Friday, August 30, 2013

[Sunlight] "The soul doesn't remember its ancient home"

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No wonder the soul doesn't remember its ancient home,
its original dwelling and place of birth,
since the sleep of this world covers it as clouds hide the stars.
It has walked through so many cities,
and the dust hasn't yet been wiped from its perception.
It hasn't yet worked to purify its heart and behold the past,
that its heart might peek from the aperture of mystery
and see its beginning with open eyes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cheh `ajab gar ruh mawten-hâ-ye khvish
keh bodastesh maskan o milâd-e pish
Mi niyâyad yâd kin donyâ cho khvâb
mi feru pushad cho akhtar-râ sahâb
Khâsseh chandin shahr-hâ-râ kufteh
gard-hâ az darak-e u nâ-rufteh
Ejtehâd-e garm nâ kardeh keh tâ
del shavad sâf o be-binad mâ jarâ
Sar berun ârad delesh az bakhsh-e râz
avval o âkher be-binad cheshm-e bâz

-- Mathnawi IV: 3632-3636
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~



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Thursday, August 29, 2013

[Sunlight] "What do you think will happen?" -– Ghazal 844

~

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

if you distance yourself
only for an hour
from your endless thoughts
what do you think will happen

if you let yourself sink
just like a fish
into the ocean of our love
what do you think will happen

you are merely
a piece of straw
and we are
that eternal amber

if you leap forth
from your lowly house
to fuse with the amber
what do you think will happen

a hundred times
you've promised yourself
to depart from self-claim
to be humble as earth

only for once
if you keep your word
what do you think will happen

you're a precious
hidden diamond
sunken in the mud

if you wash away
all that impurity
from your gorgeous face
what do you think will happen

if you abandon
for a little while
your ego and greed
tear down your shield
rise with a quest
to unite with the divine
what do you think will happen

-- Ghazal (ode) 844
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

~



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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

[Sunlight] “In one sweet moment” -- Quatrain 428

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of Quatrain 428 :

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

In one sweet moment,
She burst from my heart.
There we sat on the floor,
drinking ruby wine.
Trapped by Her beauty,
I saw and touched –
My whole face became eyes,
All my eyes became hands.

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

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

~


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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

[Sunlight] With what work are you occupied?

~

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

With what work are you occupied,
and for what purpose are you purchased?
What sort of bird are you,
and with what digestive are you eaten?
Pass up this shop of hagglers
and seek the shop of Abundance where God is the purchaser.*
There Compassion has bought
the shabby goods no one else would look at.
With that Purchaser no base coin is rejected,
for making a profit is not the point.

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

Dar cheh k�ri to va bahr-e chet kharand
to cheh morghi va tor� b� cheh khvorand
Zin dokk�n b� makk�s�n bartar �
t� dokk�n-e Fazl k-All�ha-shtar�*
K�leh-'i keh hich khalaqesh na-negarid
az khal�qet �n Karim �n-r� kharid
Hich qalbi pish-e U mardud nist
z�nkeh qasdesh az kharidan sud nist

-- Mathnawi VI:1264-1267
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahy� Monastra


*al-Tawbah, 111

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

~



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Monday, August 26, 2013

[Sunlight] "Cry Out in Your Weakness"

~

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

A dragon was pulling a bear into its horrible mouth

A courageous man went and rescued the bear.
There are such helpers in the world, who rush to save
anyone who cries out. Like Mercy itself,
they run toward the screaming.

And they can't be bought off.
If you were to ask one of those, "Why did you come
so quickly?" he or she would say, "Because I heard
your helplessness."
Where lowland is,
that's where water goes. All medicine wants
is pain to cure.
And don't just ask for one mercy.
Let them flood in. Let the sky open under your feet.
Take the cotton out of your ears, the cotton
of consolations, so you can hear the sphere-music.

Push the hair out of your eyes.
Blow the phlegm from your nose,
and from your brain.

Let the wind breeze through.
Leave no residue in yourself from that bilious fever.
Take the cure for impotence,
that your manhood may shoot forth,
and a hundred new beings come of your coming.

Tear the bindings from around the foot
of your soul, and let it race around the track
in front of the crowd. Loosen the knot of greed
so tight on your neck. Accept your new good luck.

Give your weakness
to one who helps.

Crying out loud and weeping are great resources.
A nursing mother, all she does
is wait to hear her child.

Just a little beginning whimper
and she's there.

God created the child, that is, your wanting,
so that it might cry out, so that milk might come.

Cry out! Don't be stolid and silent
with your pain. Lament! And let the milk
of loving flow into you.

The hard rain and wind
are ways the cloud has
to take care of us.

Be patient.
Respond to every call
that excites your spirit.

Ignore those that make you fearful
and sad, that degrade you
back toward disease and death.

-- Mathnawi II: 1932-60
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

~


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Friday, August 23, 2013

[Sunlight] “On Resurrection Day”

~

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

On Resurrection Day, the sun and moon are released from service:
and the eye beholds the Source of their radiance,
then it discerns the permanent possession from the loan,
and this passing caravan from the abiding home.
If for a while a wet nurse is needed,
Mother, quickly return us to your breast.
I don't want a nurse; my Mother is more fair.
I am like Moses whose nurse and Mother were the very same.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dar Qiyâmat shams o mah ma`zul shod
cheshm dar Asl-e ziyâ mashghul shod
Tâ be-dânad melk-râ az mosta`âr
vin rebât-e fâni az dâr al-qarâr
Dâyeh `âriyeh bovad ruzi seh châr
Mâdarâ mâ-râ to gir andar kenâr
Man na-khvâham dâyeh Mâdar khvoshtarast
Musâ-'am man dâyeh-ye man Mâdarast

-- Mathnawi V: 696-698; 701
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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Thursday, August 22, 2013

[Sunlight] Without You – Quatrain 1513

~

Today, Sunlight offers two interpretations of Quatrain 1513:

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

without looking at you
I can not touch the wine
without your hand
I can not win the dice
you are asking me
to dance from afar
without your music
dance will not arrive

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


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

There is no wine without You,
no use for the rosary without Your hand.
From afar You order me to dance
bu unless You set the stage and
open the curtain, my Beloved,
how can I dance?

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


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

~



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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

[Sunlight] "Would that you could know yourself for a time!" -- Ghazal 3003

~

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

Would that you could know yourself for a time!
Would that you would see a sign of your own beautiful face!
Then you would not sleep in water and clay
like an animal: You would go to the house of joy of all lovely
spirits.
You would travel to your every far corner to
make yourself manifest, for Hidden Treasure has remained
concealed within you!
Were you only this body, you would have no news of
the spirit; were you only this spirit, you would rest happily
within it.
Like others you would make do with good and evil,
you would manage with this and that - if, that is, you were
only this and that.
Were you only one stew, you would have a single
flavor; were you only one pot, you would boil in just one
way.
Were you to be purified of this churning agitation,
you would reside on top of the heavens like those who are
pure.
To every image of your own imagination you say,
"Oh, my spirit, my world!" Were these images to disappear,
you yourself would be the spirit and the world.
Enough, for your words have become intellect's
shackle! If not for words, you would be nothing but
tongue like the Universal Intellect.
Enough, for knowledge is a veil upon knowledge -
if you knew that you are the King, why would you remain
the interpreter?

-- Ode 3003
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

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

~


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

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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

[Sunlight] A prayer from Rumi

~

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

O God, make our stony hearts soft as wax;
make our wailing sweet and the object of Your mercy.

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

Ay Khodâ sangin del-e mâ mum kon
nâleh-ye mâ-râ khvosh o marhum kon

-- Mathnawi II: 1992
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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Monday, August 19, 2013

[Sunlight] “Who is at the door?” -- Ghazal 436

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 436, from Molana Rumi's "Diwan-e
Shams ("The collection of Shams), in poetic versions by Star and Barks, in
a relatively contemporary translation by Arberry, and in the classic literal
translation by Nicholson, with footnotes:

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

"Who is at my door?"

He said, "Who is at my door?"
I said, "Your humble servant."
He said, "What business do you have?"
I said, "To greet you, 0 Lord."

He said, "How long will you journey on?"
I said, "Until you stop me."
He said, "How long will you boil in the fire?"
I said, "Until I am pure.

"This is my oath of love.
For the sake of love
I gave up wealth and position."

He said, "You have pleaded your case
but you have no witness."
I said, "My tears are my witness;
the pallor of my face is my proof.'
He said, "Your witness has no credibility;
your eyes are too wet to see."
I said, "By the splendor of your justice
my eyes are clear and faultless."

He said, "What do you seek?"
I said, "To have you as my constant friend."
He said, "What do you want from me?"
I said, "Your abundant grace."

He said, "Who was your companion on the journey?
I said, "The thought of you, 0 King."
He said, "What called you here?"
I said, "The fragrance of your wine."

He said, "What brings you the most fulfillment?"
I said, "The company of the Emperor."
He said, "What do you find there?"
I said, "A hundred miracles."
He said, "Why is the palace deserted?"
I said, "They all fear the thief."
He said, "Who is the thief?"
I said, "The one who keeps me from -you.

He said, "Where is there safety?"
I said, "In service and renunciation."
He said, "What is there to renounce?"
I said, "The hope of salvation."

He said, "Where is there calamity?"
I said, "In the presence of your love."
He said, "How do you benefit from this life?"
I said, "By keeping true to myself

Now it is time for silence.
If I told you about His true essence
You would fly from your self and be gone,
and neither door nor roof could hold you back!

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

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

"Talking through the door"

You said, "Who's at the door?"
I said, "Your slave."

You said, "What do you want?"
"To see you and bow."

"How long will you wait?"
"Until you call."

"How long will you cook?"
Till the resurrection."

We talked through the door. I claimed
a great love and that I had given up
what the world gives to be in that love.

You said, "Such claims require a witness."
I said, "This longing, these tears."

You said, "Discredited witnesses."
I said, "Surely not!"

You said, "Who did you come with?"
"The majestic imagination you gave me."

What do you want from me?"
"Grace."

Then you asked, Where have you been
most comfortable?"
"In the palace."

"What did you see there?"
"Amazing things."

"Then why is it so desolate?"
"Because all that can be taken away in a second."

"Who can do that?"
"This clear discernment."

"Where can you live safely then?"
"In surrender."

"What is this giving up?"
"A peace that saves us."

"Is there no threat of disaster?"
"Only what comes in your street,
inside your love."

"How do you walk there?"
"In perfection."

Now silence. If I told more of this conversation,
those listening would leave themselves.

There would be no door,
now roof or window either!

-- Poetic version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

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

He said, "Who is at the door?" I said, "Your humble slave."
He said, "What is your business?" I said, "Lord, to greet you."
He said, "How long will you drive?" I said, "Until you call."
He said, "How long will you boil?" I said, "Till the resurrection."
I laid claim to love, I swore many oaths that for love's sake I
had lost kingship and nobility.
He said, "For a claim the cadi requires witness." I said, "My
witness is my tears, my sign the pallor of my cheeks."
He said, "Your witness is invalid; your eye is wet-skirted."* I
said, "By the splendour of your justice, they are just and without
fault."
He said, "Who was your companion?" I said, "Your fantasy, O
King." He said, "Who summoned you hither?" I said, "The scent
of your cup."
He said, "What is your intention?" I said, "Fidelity and friend-
ship." He said, "What do you desire of me?" I said, "Your
universal grace."
He said, "Where is it most agreeable?" I said, "Caesar's pal-
ace."* He said, "What did you see there?" I said, "A hundred
miracles.
He said, "Why is it desolate?" I said, "For fear of the highway-
man." He said, "Who is the highwayman?" I said, "'this blame."
He said, "Where is safety?" I said, "In abstinence and godli-
ness." He said, "What is abstinence?" I said, "The way of salva-
tion."
He said, "Where is calamity?" I said, "In the street of your
love." He said, "How fare you there?" I said, "In perfect recti-
tude."
Silence! For if I were to utter his subtleties you would come
forth from yourself, neither door nor roof would remain to you.

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

* Wet-skirted": i.e. defiled and impure, with tears of blood.
* A play on "qasr" (palace) and "Quaisar" (Ceasar).

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

XIV.

He said: "Who is at the door?" Said I: "Thy humble
slave."
He said: "What business have you?" Said I: "Lord, to
greet thee."
He said: "How long will you push?" Said I: "Till thou call."
He said: "How long will you glow?"* Said I: "Till resurrection."
I laid claim to love, I took oaths
That for love I had lost sovereignty and power.
He said: "A judge demands witness as regards a claim."
Said I: "Tears are my witness, paleness of face my
evidence."
He said: "The witness is not valid; your eye is corrupt."*
Said I: "By the majesty of thy justice they are just*
and clear of sin."*
He said: "What do you intend?" Said I: "Constancy and
friendship."
He said: "What do you want of me?" Said I: "Thy
universal grace."
He said: "Who was your companion?" Said I: "Thought
of thee, O King."
He said: "Who called you here?" Said I: "The odour of
thy cup."
He said: "Where is it pleasantest?" Said I: "The
emperor's palace."
He said: "What saw you there?" Said I: "A hundred
miracles."
He said: "Why is it desolate?" Said I: "From fear of
the brigand."*
He said: "Who is the brigand?" Said I: "This blame."
He said: "Where is it safe?" Said I: "In abstinence and
piety."
He said: "What is abstinence?" Said I: "The path of
salvation."*
He said: "Where is calamity?"* Said I: "In the
neighborhood of thy love."
He said: "How fare you there?" Said I: "In steadfastness."*
I gave you a long trial, but it availed me nothing;*
Repentance lights on him who tests one tested already.
Peace! If I should utter forth his mystic sayings,
You would go beside yourself, neither door nor roof
would restrain you.

-- 47.4 ("Lachnau 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 footnotes:

This poem affords an example of the rhetorical artifice
called Question and Answer.
* "glow" -- with fervid love.
* "The witness is not valid" -- The judge invalidated the
testimony.
* " your eye is corrupt" -- In T. 310. 6a the word is used
in its literal sense:
By the eye of thy countenance the eyes of lovers are
fringed with tears.
* "By the majesty of thy justice they are just" -- for the
adjectival force cf. 'The balance is just...'
* "sin" -- the ordinary meaning is penalty,' forfeit,'
but according to the "Ghiyasu llghat' it sometimes means
shame,' contrition.' Thus clear of sin' may be translated
'having no cause for shame,' i.e., innocent.
* "the brigand" -- worldly censure, which is apt to produce
backsliding. Cf. Hafiz, II. 496. 6:
I said, "They blame my fond pursuit of thee;
Who ever loved and lived from slander free?
* "the path of salvation" -- cf. The proverb (Freytag,
Vol. I. p. 14): Salvation from the world is to renounce
the things of the world. But the poet, be it remarked,
does not value striving 'except as a means of gaining the
ultimate knowledge of God which only union can give.' Cf.
Striving to sow is abstinence,
Making the seed grow is knowledge.
(Masnavi, 541, 5).
* "calamity" -- Calamity, grief and pain are often synonymous
with love in the language of the mystics. cf. Hafiz (II. 252. 3):
Thine eye hath wrought my ruin, but so my love
Send it, a thousand welcomes to the woe!
* "steadfastness" Jurjani (Kitabu tta'rifat, p. 19) gives
three definitions of this word. The last is: 'continuance, the
non-preference of any thing to God.' Here, I think, it signifies
the permanent spiritual condition (magham), which never
deviates into sense,' opposed to the momentary state of
exaltation (hal).
* "I gave you a long trial, but it availed me nothing"-- This
beyt occurs in Hafiz, II. 496. 3, where the first misra' reads:
'No matter how much I taught, it availed me nothing'
The proverb will be found in Freytag, Vol. II. P. 730.

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

~





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Friday, August 16, 2013

[Sunlight] The meaning of the words of the Tradition

~

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

During prayer I am accustomed to turn to God like this
and recall the meaning of the words of the Tradition,
"the delight felt in the ritual prayer."*
The window of my soul opens,
and from the purity of the unseen world,
the book of God comes to me straight.
The book, the rain of divine grace, and the light
are falling into my house through a window
from my real and original source.
The house without a window is hell;
to make a window is the essence of true religion.
Don't thrust your ax upon every thicket;
come, use your ax to cut open a window.

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

Khuy dâram dar namâz ân eltefât
ma`nâ "qurrat `ayni fi al-salât"*
Rawzan-e jânam goshâdast az safâ
mi resad bi vâseteh nâmeh-ye Khodâ
Nameh o bârân o nur az rawzanam
mi fotad dar khâneh-'am az ma`denam
Duzakhast ân khâneh k-ân bi rawzanast
asl-e din ay bandeh rawzan kardanast
Tisheh har bisheh kam zan biyâ
tisheh zan dar kandan rawzan halâ

*The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him)
is said to have mentioned this as one of the three things
he loved best in the world.

-- Mathnawi III: 2401-2405
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~


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Thursday, August 15, 2013

[Sunlight] "I Am a Painter" – Ghazal 1462

~

Today Sunlight presents Ghazal (Ode) 1462 – in a
poetic version by Jonathan Star, a translation by
Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi, and a translation
by A.J. Arberry:

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

"I Am a Painter"

I am a painter,
Painting pictures all the time,
Yet when I set them near your beauty
I want to throw them all away.

I am a sculptor, carving images
and filling each with life,
Yet when I compare these with your beauty
I want to dump them in a fire.

O bringer of sweet wine,
Enemy of the sober,
You have laid waste to
every house I ever built!

My soul has merged with yours -
Water into water, wine into wine.
Now there is only love
and the scent of your rose perfume.

Every drop of my blood calls out,
"Dye me with the color of your love.
Make me the jewel of your affection."

In this house of water and clay
my heart is in ruins.
O Beloved, don't leave this house
else it will crumble to the ground.

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

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

I am a sculptor
I carve new shapes and forms each day
but when I see you they all melt.

I am a painter
I create images and bring them to life
but when I see you they all vanish.

Who are you my Friend
the promised lover or the deceitful enemy?
You ruin everything I build.
My soul has sprung from yours and
it carries the scent of your perfume.
But without you my heart is shattered,
please, come back or let me leave
this lonely world.

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

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

I am a painter, a picture-maker, every moment I fashion an
idol, then before you I melt away all the idols,
I raise up a hundred images and mingle them with spirit;
when I see your image, I cast them in the fire.
You are the vintner's saki or the enemy of the sober, or the
one who lays waste every house I build.
Over you the soul is poured forth, with you it is mingled; since
the soul has the perfume of you, I will cherish the soul.
Every drop of blood that flows out of me says to your dust, "I
am one in colour with your love, I am the playmate of your affection."
In the house of water and clay this heart without you is
desolate; either enter the house, O soul, or I will abandon the
house.

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

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

~



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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

[Sunlight] "Bring me the last cup" -- Ghazal 1045

~

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

come on darling
pass me one more cup
bestow on my soul
tranquility once more

and do it now
today is my turn
i can wait no more
for the unknown tomorrow

if you have as my share
even a small trace of grace
give it to me now
don't make me wait

let me go free
help me to break out
from this new trap
i've fallen into again

don't hand me over
to the monster of my thoughts
my thoughts are another trap
another waiting vampire

take my only belongings
take them to the pawn shop
pledge them once more and
bring me the last cup

-- Ode (Ghazal) 1045
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~


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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

[Sunlight] Who but You will break those chains?

~

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

O Lord, truly, Your grace is not from our work,
but from your mysterious giving.
Save us from what our own hands might do;
lift the veil, but do not tear it.
Save us from the ego; its knife has reached our bones.

Let us turn from ourselves to You
Who are nearer to us than ourselves.
Even this prayer is Your gift to us.
How else has a rose garden grown from these ashes?

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

Yâ Rabb in bakhshesh nah hadd-e kâr-e mâst
lotf-e To lotf-e khafi-râ khvod sazâst
Dast gir az dast-e mâ mâ-râ be-khar
pardeh-râ bardâr va pardeh-ye mâ ma-dar
Bâz khar mâ-râ azin nafs-e palid
kârdesh tâ ostokhvân-e mâ resid
Az cho mâ bichâregân in band-e sakht
ki goshâyad ay shah bi tâj o takht
In chonin qofl-e gerân-râ ay Vadud
keh tavânad joz keh fazl-e To goshud
Mâ ze khvod su-ye To gardânim sar
chon Toi az mâ be-mâ nazdiktar
In do`â ham bakhshesh o ta`lim-e Tost
gar nah dar golkhan golestânast az cheh rost

-- Mathnawi II: 2443-2449
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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Monday, August 12, 2013

[Sunlight] These Decisions

~

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

These Decisions

The old argument continues about fate and free will with
the king and his advisors

talking. The king rebuts their contention that all actions
are predestined. "But

surely we must be responsible for what we do! Why else
would Adam admit guilt?

Rather, he would have used Satan's answer, You led me
astray. Adam did have a

choice." Yet somehow both are true, destiny and free will.
We vacillate between

journeys. Shall we go to Mosul for trade or Babylon to
learn occult science?

These decisions are real. One person drinks a lot of wine.
Does someone else wake up

nauseated? When you work all day, you get the wages. A
child born from your soul

and body holds on to your legs. When has it been otherwise?
And if the consequences fail

to show up here, be sure they have taken form in the unseen.

-- Mathnawi VI: 403-20
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperCollins, 2001

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

~



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Friday, August 09, 2013

[Sunlight] Take refuge with the Decree

~

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

Although he was a mountain,
relying only upon his own firmness,
a small flood swept him away.

When the Decree extends its head from heaven,
the intelligent become deaf and blind;
fish are cast from the sea;
birds are miserably caught in the snare.

All are lost except
the one who takes refuge
within the command of God:
no unfortunate aspect among the stars
was ever the cause of shed blood.

Unless you take refuge with the Decree,
nothing you can devise
will ever gain your freedom.

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

E`temâdesh sabât-e khvish bud
garcheh keh bod nim saylesh dar robud
Chon Qazâ birun konad az charkh sar
`âqelân gardand jomleh kur o kar
Mâhiyân oftand az daryâ berun
dâm girad morgh parân-râ zabun
Joz kasi k-andar Qazâ andar gorikht
khun u-râ hich tarbi`i na-rikht
Ghayr-e ânke dar gorizi dar Qazâ
hich hileh na-dehadet az vay rahâ

-- Mathnawi III: 468-470; 472-473
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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Thursday, August 08, 2013

[Sunlight] "Love is all bewilderment" -- Ghazal 1331

~

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

In God's eyes, whoever has no tint of Love is
naught but wood and stone.
Love wrings water from rocks, Love cleans
rust from mirrors.
Unbelief has come in war, faith in peace - Love
strikes a fire to both peace and war.
In the ocean of the heart Love opens its mouth
and like a whale swallows down the two worlds.
Love is a lion, without deception and trickery,
not a fox one moment and a leopard the next.
When Love provides replenishment upon
replenishment, the spirit gains deliverance from this dark and
narrow body.
From the beginning Love is all bewilderment - it
stuns the intellect and dazzles the spirit.
Oh east wind, my heart is in Tabriz - take my
salaams there without delay!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1331
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press Albany, 1984

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

~


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Wednesday, August 07, 2013

[Sunlight] Hope has manifested itself

~

To mark the end of Ramadan, Sunlight offers Professor Arberry's
translation of Ghazal 631, from the Diwan-e Shams:

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

Do not despair, my soul, for hope has manifested itself;
the hope of every soul has arrived from the unseen.

Do not despair, though Mary has gone from your hands,
for that light which drew Jesus to heaven has come.

Do not despair, my soul, in the darkness of this prison,
for that king who redeemed Joseph from prison has come.

Jacob has come forth from the veil of occlusion,
Joseph who rent Zulaikha's veil has come.

You who all through night to dawn have been crying "O Lord,"
mercy has heard that "O Lord" and has come.

O pain which has grown old, rejoice, for the cure has come;
O fastened lock, open, for the key has come.

You who have abstained fasting from the Table on high,
break your fast with joy, for the first day of the feast has come.

Keep silence, keep silence, for by virtue of the command "Be!"
that silence of bewilderment has augmented beyond all speech.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 631*, from Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi
Translation and footnote by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi," 1968

*This poem was evidently composed to mark the end of Ramadan.

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

~



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Tuesday, August 06, 2013

[Sunlight] Falsehood is like a piece of straw

~

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

Since the shining truth is a cause of tranquility,
the heart will not be calmed by lying words.
Falsehood is like a piece of straw, and the heart like a mouth:
a straw never remains quietly hidden in the mouth.
As long as it's there, the one annoyed by it keeps moving his tongue,
so that he may rid his mouth of it.

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

Chon toma'ninast sedq bâ forugh
del niyârâmad be-goftâr-e dorugh
Kezb chon khas bâshad va del chon dehân
khas na-gardad dar dehân hargez nehân
Tâ daru bâshad zabâni mi zanad
tâ bedânesh az dehân birun konad

-- Mathnawi VI: 2576-2578
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~



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

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Monday, August 05, 2013

[Sunlight] "Refuge with so loving a Friend" -- Ghazal 3051

~

Today, Sunlight offers five presentations of Rumi's Ghazal (Ode)
3051 --- two versions by Coleman Barks (an earlier one, based on
Arberry's translation, and a later one, based on a translation by
Nevit Ergin, whose own translations are second-generation, as Ergin
works from a Turkish translation, not from the original Persian); a
version from Jonathan Star; and translations by Arberry and
Nicholson, with notes.

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

How did you get away?
You were the pet falcon of an old woman.
Did you hear the falcon-drum?
You were a drunken songbird put in with owls.
Did you smell the odor of a garden?
You got tired of sour fermenting
and left the tavern.

You went like an arrow to the target
from the bow of time and place.
The man who stays at the cemetery pointed the way,
but you didn't go.
You became light and gave up wanting to be famous.
You don't worry about what you're going to eat,
so why buy an engraved belt?

I've heard of living at the center, but what about
leaving the center of the center?
Flying toward thankfulness, you become
the rare bird with one wing made of fear,
and one of hope. In autumn,
a rose crawling along the ground in the cold wind.
Rain on the roof runs down and out by the spout
as fast as it can.

Talking is pain. Lie down and rest,
now that you've found a friend to be with.

-- Version by Coleman Barks (from the
translation by A.J. Arberry)
"These Branching Moments"
Copper Beech Press, 1988

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

"Autumn Rose Elegy"

You've gone to the secret world.
Which way is it? You broke the cage

and flew. You heard the drum that
calls you home. You left this hu-

miliating shelf, this disorienting
desert where we're given wrong

directions. What use now a crown?
You've become the sun. No need for

a belt: you've slipped out of your
waist! I have heard that near the

end you were eyes looking at soul.
No looking now. You live inside

the soul. You're the strange autumn
rose that led the winter wind in

by withering. You're rain soaking
eveywhere from cloud to ground. No

bother of talking. Flowing silence
and sweet sleep beside the Friend.

-- Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

Gone to the Unseen

At last you have departed and gone to the Unseen.
What marvelous route did you take from this world?

Beating your wings and feathers,
you broke free from this cage.
Rising up to the sky
you attained the world of the soul.
You were a prized falcon trapped by an Old Woman.
Then you heard the drummer's call
and flew beyond space and time.

As a lovesick nightingale, you flew among the owls.
Then came the scent of the rosegarden
and you flew off to meet the Rose.

The wine of this fleeting world
caused your head to ache.
Finally you joined the tavern of Eternity.
Like an arrow, you sped from the bow
and went straight for the bull's eye of bliss.

This phantom world gave you false signs
But you turned from the illusion
and journeyed to the land of truth.

You are now the Sun -
what need have you for a crown?
You have vanished from this world -
what need have you to tie your robe?

I've heard that you can barely see your soul.
But why look at all? -
yours is now the Soul of Souls!

O heart, what a wonderful bird you are.
Seeking divine heights,
Flapping your wings,
you smashed the pointed spears of your enemy.

The flowers flee from Autumn, but not you -
You are the fearless rose
that grows amidst the freezing wind.

Pouring down like the rain of heaven
you fell upon the rooftop of this world.
Then you ran in every direction
and escaped through the drain spout . . .

Now the words are over
and the pain they bring is gone.
Now you have gone to rest
in the arms of the Beloved.

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

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

Finally you have broken away and departed into the Unseen;
I wonder, I wonder-- by which way did you depart from the world?
You beat your feathers and wings mightily and broke your
cage; you took the air and departed towards the spiritual world.
You were a special falcon in captivity to an old woman; when
you heard the falcon-drum, you departed to the placeless.*
You were a drunken nightingale amongst owls; the scent of
the rose garden arrived, you departed to the rose garden.
You suffered much crop sickness from this sour ferment;
finally you departed to the eternal tavern.
You went straight as an arrow to the target of bliss; you flew
to that target and departed from this bow.
This world like a ghoul gave you false clues; you took no heed
of the clue and departed to the clueless.
Since you have become the sun, what have you to do with a
crown? Since you have departed from the middle, why do you
seek a belt?
I have heard tell of gazing on the soul when the eyes are
extinguished; why do you gaze on the soul, since you have departed
to the soul of soul?
O heart, what a rare bird you are, that in hunting for the All-
Grateful you departed towards the lance with two wings like a
shield.**
The rose flees from autumn; ah, what a bold rose you are, that
you went creeping along before the autumn wind.
Like rain from heaven on the roof of the earthly world you
ran in every direction and departed by the spout.
Be silent, suffer not the anguish of speech; sleep on, for you
have departed into the shelter of such a loving friend.

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

Arberry's notes:

*The story of a white falcon whose beak and claws were cut by
a "wicked old woman" is told in the Mathnawi 2: 265-325. The falcon
typifies the human soul who has been separated from its divine
origin. The "falcon-drum": according to Nicholson's note on the Divan
(16:3), "When the huntsman wishes to call his bird back, he beats a
drum: the hawk, having an affection for the drum, returns speedily."

**"Shikur-e shakur" if applied to God means "in the search of or
hunting for one who is All-Graceful and rewards well His servants."
Nicholson, on the authority of one line from Sa'di's "Bustan,"
suggests that "the two wings like a shield" are hope and fear, since
the Sufis believe that "fear and hope for man are like the two wings
of a bird." Cf. Nicholson's note on this poet, verse 10.

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

XLVIII

At last thou hast departed and gone to the Unseen;
'Tis marvellous by what way thou wentest from the
world.
Thou didst strongly shake thy wings and feathers, and
having broken thy cage
Didst take to the air and journey towards the world of
soul.
Thou wert a favourite falcon, kept in captivity by an
old woman:*
When thou heard'st the falcon-drum* thou didst fly away
into the Void.
Thou wert a love-lorn nightingale among owls:*
The scent of the rose-garden reached thee, and thou
didst go to the rose-garden.
Thou didst suffer sore head-ache from this bitter ferment;*
At last thou wentest to the tavern of Eternity.*
Straight as an arrow thou didst make for the mark of
bliss;
Thou didst speed like an arrow to that mark from this
bow.
The world gave thee false clues, like a ghoul:
Thou took'st no heed of the clue, but wentest to that
which is without a clue.
Since thou art now the sun, why dost thou wear a tiara,*
Why seek a girdle, since thou art gone from the middle?*
I have heard that thou art gazing with distorted eyes*
upon thy soul:*
Why dost thou gaze on thy soul, since thou art gone
to the soul of Soul?
O heart, what a wondrous bird art thou, that in chase
of divine rewards*
Thou didst fly with two wings to the spear-point*, like
a shield!
The rose flees from autumnO what a fearless rose
art thou
Who didst go loitering along in the presence of the
autumn wind!*
Falling like rain from heaven upon the roof of the
terrestrial world
Thou didst run in every direction till thou didst escape
by the conduit.
Be silent and free from* the pain of speech:* do not
slumber,*
Since thou hast taken refuge with so loving a Friend.

-- 220.4 ("Lachnau 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:

* "Thou wert a favourite falcon"--the story of the 'white falcon,'
whose beak and claws were cut by a 'vile old woman ' is told
in the Masnavi', 362. 18 seq.; Whinfield's Masnavi', p. 203.
We often meet with this comparison of the soul to a bird.
* "falcon-drum" is used to startle water-fowl, which, as they fly
into the air, are attacked by a hawk (Bahari Ajam'). According
to a gloss on the Masnavi' "when the huntsman wishes to call
his bird back, he beats a drum: the hawk, having an affection for
the drum, returns speedily". According to Kaempfer (Amoenitates
Exoticae,'p. 743 seq.), the falcon-drum is carried by kings and
nobles on the left side of their saddles.
* "love-lorn nightingale among owls"--I cannot find this in the
Masnavi.' But cf. the tale of the Falcon and the Owls (ibid.
126. 13; Whinfield's .'Masnavi', p. 76).
* "Thou didst suffer sore head-ache from this bitter ferment" --
the celestial Rose and Wine, unlike their counterfeits on earth,
are wholly free from defect: which in Not-being.
* "tavern of Eternity" --the tavern signifies God. Cf.
Gulshani Raz,' 839 seq.
* "Since thou art now the sun, why dost thou wear a tiara" --
"the sun" refers to Shamsi Tabriz. He who is eternally glorified
by union with the source of all light, desires no earthly crown.
* "middle" -- one meaning of "the middle" is 'waist.' To be
gone from the middle = e media abire (to die).
* "distorted eyes" -- obliquis oculis, enviously.
* "gazing . . .upon thy soul" --you look back with regret on the
life of your individual soul, which is now exalted above life.
* "in chase of divine rewards" --cf. the saying, 'I went forth to
seek the bounty of God. Shakur', as applied to God, means
'requital,' recompense.' God, the Giver of rewards, is a possible
reading.
* "with two wings" --i.e. with hope and fear.
* "Thou didst fly . . . to the spear-point" --this strange metaphor
may perhaps allude to the sport of hunting the antelope with
hawks. 'The buck is seldom taken. The Arabs, are, indeed, afraid
to fly their hawks at the latter, as these fine birds, in pouncing,
frequently impale themselves on its sharp horns' (Malcolm,
'Sketches of Persia,' p.54).
* "loitering along in the presence of the autumn wind"--all things
tremble and flee before the wind of death; only the soul, conscious
of immortality, remains unmoved and triumphant.
* "Be silent . . . from" --Do not speak.
* "the pain of speech"--speech is finite, silence infinite.
* "do not slumber"--the soul, waking from the dark night of the
world, enjoys eternal day in the bosom of God. Our birth is but
a sleep and a forgetting.'

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

~



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Friday, August 02, 2013

[Sunlight] Polish your heart for a day or two

~

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

Stop talking!
What a shame you have no familiarity
with inner silence!
Polish your heart for a day or two:
make that mirror your book of contemplation.

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

`Âlam khâmushi âyad pish nist
vây ânkeh dar darun anisesh nist
Sayqali kon yek do ruzi sineh-râ
daftar-e khvod sâz ân âyeneh-râ


-- Mathnawi VI: 1286-1287
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~


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Thursday, August 01, 2013

[Sunlight] Spinning with your love – Quatrain 1118

~

Today, Sunlight offers an interpretation of
Quatrain 1118:

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

I am filled with splendor,
spinning with your love.

It looks like I'm spinning around you,
but no – I'm spinning around myself!

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

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

~





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