their shirts. Night comes,
and their clothes are gone, stolen.

It's impossible to play in the dark,
and now they're afraid to go home.

You've heard the line,
This present life is a play.

You've thrown off your clothes in the fun of living.
They floated away in the wind,
and now you're scared.

While it's still day, I've realized
that men are thieves, and that most of life
is wasted, half in looking for a lover,
and half in worrying over the plots
of our enemies. The former desiring
carries off our cloaks, and the latter
anxiety takes our caps.
Yet we remain
completely and obliviously absorbed
in our play. It's getting dark.

Death is near. Leave the game.
Saddle the horse of remorse
and catch up with the thief.

Get your clothes back. That confession-horse
is the speediest there is.

But keep it tied safely
when you're with the thief.

A certain man on this way to the village
has a ram that he leads along behind him.

A thief sneaks up and cuts the halter rope.
Finally the man notices and runs left and right
looking for the lost ram.
He sees the thief
beside a well, though he doesn't know
that it's the thief. The ram is elsewhere.
He goes to ask if he's seen a loose ram.

The thief is kneeling by the well crying.
"What's the matter?"
"My purse has fallen in.
If you can help me get it out, I'll give you
a fifth of everything in it. You could soon have
one-fifth of a hundred gold dinars
in your hand!"
The man thinks, "That's enough
to buy ten rams! One door is shut,
and God opens ten new doors."

He slips out of his clothes and climbs down
into the well, where there is nothing, of course,
and the thief carries away his clothes.

Oh, it takes a prudent man
to make it into the village!

When one loss causes a greedy panic,
then more losses are liable to come.

Imposters appear in many disguises.
Stay in your refuge with God,
and they won't deceive you.

-- Mathnawi VI: 435-477
Poetic version by Coleman Barks
"Feeling the Shoulder of the Lion,"
Threshold Books, 1991

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

~



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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

[Sunlight] The mystery of "die before death"

~

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

The mystery of "die before death"* is this,
that the prizes come after dying and not before.
Except for dying,
no other skills avail with God, O artful schemer.
One Divine favor is better than a hundred kinds of personal effort:
such exertion is in danger from a hundred kinds of mischief.
And the Divine favor depends on dying:
the trustworthy authorities have put this way to the test.
No, not even the mystic's death is possible without Divine favor:
listen, listen, don't linger anywhere without Divine grace!
That grace is like an emerald, and this bodily self is an old viper:
without the emerald how should the viper be made blind?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Serr-e "Mûtû qabla mawt"* in bovad
kaz pas mordan ghanimat-hâ resad
Ghayr-e mordan hich farhangi degar
dar na-girad bâ Khodây ay hileh-gar
Yek `enâyat beh ze sad gun ejtehâd
jahd-râ khawfast az sad gun fasâd
Vân `enâyat hast mawquf-e mamât
tajrebeh kardand in rah-râ seqât
Balkeh margesh bi `enâyat niz nist
bi `enâyat hân o hân jâyi mah-'ist

-- Mathnawi: VI: 3885-3889
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

*Hadith

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



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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

[Sunlight] "Willing Slaves” -- Ghazal 1077

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1077, in a poetic version
by Jonathan Star and a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"Willing Slaves"

From deep within my heart
I always catch
the scent of my Beloved.
How can I help but
follow that fragrance?

Last night I was walking through Love's garden
where a glimmer of my soul
became a teeming river of light!
Laughing roses sprang up along the banks.
Dazzling waters rolled past the thorns of being
with speed enough to elude the sword of death.
Every tree and blade of grass danced in the meadow.
But to an eye without this vision,
all seemed plain and ordinary.
Suddenly a great cypress shot up from the ground!
The whole garden roared with delight -
the jamines exploded,
the broad-leafed trees clapped their hands.

A face of fire,
A cup of fire,
A heart of fire -
all were blazing with joy.
Surrounded by flames, my soul called out,
"O God, where shall I run?"

In the world of Oneness
there is nothing but yourself,
there is no room for counting.
But in the world of things
there is so much counting.
You may count a thousand apples in your hand -
If you want them all to be one,
make applesauce.
You may count a thousand grapes in your hand -
If you want the precious wine
crush them all together.

The message behind the words
is the voice of the heart.
The source of all activity
is that utter stillness.

Now Shams-e Tabriz is in the royal seat
and all my rhymes
have lined up like willing slaves.

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

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

Each moment I catch from my bosom the scent of the Be-
loved; how should I not take my self every night into my bosom?
Last night I was in Love's garden; that desire ran into my
head; his sun peeped out of my eye, so that the river began to
flow.
Every laughing rose that springs from the bank of that river of
love had escaped from the thorn of being and eluded Dhu 'I-Faqar;*
Every tree and grass was a-dancing in the meadow, but in the
eye of the vulgar was bound and at rest.
Suddenly from one side our Cypress appeared, so that the
garden was beside itself and the plane-tree clapped its hands.
Face like fire, wine like fire, love afire--all three delightful;
soul because of the intermingled fires lamenting, "Whither shall
I flee?"
In the world of Divine Unity there is no room for number, but
number exists of necessity in the world of five and four.*
You may count a myriad sweet apples in your hand; if you
want to make one, squeeze them all together.
A myriad grapes went forth from the veil of skin; when skin
no more remained, there remained the wine of the Prince.
Without counting the letters, behold what is this speech of the
heart; unicolority-is it not a form derived from the root* of the
affair?
Shams-i Tabrizi is seated like a king, and before him my verses
are ranged like willing slaves.

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

* Dhu 'l-Faqar: Ali's sword, symbolizing death.
* The five senses and the four elements.
* "The Root": God, the source of all being.

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

~




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Monday, May 20, 2013

[Sunlight] Amazed Mouth -- Ghazal 1296

~

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

Amazed Mouth

The soul, a wide listening sky
with thousands of candles: when

anything is sold, soul gets given
in the cash: people waiting at a

door, a ladder leaning on a roof,
someone climbing down, the market

square bright with understanding.
Listening opens its amazed mouth.

-- Ode 1296
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

~



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Friday, May 17, 2013

[Sunlight] “Borrowed certainty”

~

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

If your knowledge of fire has been turned
to certainty by words alone,
then seek to be cooked by the fire itself.
Don't abide in borrowed certainty.
There is no real certainty until you burn;
if you wish for this, sit down in the fire.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ze âtesh az `elmet yaqin shod az sokhan
pokhtagi ju dar yaqin manzel ma-kon
Tâ na-suzi nist ân `ayn al-yaqin
in yaqin khvâhi dar âtesh dar neshin

-- Mathnawi II :860-861
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra


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

~



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Thursday, May 16, 2013

[Sunlight] “Show but your face – the world is filled with light!” – Ghazal 1960

~

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

O Sun, fill our house once more with light!
Make happy all your friends and blind your foes!
Rise from behind the hill, transform the stones
To rubies and the sour grapes to wine!
O Sun, make our vineyard fresh again,
And fill the steppes with houris and green cloaks!
Physician of the lovers, heaven's lamp!
Rescue the lovers! Help the suffering!
Show but your face - the world is filled with light!
But if you cover it, it's the darkest night!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1960
Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
"Look! This is Love - Poems of Rumi"
Shambhala, 1991

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

âftâbâ bâr-e dîgar khâne(a) râ por nur kon
dustân râ shâd gardân doshmanân râ kur kon

az pas-e kuhî bar-â-wo sang-hâ râ la'l sâz
bâr-e dîgar ghure(a)-hâ râ pokhte(a)-wo angur kon

âftâba bâr-e dîgar bâgh râ sar sabz kon
dasht râ-wo kesht râ por holle(a)-wo por jur kon

eyy(ay) tabîb-e 'âsheqân-o ay cherâgh-e âseman
'âsheqân râ dastgîr-o châre(a)-ye ranjur kon

gar jahân por nur khvâhî dast az ru bâz gîr
var jahân târîk khvahî ruy râ mastur kon

- Persian transliteration courtesy of
Behnaz Hashemipour from Isfahan, Iran

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

~


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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

[Sunlight] “How long?” – Ghazal 408

~

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

how long
can i lament
with this depressed
heart and soul

how long
can i remain
a sad autumn
ever since my grief
has shed my leaves

the entire space
of my soul
is burning in agony

how long can i
hide the flames
wanting to rise
out of this fire

how long can one suffer
the pain of hatred
of another human
a friend behaving like an enemy

with a broken heart
how much more
can i take the message
from body to soul

i believe in love
i swear by love
believe me my love

how long
like a prisoner of grief
can i beg for mercy

you know i'm not
a piece of rock or steel
but hearing my story
even water will become
as tense as a stone

if i can only recount
the story of my life
right out of my body
flames will grow

-- Ghazal (Ode) 408
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~




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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

[Sunlight] Intuitive wisdom

~

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

Whenever a feeling of aversion comes into the heart of a good soul,
it's not without significance.
Consider that intuitive wisdom to be a Divine attribute,
not a vain suspicion:
the light of the heart has apprehended
intuitively from the Universal Tablet.

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

Har karâhat dar del-e mard-e behi
chon dar âyad az fanni na-bud tohi
Vasf-e Haqq dân ân ferâsat-râ nah vahm
nur-e del az Lawh-e Koll kardast fahm

-- Mathnawi VI:2743-2744
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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



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Monday, May 13, 2013

[Sunlight] You have escaped from the city – Ghazal 2180

~

Sunlight presents Ode 2180 - a poetic version by
Coleman Barks and a translation by A.J. Arberry:

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

"The Image of Your Body"

You've made it out of the city,
that image of your body,
trembling with traffic and fear slips behind.
Your face arrives in the redbud trees,
and the tulips.

You're still restless.
Climb up the ladder to the roof.
You're by yourself a lot,
become the one that when you walk in,
luck shifts to the one who needs it.
If you've not been fed, be bread.

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

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

From these depths depart towards heaven; may your soul be
happy, journey joyfully.
You have escaped from the city full of fear and trembling;
happily become a resident of the Abode of Security*.
If the body's image has gone, await the image-maker; if the
body is utterly ruined, become all soul.
If your face has become saffron pale through death, become a
dweller among tulip beds and Judas trees.
If the doors of repose have been barred to you, come, depart
by way of the roof and the ladder.
If you are alone from Friends and companions, by the help of
God become a saheb-qeran* [lord of happy circumstance].
If you have been secluded from water and bread, like bread
become the food of the souls, and so become!

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

* The Abode of Security seems to be an allusion to heaven which
is sometimes called "the abode of peace" (dar-al salam) by Rumi as
against "the abode of pride" (dar-al gorur) i.e., the world.
*Saheb qeran is a person who is born under a happy conjunction
of the planets.

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

~






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Friday, May 10, 2013

[Sunlight] “Your worst enemy”

~

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

If your grasping ego had not waylaid you from within,
would bandits have any power to lay a hand on you?
Because of this demanding jailor, desire,
the heart is captive to greed, desire, and harm.
Because of that inner jailor, you've become a crazed thief
even more susceptible to that jailor's power.
Pay attention to the wise council of the Prophet:
"Your worst enemy is between your two sides."*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar nah nafs az andarun râhet zadi
rah-zanân-râ bar to dasti kay bodi
Ze ân `avân-e moqtazi keh shahvatast
del asir-e hers o âz o âfatast
Ze ân `avân-e serr shodi dozd o tabâh
tâ `avânân-râ be-qahr-e tost râh
Dar khabar be-shenaw to in pand-e neku
Bayna janbaykum lakum a`dâ `adu*

*Hadith of Prophet Muhammad.

-- Mathnawi III: 4063-4066
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~



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Wednesday, May 08, 2013

[Sunlight] Not knowing – Ghazal 1436

~

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

Art thou the sun, or Venus, or the moon? I
don't know. What dost Thou want from this bewildered
madman? I don't know.
In this court of Ineffability all is Gentleness and
Harmony -- what plain art Thou, what meadow, what court? I
don't know.
Thy Face has made my spirit roses, violets,
narcissus, and lilies; Thy Moon has illuminated my moon. What
companion art Thou? I don't know.
What a marvellous ocean within the heart, full
of fish and shoreless! I have never seen such an ocean, I do
not know such fish.
The kingship of creatures is a tale, as
insignificant as a kingcup* -- no king do I know but that
Subsistent King.
Marvellous, infinite Sun -- all of thy dustmotes
are speaking! Art Thou the Light of God's Essence? Art Thou
God? I don't know.
Thy comeliness is burning the souls of a
thousand Jacobs to cinders -- oh Joseph of beauties, why art
Thou in this well? I don't know.
Be silent! For you are a talebearer, you are
drowned in constant change. At one moment you are hu, at
another ha, at another ah -- I don't know.
I will be silent, for I am drunk from the spell
that has overcome me. I do not know selflessness and
intoxication from awareness.

-- Ghazal 1436
Translation by Professor William Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

*... as insignificant as a kingcup -- kingscup [shah-daanah]: a hemp seed;
also the largest seed in an Islamic set of "rosary" beads [tasbeeh].
(Sunlight footnote courtesy of Dr. Ibrahim Gamard)

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

~



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Tuesday, May 07, 2013

[Sunlight] "I never knew it” -- Quatrain 1312

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 1312:

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

By day I praised you
And never knew it.
By night I stayed with you
And never knew it.

I always thought that I was me – but no,
I was you
and never knew it!

-- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~



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Monday, May 06, 2013

[Sunlight] Evidence of that not seen

~

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

If it rains during the night, no one sees the rain,
for then every soul and breath is asleep;
but the freshness of every beautiful rose garden
is clear evidence of the rain that was not seen.

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

Gar be-bârad shab na-binad hich kas
keh bovad dar khvâb har nafs o nafas
Tâzegi-ye har golestân-e jamil
hast bar bârân-e penhâni dalil

-- Mathnawi VI: 2724-2725
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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Friday, May 03, 2013

[Sunlight] Spirit and awareness

~

Here, Sunlight offers a passage from the Mathnawi,
Book VI in two interpretations:

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

What is soul? Soul is conscious of good and evil,
rejoicing over kindness, weeping over injury.
Since consciousness is the inmost nature and essence of the soul,
the more aware you are the more spiritual you are.
Awareness is the effect of the spirit:
anyone who has this in abundance
is a man or woman of God.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jân cheh bâshad bâ khabar az khayr o sharr
shâd bâsh bâ ehsân o geryân az zarar
Chon serr o mâhiyat-e jân makhbarast
har keh u âgâh-tar bâ jân-tarast
Ruh-râ ta'sir-e âgâhi bud
har keh-râ in pish-e Allâhi bud

-- Mathnawi VI: 148-150
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Soul And The Old Woman

What is the soul? Consciousness. The more awareness, the
deeper the soul, and when

such essence overflows, you feel a sacredness around. It's
so simple to tell one who

puts on a robe and pretends to be a dervish from the real
thing. We know the taste

of pure water. Words can sound like a poem but not have
any juice, no flavor to

relish. How long do you look at pictures on a bathhouse
wall? Soul is what draws

you away from those pictures to talk with the old woman
who sits outside by the door

in the sun. She's half blind, but she has what soul loves
to flow into. She's kind; she weeps.

She makes quick personal decisions, and laughs so easily.

-- Mathnawi: VI: 148-50
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

~





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Thursday, May 02, 2013

[Sunlight] "A Green-Winged Longing" -- Ghazal 1713

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) number 1713, from Rumi's
"Diwan-e Shams" - "The Collection of Shams" -- in poetic versions by
Coleman Barks and Jonathan Star, accompanied by the translation by
A.J. Arberry upon which Barks based his version:

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

"A Green-Winged Longing"

This world of two gardens, and both so beautiful.
This world, a street where a funeral is passing.
Let us rise together and leave "this world,"

as water goes bowing down itself to the ocean.
From gardens to the gardener, from grieving
to wedding feast. We tremble like leaves

about to let go. There's no avoiding pain,
or feeling exiled, or the taste of dust.

But also we have a green-winged longing
for the sweetness of the Friend.

These forms are evidence of what
cannot be shown. Here's how it is

to go into that: rain that's been leaking
into the house decides to use the downspout.

The bent bowstring straining at our throats
releases and becomes the arrow!

Mice quivering in fear of the housecat suddenly
change to half-grown lion cubs, afraid of nothing.

So let's begin the journey home,
with love and compassion for guides,
and grace protecting. Let your soul turn

into an empty mirror that passionately wants
to reflect Joseph. Hand him your present.

Now let silence speak, and as that
gift begins, we'll start out.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
(from a translation by John Moyne)
"Say I Am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

Lovers of truth - rise up!
Let us go toward heaven.
We have seen enough of this world,
it's time to see another . . . .

No, no - don't stop here.
The gardens may flow with beauty
But let us go to the Gardener Himself.

Let us go,
bowing to the ocean
like a raging torrent.
Let us go,
riding upon the foaming waters
of the sea.

Let us travel from this desert of
hunger and tears
to the feast of newlyweds.
Let us change our expression
from one of saffron
to the blossoms of the Judas tree.

Our hearts beat fast.
We tremble like leaves about to fall.
Let us become the immovable mountain.

There is no escape from pain for one in exile;
There is no escape from dust
for one who lives in a dustbowl.
Let us be like the birds of paradise,
that fly about drinking sweet water.

We are surrounded by the forms
of a formless creator.
Enough with these forms!
Let us go to the Formless One.

Love is our steady guide
on this road full of hardships.
Even if the king offers you his protection,
it is better
to travel with the caravan.

We are the rain that falls upon
a leaky roof -

Let us miss the holes
and fall smoothly down the spout.

We are crooked bows
with strings that run from our head to our toes;
Soon we will be straight,
like an arrow in flight.

We run like mice when we see a cat -
Yet we are the lion's roar.
Let us become that Lion.

Let our souls
mirror the love of our Master.
Let us go before Him
with a handful of gifts.

Now let us be silent
So that the Giver of Speech may speak.
Let us be silent
So we can hear Him calling us
secretly in the night.

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

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

Rise, lovers, that we may go towards heaven; we have seen
this world, so let us go to that world.
No, no, for though these two gardens are beautiful and fair,
let us pass beyond these two, and go to that Gardener.
Let us go prostrating to the sea like a torrent, then let us go
foaming upon the face of the sea.
Let us journey from this street of mourning to the wedding
feast, let us go from this saffron face to the face of the Judas
tree blossom.*
Trembling like a leaf and twig from fear of falling, our hearts
are throbbing; let us go to the Abode of Security.
There is no escape from pain, since we are in exile, and there
is no escape from dust, seeing that we are going to a dustbowl.
Like parrots green of wing and with fine pinions, let us be-
come sugar-gatherers and go to the sugar-bed.
These forms are signs of the signless fashioner; hidden from
the evil eye, come, let us go to the signless.
It is a road full of tribulation, but love is the guide, giving us
instruction how we should go thereon;
Though the shadow of the king's grace surely Protects, yet it
is better that on that road we go with the caravan.
We are like rain falling on a leaky roof; let us spring from the
leak and go by that waterspout.
We are crooked as a bow, for the string is in our own throats;
when we become straight, then we will go like an arrow from
the bow.
We cower like mice in the house because of the cats; if we are
lion's whelps, let us go to that Lion.
Let us make our soul a mirror in passion for a Joseph; let us go
before Joseph's beauty with a present.
Let us be silent, that the giver of speech may say this; even as
he shall say, so let us go.

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

* "Street of mourning": the world, which has been called by many
similar names, such as "the infidel's paradise," and symbolized by
the false dawn, a carcass, a bath-stove, and a tomb. (Cf. "World"
in Nicholson's index to Mathnawi.)

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

~



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Wednesday, May 01, 2013

[Sunlight] The pearl in the breast

~

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

The Universal Soul met a separate soul
and placed a pearl on her breast.
Through such contact the soul, like Mary,
became pregnant with a heart-winning messiah.

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

Jân-e koll bâ jân-e jozo âsib kard
jân azu dorri setad dar jib kard
Hamcho Maryam jân az ân âsib-e jib
hâmeleh shod az masih-e delfarib

-- Mathnawi II: 1183-1184
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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