Symbols and Realities

Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 2449, from the Diwan-e Shams, in
versions by Coleman Barks and Kabir Helminski, and in literal
translation by A.J. Arberry:

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

"No Flag"

I used to want buyers for my words.
Now I wish someone would buy me away from words.

I've made a lot of charmingly profound images,
scenes with Abraham, and Abraham's father, Azar,
who was also famous for icons.

I'm so tired of what I've been doing.

Then one image without form came,
and I quit.

Look for someone else to tend the shop.
I'm out of the image-making business.

Finally I know the freedom
of madness.

A random image arrives. I scream,
"Get out!" It disintegrates.

Only love.
Only the holder the flag fits into,
and wind.
No flag.

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

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

"Buy Me From My Words"

Before now I wanted
to be paid for what I said,
but now I need you
to buy me from my words.
The idols I used to carve
charmed everyone. Now I'm drunk
on Abraham and tired of idols.
An idol with no color or scent
ended my whole career.
Find someone else for the job.
A happy madman without a thought,
I have swept the shop clean.
If something enters my mind,
I say, "Leave. You're a distraction. "
Whatever is coarse and heavy, I destroy.
Who should be with Layla?
Someone who can be Majnun.
The man holding up this waving flag
actually belongs to the other side.

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

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

Before this I sought a purchaser for my discourse, and now I
wish of you to buy me from my words.
I have carved idols enough to beguile every person; now I am
drunk with Abraham, I am sated with Azar.*
An idol without color and scent arrived; my hand was put out
of action by him. See another master for the shop of idol-making.
I have cleared the shop of myself, I have thrown away the
idols; having realized the worth of madness, I have become free
of thoughts.
If an image enters my heart I say, "Depart, you who lead
astray!" If it displays grossness, I destroy its composition.
Who is suitable for Leyli? He who becomes Majnun for her.
That man is at the foot of the flag whose soul is on the other side.*

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

Arberry's notes:
*Azar: the father of Abraham was a famous idol-maker.
*The love of Leyli and Majnun is proverbial in Islamic literatures.

The English media:
http://tinyurl.com/kh7an

The Persian media:
http://tinyurl.com/flogy

Symbols and Realities

"If thou fare on the Way"

Mathnawi V:1105-1118

On the meaning of this verse:

"If thou fare on the Way,
the Way will be revealed to thee;
and if thou become non-existent,
(real) existence will be conferred on thee." *

Though Zalikha shut the doors on every side, still Joseph
gained return (to safety) by bestirring himself.
Lock and door opened, and the way (out) appeared: when
Joseph put trust in God, he escaped.
Though the world hath no visible crevice (means of exit),
(yet) one must run (to and fro) recklessly, like Joseph,
In order that the lock may open and the doorway become clear,
and the region of non-spatiality become your dwelling-place.
Thou camest into the world, 0 afflicted one: dost thou ever
see the way of thy coming?
Thou camest from a certain place and abode: dost thou
know the way of thy coming? Nay.
If thou knowest (it) not, (yet) beware of saying that
there is no way: by this wayless way we (all) shall depart.
In dreams thou wanderest happily to left and right: hast thou
any knowledge where the way is that leads to that arena?
Shut that (sensual) eye and give thyself up: thou wilt
find thyself in the ancient City**.
How shouldst thou shut thy (sensual) eye when in this
direction*** a hundred inebriated (languishing) eyes
are (as) a bandage on thine eye because of (thy)
infatuation (with them)?
From love of (having) a purchaser (admirer) thou art
(looking) with four eyes (intently) in the hope of
(gaining) eminence and chieftainship.
And if thou fall asleep thou seest the purchaser in thy dreams:
how should the ill-omened owl dream of aught but
a wilderness? At every moment thou wantest a purchaser
cringing (before thee): what hast thou to sell?
Nothing, nothing.
If thy heart had any (spiritual) bread or breakfast,
it would have been empty of (desire for worldly)
purchasers.

*this verse: the first half of a Persian quatrain, author unknown.
Another manuscript of the Mathnawi adds the second half: "And if you
become humble, you will not be contained by the world; then you will
be shown yourself with (the real) you and without (the false) you!"
(Translation by Ibrahim Gamard).
** i.e. the world of Reality.
*** i.e. the material world.

-- From 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"

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

gar zulaykhâ bast dar-hâ har Taraf
yâft yûsuf ham ze jonbesh munSaraf

bâz shod qufl-o dar-o shod rah padîd
chôn tawakkul kard yûsuf, bar jahîd

garche rakhna nêst `âlam-râ padîd
khîra, yûsuf-wâr mê-bây-ad dawîd

tâ goshây-ad qufl-o dar paydâ shaw-ad
sôy-é bê-jâyî shomâ-râ jâ shaw-ad

âmad-î andar jahân ay mumtaHan
hêch mê-bîn-î Tarîq-é âmadan?

tô ze jâyê âmad-î w-az mawTinê
âmadan-râ râh dân-î hêch? nay

gar na-dân-î tâ na-gôy-î râh nêst
z-în rah-é bê-râha mâ-râ raftanê-st

mê-raw-î dar khwâb shâdân chapp-o râst
hêch dân-î râh-é ân maydân kojâ-st?

tô bo-band ân chashm-o khwad taslîm kon
khwêsh-râ bîn-î dar ân shahr -é kohon

chashm chôn band-î ke Sad chashm-é khumâr
band-é chashm-é tô-st în sû az ghirâr?

châr chashm-î tô ze `ishq-é mushtarî
bar omêd-é mehtariy-o sarwarî

w-ar be-khosp-î, mushtarî bîn-î ba-khwâb
choghdebad kay khwâb bîn-ad joz kharâb?

moshtarî khwâh-î ba-har dam pêch pêch
tô che dâr-î ke forûsh-î? hêch hêch

gar del-at-râ nân bod-y yâ châshtî
az karîdâr-ân farâghat dâsht-y

-- Rumi's Mathnawi V:1105-18
Persian transliteration (C) Ibrahim Gamard

Sunlight thanks Dr. Gamard for his many contributions, and for his
friendship to Sunlight.

The media:
http://tinyurl.com/fx5mb

"If thou fare on the Way"

"Unity is the proper attribute"

The hearty unripe grapes, capable of ripening,
at last become one in heart
by the breath of the masters of heart.
They grow rapidly to grapehood,
shedding duality and hatred and strife.
Then in maturity, they rend their skins,
till they become one:
unity is the proper attribute
for one who is one with others.

~ ~ ~ ~

Ghure-hâ-ye nik k-ishân qâbeland
az dam-e ahl-e del âkher yekdeland
Su-ye anguri hami rânand tiz
tâ doi bar khizad va kin o setiz
Pas dar anguri hami darand pust
tâ yeki gardand vahdat vasf-e ust

-- Mathnawi II: 3723-3725
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyل Monastra

The media:
http://tinyurl.com/jslhx

"Unity is the proper attribute"

"From Black Soot"

What became of last night's promise? -
You broke it this morning!
But why should I care?
I can conquer the world with a blink,
I can heal a broken heart with a smile.

O heart,
Make your wish -
The gifts are ready,
the King is waiting with open arms.
The light of His Face
is shining upon you.

I never heard a King say,
"Wait till tomorrow,
then I'll give you everything."
Has dim light ever shown from the face of a full moon?

Where are the favors?
Where are the wise men?
Where are the open doors?
Where is the Revealer of Secrets? -
The answer is: "Right here!"
They are here, from the beginning to the end.
So it says,
"You are what you seek."

Enough talk from me.
I have died at the Beloved's feet.
No, I am wrong -
One who gains life through Him
can never die.

When the King's reflection dances upon the earth
Mud and stone come to life,
brittle trees laugh,
barren women give birth.

If His reflection can do this
Imagine what the light of His Face can do!
It is the brightness of every thought,
The light animating every soul,
The source of life
from the Sun to the fourth heaven.

But one can only know the taste of salt
by sprinkling it on his food.

What a wonder!
The Beloved is in love with the lover.
What a miracle!
From black soot grows a paradise.

-- Ode 2290
Version by Jonathan Star
"Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved "
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997

The media:
http://tinyurl.com/k2v7p

"From Black Soot"

Be one of those who drink the wine of Love

Both the dry and the fresh branch are near to the sun;
how can the sun be screened off from either?
But how much greater is the nearness of the bough
from which you enjoy ripe fruit?
From its nearness to the sun,
let the dry branch, if it can,
get anything besides withering sooner!
O man without wisdom,
don't be the kind of drunkard
who returns to his wits a sorry man.
Be one of those who drink the wine of Love,
and whose drunkenness mature intellects long for.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shâkh-e khoshk o tar qarib-e âftâb
âftâb az har do kay dârad hejâb
Lik ku ân qorbat-e shâkh-e tari
keh semâr-e pokhteh az vay mi-khvori
Shâkh-e khoshk az qorbat-e ân âftâb
ghayr zutar khoshk gashtan gu biyâb
n chonân masti ma-bâsh ay bi kherad
ki be-`aql âyad pashimâni khvord
Balke az ân mastân keh chon may mi khvorand
`aql-hâ-ye pokhteh hasrat mi barand

-- Mathnawi III: 707-711
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyل Monastra)

The media:
http://tinyurl.com/zwfkw

Be one of those who drink the wine of Love